Airport Operations And Markings

Visual aids

Flight take off

Airports 

Controlled  



Operating control tower Two way radio required

Uncontrolled  

No Tower No radio required

Wind direction indicators 

Wind Indicators    

Wind Sock Wind Tee Tetrahedron Segmented Circle

RUNWAY MARKINGS 

VFR and IFR

Airport Markings

Airport Markings 

Displaced Threshold   

Obstruction May be available for taxi White line marks the

Beginning of landing portion

TAXIWAY Markings 

Taxiway  

Continuous yellow stripe Hold lines  

Wherever Taxiway intersects runway You are clear of runway on the side with the solid lines

Airport Signs 

Mandatory Instruction Sings 



Entrance to runway, critical area or prohibited area Red with white letters or numbers

Airport Signs 

Location Signs 





Identify Taxiway or runway where you are currently located Identify runway boundary or ILS critical area for area exiting runway Black background with yellow writing and border

Airport Signs 

Direction Sign 

 

Indicate directions of taxiways leading out of an intersection Yellow background, Black writing Arrows

Airport Signs 

Destination Signs 

 

Indicate general direction to location on airport FBO, Military or international areas Yellow background, black writing, arrow

Airport Signs 

Information Sign 

Advise you of “good to know” information 

 



Areas that cannot be seen from control tower Radio Frequencies Noise Abatement

Yellow Background, Black inscription

Airport Signs 

Runway Distance Remaining 

   

Distance remaining information to pilots during takeoff and landing Located on sides of runway Thousands of feet Turbojet aircraft Black with White writing

Airport Lighting 

In – Runway Lighting  

Centerline, touchdown zone, and taxiway turnoff lights Centerline Lights   



White until 3,000 ft 3,000 – 1,000 ft. alternating red and white Last 1,000 ft. RED

Taxiway Lighting   

Blue lights that line both side of taxiway Omni directional Can be green

Airport Lighting

Lighting Continued…

Light Gun Signals Color and Type

Aircraft on Surface

Aircraft in Flight

Steady Green

Cleared for takeoff

Cleared to Land

Flashing Green

Cleared to taxi

Return for Landing

Steady Red

Stop

Give way to other aircraft and continue circling

Flashing Red

Taxi clear of runway

Airport unsafe – do not land

Flashing White

Return to starting point on airport

N/A

Alternating Red/Green

Exercise Extreme Caution

Exercise Extreme Caution

Airport Beacons 

Four Types    

 

Civilian Water Military Airport Heliport

Used to ID airports at night Daylight Operation 

<1,000 ft. and 3 miles visibility – which is what???

Airport Lighting 

Airport Beacon 

 

 

Used to guide pilots to lighted airports Green/White: Civilian Green/yellow: water airport Green/2 white: Military Green/yellow/white: Heliport

Airport Lighting 

Runway Edge Lights   



Runway End Identifier Lights (REILS) 



High intensity white strobe lights placed on each side of the runway to mark the threshold

Runway Lights 



Single row of white lights bordering each side of runway and lights identifying the runway threshold Three Intensity Levels: High Intensity (HIRLs), Medium Intensity runway lights (MIRLs), and Low intensity runway lights (LIRLs) Some are Pilot Controlled, some ATC controlled

White

Taxiway Lights 

Blue

Obstruction Lighting      

On and Off airport Day and night Towers Buildings Powerlines Bright red or white