From the runway and taxiways to the apron, airport lighting plays a critical role. Depending on how they’re designed, these lights are capable of influencing everything from passenger safety to efficiency.
Aviation lighting is governed by recommendations and regulations set out by various governing bodies. These recommendations are then translated into binding requirements by local “Competent Authorities”. This makes it crucial that the right lighting is in place.
1. Increased Visibility
Airport lighting is designed to deliver critical information to pilots both day and night. There is a huge array of light systems and colors that all serve a specific purpose from the runway to the taxiway. These lights are important to increase visibility to help reduce the number of mistakes made by pilots when maneuvering around the airport at night or in bad weather.
Runway Lighting
The most common and essential type of airport lighting are the white runway lights. These are used to outline the length of the runway and its centerline and are very important during dark or restricted visibility conditions. Some runways may also have touchdown zone indicator lights to show pilots the desired area for landing.
Taxiway Lighting
There are a variety of different types of taxiway lights, but they all emit blue light to make it easy for pilots to identify them when flying into the airport at night or in poor weather. Some airports will also have a flashing red light system that is used to mark obstructions and runway unserviceable areas.
Another helpful light is the PAPI (or Precision Approach Path Indicator) light. This is a row of four projectors that change from white to red depending on where the aircraft is in relation to the correct glide path. Some airports will also have A-PAPI lights that are similar to the PAPI but have two projectors instead of four.
Other helpful airport lighting includes wig-wags and runway holding point lights. These are a series of lighted yellow or red indicators that indicate to pilots when they have been cleared to taxi on the runway. Runway Holding Point lighting is also becoming more common and it is a row of lights that indicates to pilots which position they are in on the runway, which is very helpful in low visibility conditions.
Most of the light systems at airports are controlled by ATC at towered airports, but at nontowered airports they are generally on a timer or can be manually activated by the pilot by keying their microphone. Some airports will even have a system called Pilot Controlled Lighting (PCL) where the lights can be controlled by the pilot by pressing the microphone button a certain amount of times.
2. Increased Safety
If you have ever flown into an airport at night or during bad weather you are well aware of the importance of functional lighting systems. These lights make it possible for pilots to see the runway, taxiways and other airport structures during low visibility conditions like fog, rain or mist. Without properly functioning airport lighting pilots could easily get lost or become confused, which can be dangerous for passengers and crew.
Whether you are driving to the airport or looking out your airplane window during a flight, there are a lot of different colored lights that flicker and race across the ground. These are called airport lighting and they help pilots navigate the airfield.
The most basic type of airport lighting is the runway edge light. These white lights border the sides of each runway and are set to low (LIRL), medium (MIRL) or high intensity (HIRL). A minimum of two aircraft or a surface vehicle must be present for the lights to turn on.
Other important runway and taxiway lighting is PAPI or Precision Approach Path Indicator which indicates the location of the runway centerline. This helps the pilot transition from instrument flight to visual flight at the appropriate point and also provides information about the slope of the approach. Another crucial safety system is the lead-in lighting which guides the pilot to the runway threshold. These are high-intensity, synchronized strobe lights that flash on each side of the runway threshold.
Taxiway lighting is vital for pilots when the runways are closed due to inclement weather and it’s very easy to mistake a taxiway for a runway. The airport’s taxiway lighting is usually a green and blue combination and it is set to a lower intensity than the runway edge lights. Some airports are installing a new type of taxiway lighting known as wig-wags which uses a dual flashing light unit to delineate the end of the taxiway and help pilots safely exit the runway and taxi to their gate.
Intelligent airport lighting is quickly becoming the norm and it can make a huge difference to the efficiency of airport traffic flows. It can integrate with airfield surveillance and aircraft tracking systems to achieve optimum aircraft routings and significantly improve ATC’s situational awareness. The intelligence of ILCMS doesn’t take away control from the ATC but it can give them the ability to prioritize incoming and outgoing flights according to flight crew working time constraints or premium airline requirements for example.
3. Reduced Energy Consumption
Embracing eco-friendly lighting solutions is one of the most efficient ways airports can improve sustainability and cut energy costs. In addition to reducing electricity bills, sustainable lighting systems reduce maintenance and repair costs by lowering downtime and extending lifespans.
LED lights, for example, consume up to 75% less energy than traditional lighting systems and offer a significantly longer lifespan. This reduced energy consumption is a major cost-saving benefit for airports, which can reshuffle their maintenance resources to focus on other areas of the facility without impacting operations. The long lifespan also cuts down on discarded bulbs that end up in landfills.
Additionally, LED lights do not contain mercury and feature a built-in surge protection system that helps to prevent failures. These features help to lower maintenance and repair costs and contribute to a safer environment for travelers and employees.
Airports can further reduce their energy use by incorporating intelligent lighting controls that enable precise control and adaptability. These systems allow facilities to adjust lighting levels based on occupancy and natural light availability. Additionally, smart lighting systems can be remotely monitored and controlled to help maintain efficiency throughout the facility.
Energy efficiency is a key consideration for many airports, especially those that are constantly growing to accommodate new flights and aircraft traffic. Efficient airport lighting solutions are the perfect way to improve sustainability while enhancing the passenger experience and safety.
By incorporating energy-efficient lighting solutions, airports can take flight to new heights of profitability, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
The right lighting can help to reduce energy consumption by enabling passengers and airport staff to move through the terminals more quickly and comfortably. Additionally, the right lighting can also help to create a welcoming and stress-free experience for travelers through tunable color temperatures.
Additionally, modern LED systems feature more efficient control technology, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 50% by reducing the amount of time and power needed to operate each fixture. In addition, advanced circuit consolidation enables the use of fewer constant current regulators (CCR) and cables to further reduce energy consumption.
4. Increased Efficiency
A plane approaching an airport at night is a stunning sight – both from the air and on the ground. The vast array of lights serve a very specific purpose and provides vital information to pilots to help them navigate the complex landing process. The colors and patterns of these lighting systems are well defined and regulated and they’re used to indicate runways, taxiways, apron areas and other obstructions. This is crucial especially for international airports where standards are standardized by the ICAO and implemented by each country’s aviation regulator.
As the aviation industry is becoming more focused on sustainability, many airports are adopting energy efficient lighting systems that require less wattage per square foot and offer longer lifespans. One such solution is LED airport flood lights. By using LED lights, airports can reduce energy consumption by up to 75% and eliminate the need for frequent bulb replacements. Additionally, LED lights emit significantly lower levels of light pollution and provide a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional airport lighting.
Other airport lighting systems include runway and taxiway lights that illuminate the lateral limits of the runway and taxiways. They also provide status indications to both pilots and area vehicle drivers such as “RUNWAY HOLDING POINT” or a two quick white flashes alternating with a green light that identifies a military airport. Another airport lighting system is the “RUNWAY INITIAL LINE” which is used to help pilots line up on the runway during landing. This system is typically comprised of a pair of threshold lights that flash in sequence and a row of white centerline lines that flash to indicate the direction of the runway’s extended centerline.
Despite these clear benefits of modern airport lighting, some of the challenges that airlines and their suppliers must overcome include costs and technical complexity. Many advanced lighting systems are expensive to install and maintain and can require technical expertise for proper functioning – something that smaller airports with limited resources may find challenging. In addition, complying with regulations can be costly and time consuming for airports.