As an air traffic controller, one of your main responsibilities is to ensure that aircraft have a safe landing. You do this by managing the flow of traffic and giving pilots the information they need to land safely.
One of the most important pieces of information you can give a pilot is the location of the runway threshold lights. These lights are used to mark the beginning of the runway and help pilots align their aircraft with the runway centerline.
In this article, we will take a look at how runway threshold lights work and how they help ensure safe landings. We will also discuss some of the different types of runway threshold lights that are used in different parts of the world.
Roundout Lights:
The roundabout lights are located at each end of a runway and consist of two vertical green lights spaced apart at a distance equal to 1/8th of the runway width. The purpose of these lights is to indicate to aircraft when they reach 1/8th or less from touching down on the runway surface. These lights are typically not needed on high-speed runways because pilots already know where they are in relation to touchdown points due to speed and other factors such as turbulence or wind shear.
Runway Centerline Lights:
The centerline lights are normally found on both ends of runways at airports. They consist of rows of white lights that extend from one end of the runway to another. Each row consists of three white lights spaced evenly apart along a curved line extending from side to side across the runway surface at approximately one foot above ground level.
Runway End Lights:
Aircraft approaching for landing must be aligned with the centerline of the airport runway lights so that they land within a safe area. Runway end lights help pilots maintain this alignment by providing visual cues when approaching from either direction. These airport lighting are usually located at each end of a runway and consist of two rows of green lights.
Taxiway Lights:
Taxiway lights are used to guide aircraft along taxiways during takeoff, landing, and taxi operations in low visibility conditions (e.g., rain, snow, or fog). Taxiway edge lights help pilots navigate safely by marking the edges of taxiways. They consist of white strobe lights mounted on top of poles spaced at regular intervals along both sides of taxiways.
Conclusion:
Runway threshold lights are one of the most important tools used to keep pilots safe during takeoff and landing. It’s important that you understand their purpose and how they work. It can also help you better understand the role runway lights play in a pilot’s landing experience.