Aerodrome Lighting — Page 434, Lesson 581

We're starting a new topic now: aerodrome lighting. I want to walk you through the specific lights that mark a runway, and I'll begin with the runway end lights. Runway end lights are provided for a runway that is equipped with runway edge lights. So if you have edge lights, you get end lights. These are fixed, unidirectional lights — meaning they shine in one direction only — and they show red in the direction of the runway. So as you approach the runway end, you see red. They're placed in a line at right angles to the runway axis, as near to the end of the runway as possible. And they should consist of at least six lights. Those six lights are either equally spaced between the rows of runway edge lights, or symmetrically disposed about the runway centre line. Next, runway centre line lights. These are provided on Cat II and Cat III precision approach runways. They should also be provided on a Cat I precision approach runway when the width between the runway edge lights is greater than 50 metres. And they must be provided on a runway intended for take-off with an operating minimum below an RVR of the order of 400 metres. RVR is runway visual range — the distance a pilot can see along the runway. These centre line lights are fixed, variable intensity white. But here's the key detail: over the last 900 metres from the runway end, the colour changes. From 900 metres to 300 metres from the runway end, they show alternate red and white. Then from 300 metres to the runway end, they show all red. So as you get closer to the end, you see more red — that's your warning. Now the touchdown zone lights. These are provided in the touchdown zone of a Cat II or Cat III precision approach runway. They extend from the threshold for a distance of 900 metres, but only where the runway is 1800 metres or more in length. The lights are arranged in strips on either side of the centre line, and the width of those strips matches the width of the touchdown zone markings. These are fixed, variable intensity, unidirectional lights showing white. Finally, stopway lights. These are provided for a stopway intended for use at night, with the lights placed along the stopway. That's where the excerpt cuts off, but that's the start of it. So to tie it together: end lights are red and mark the runway end, centre line lights guide you down the middle with a red warning near the end, touchdown zone lights mark where you should land, and stopway lights mark the area beyond the runway for an aborted take-off. Let's look at the PAPI indications figure next — that's the visual approach slope indicator.