Aviation light signals

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A United States Air Force airman with a signal light gun that can be used to control aircraft with radio failure. Air Traffic Control Journeyman, SENIOR AIRMAN Bryan Greenwood of the 86th Operation Support Squadron does a maintenance check on a light gun which allows planes to land safely if th - DPLA - 8ade36e34b217823f71235bfe18c36c2.jpeg
A United States Air Force airman with a signal light gun that can be used to control aircraft with radio failure.
Air traffic control signal light gun in use at base flight tower Signal Light Gun Hulbert Field.jpg
Air traffic control signal light gun in use at base flight tower

In the case of a radio failure or aircraft not equipped with a radio, or in the case of a deaf pilot, air traffic control may use a signal lamp (called a "signal light gun" or "light gun" by the FAA [1] [2] ) to direct the aircraft. ICAO regulations require air traffic control towers to possess such signal lamps. [3] [4] The signal lamp has a focused bright beam and is capable of emitting three different colors: red, white and green. [5] [6] These colors may be flashed or steady, and have different meanings to aircraft in flight or on the ground. [5] [2] [7] Planes can acknowledge the instruction by rocking their wings, moving the ailerons if on the ground, or by flashing their landing or navigation lights during hours of darkness. [6] [7] Air traffic control signal light guns are typically specified with a (white) center beam brightness of > 180,000 - 200,000 candela, [1] [8] [9] and are visible for roughly 4 miles in clear daylight conditions. [9] [10] [11] The table below describes the meaning of the signals. [5] [2] [7] The use of handheld combination red/green/white signal lamps for air traffic control dates back to at least the 1930s. [12]

SignalAircraft in flightAircraft on the groundGround vehicles or personnel
Flashing white ICAO – Land at this airport and proceed to apron (this is not a clearance to either land or taxi. Clearances to land and taxi will follow.)

FAA – Not applicable

Return to starting point on airportReturn to starting point on airport
Steady greenCleared to landCleared for takeoffCleared to cross, proceed or go
Flashing greenReturn for landingCleared to taxiNot applicable
Steady redGive way to other aircraft and continue circlingSTOPSTOP
Flashing redAirport unsafe, do not landTaxi clear of the runway in useClear the taxiway/runway
Alternating red and greenExercise extreme cautionExercise extreme cautionExercise extreme caution

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Aviation Administration</span> U.S. government agency regulating civil aviation

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic control, certification of personnel and aircraft, setting standards for airports, and protection of U.S. assets during the launch or re-entry of commercial space vehicles. Powers over neighboring international waters were delegated to the FAA by authority of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General aviation</span> Civil use of aircraft excluding commercial transportation

General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other purposes. However, for statistical purposes, ICAO uses a definition of general aviation which includes aerial work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport</span> Facility with a runway for aircraft

An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface such as a runway for a plane to take off and to land or a helipad, and often includes adjacent utility buildings such as control towers, hangars and terminals, to maintain and monitor aircraft. Larger airports may have airport aprons, taxiway bridges, air traffic control centres, passenger facilities such as restaurants and lounges, and emergency services. In some countries, the US in particular, airports also typically have one or more fixed-base operators, serving general aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air traffic control</span> Public service provided for the purpose of maintaining the safe and orderly flow of air traffic

Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airspace. The primary purpose of ATC worldwide is to prevent collisions, organize and expedite the flow of air traffic, and provide information and other support for pilots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air traffic controller</span> Aviation specialist

Air traffic control specialists, abbreviated ATCs, are personnel responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. Usually stationed in air traffic control centers and control towers on the ground, they monitor the position, speed, and altitude of aircraft in their assigned airspace visually and by radar, and give directions to the pilots by radio. The position of air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. Controllers apply separation rules to keep aircraft at a safe distance from each other and within proper airspace in their area of responsibility and move all aircraft safely and efficiently through their assigned sector of airspace, as well as on the ground. Because controllers have an incredibly large responsibility while on duty and make countless real-time decisions on a daily basis, the ATC profession is consistently regarded around the world as one of the most mentally challenging careers, and can be notoriously stressful depending on many variables. Many controllers, however, cite high salaries, and a large, unique, and privileged degree of autonomy as major advantages of their jobs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airfield traffic pattern</span>

An airfield traffic pattern is a standard path followed by aircraft when taking off or landing while maintaining visual contact with the airfield.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signal lamp</span> Visual signaling device for optical communication

A signal lamp is a visual signaling device for optical communication by flashes of a lamp, typically using Morse code. The idea of flashing dots and dashes from a lantern was first put into practice by Captain Philip Howard Colomb, of the Royal Navy, in 1867. Colomb's design used limelight for illumination, and his original code was not the same as Morse code. During World War I, German signalers used optical Morse transmitters called Blinkgerät, with a range of up to 8 km (5 miles) at night, using red filters for undetected communications.

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An aerodrome beacon, airport beacon, rotating beacon or aeronautical beacon is a beacon installed at an airport or aerodrome to indicate its location to aircraft pilots at night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport apron</span> Area at an airport used by aircraft for parking, loading, fueling, and maintenance

The airport apron, apron, flight line, or ramp is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled, boarded, or maintained. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway. However, the apron is not usually open to the general public, and a permit may be required to gain access. An apron's designated areas for aircraft parking are called aircraft stands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport surveillance radar</span> Radar system

An airport surveillance radar (ASR) is a radar system used at airports to detect and display the presence and position of aircraft in the terminal area, the airspace around airports. It is the main air traffic control system for the airspace around airports. At large airports it typically controls traffic within a radius of 60 miles (96 km) of the airport below an elevation of 25,000 feet. The sophisticated systems at large airports consist of two different radar systems, the primary and secondary surveillance radar. The primary radar typically consists of a large rotating parabolic antenna dish that sweeps a vertical fan-shaped beam of microwaves around the airspace surrounding the airport. It detects the position and range of aircraft by microwaves reflected back to the antenna from the aircraft's surface. The secondary surveillance radar consists of a second rotating antenna, often mounted on the primary antenna, which interrogates the transponders of aircraft, which transmits a radio signal back containing the aircraft's identification, barometric altitude, and an emergency status code, which is displayed on the radar screen next to the return from the primary radar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landing lights</span> Aircraft lights

Landing lights are lights, mounted on aircraft, that illuminate the terrain and runway ahead during takeoff and landing, as well as being used as a collision avoidance measure against other aircraft and bird strikes.

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References

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