Approach and Runway Approach and Runway Lighting SystemsLighting Systems

The NeedThe Need

VISUAL LANDING AIDS

• Approach Lighting Systems (ALS)– A series lighting systems– Omni-directional Approach Lighting System

(ODALS)– Lead-In Lighting System (LDIN)– Runway End Identifier Lights (REILs)

• Runway Lighting• Taxiway markings

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD APPROACH LIGHTING

SYSTEM

• Centerline guidance

• Roll guidance

• High intensity / controllable intensity

• Adequate length

• Sequenced flashers

“A” SERIES LIGHTING SYSTEMS

BUILDING BLOCKS• Centerline lights• 1000’ Roll bar• Side row bars• 500’ Roll bar• Termination bar• Wing bars• Sequenced flashers• Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (RAILs)

Threshold lights

( A row of green lights on 5 foot centers extending across the runway threshold and outwards a distance of approximately 45 feet from the runway edges )

Centerline lights

( 13.5 feet wide with 5 evenly spaced lights )

2400 feet long if glideslope is 2.75 deg or greater

3000 feet long if glideslope is less than 2.75 deg

military field may be as short as 2000 feet

1000 ft roll bar100 feet wide with 21 lights

“A” - SERIES APPROACH LIGHTING

SYSTEMS

• Commonalties– Centerline lights– 1000 ft roll bar

Sequenced flashing lights

Flash in sequence toward the threshold at a rate of twice per second

Side Row bars

( 3 red lights each )

500 ft roll bar

( 1 additional bar each side of the 500’ centerline bar with 4 lights each )

A

ALSF - 2

ALSF 2?

It’s for Cat II & III approaches.

Basic building blocks

Sequenced flashing lights

Remove light bars at 100 and 200 feet

Termination bar50 feet wide with 11 red lights

Wing bars or pre-threshold bars( 5 red lights each )

ALSF - 1

A1

First 1500 ft of ALSF-1

SALSF

A2

SALS

A2

Basic building blocks

Short (First 1500 ft)

Simplified (spacing goes to 200 ft)

1000’ roll bar only has 15 lights

Last centerline light at 1400 ft

Runway Alignment Indicator Lights ( RAILs )

A3

SSALR

No RAILs

A4

MALS / SSALS

Sequenced flashing lights

A4

MALSF / SSALSF

A3

SSALR

Medium intensity

MALSR

A5

A1 A2 A2or or

A4 A4or

A

A2 A2or

OTHER STUFFOTHER STUFF

ODALSODALS

1500’

ODALS

LDIN

J

Geilenkirchen NATO StandardBP

Geilenkirchen NATO Standard

Heathrow, England

CALVERT

J

RUNWAY LIGHTING

• Runway Edge Lighting– HIRL, MIRL, LIRL

• Touchdown zone lighting

• Centerline lighting

• Taxiway lighting

1000’

2000’

2000’

200’

SMGCSSMGCSSurface Movement Guidance and Surface Movement Guidance and

Control SystemControl System

LAHSOLAHSOLand and Hold Short Land and Hold Short

OperationsOperations

SUMMARYVISUAL LANDING AIDS

• Approach Lighting Systems (ALS)– “A” series lighting systems– Omni-directional Approach Lighting System (ODALS)– Lead-In Lighting System (LDIN)– Runway End Identifier Lights (REILs)

• Visual Glide Slope Indicators

• Runway Lighting

• Taxiway Marking