The first airport runway lighting system began to be used at Cleveland City Airport (now known as Cleveland Hopkins International Airport) in 1930. Today, the lighting system of airports is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Currently, the lighting system of airports is mainly divided into approach lighting system, landing lighting system, and taxi lighting system. These lighting systems together constitute the colorful lighting world of airports at night. Let’s explore these magical lighting systems together.

Approach lighting system 

Approach Lighting System (ALS) is a type of auxiliary navigation lighting that provides a striking visual reference for the position and direction of runway entrances when an aircraft lands at night or in low visibility. The approach lighting system is installed at the approach end of the runway and is a series of horizontal lights, flashing lights (or a combination of both) that extend outward from the runway. Approach lights are usually used on runways with instrument approach procedures, allowing pilots to visually distinguish the runway environment and helping them align the runway when the aircraft approaches the predetermined point.

Approach centerline light

Start with the previous image. This picture shows the group lights of the approach lighting system. We first look at the approach centerline lights. Outside the runway, 5 rows of variable white bright lights will be installed starting from the extension line of the centerline at 900 meters, with rows set every 30 meters, extending all the way to the entrance of the runway. If it is a simple runway, the longitudinal spacing of the lights is 60 meters, and they should extend at least 420 meters to the centerline extension of the runway. You may have to say that the light in the picture is clearly orange. Well, I thought it was orange, but it’s actually variable white. As for why the picture looks orange, it has to be asked by the photographer

One of the five lights in the center of the approach centerline is located exactly on the extension line of the centerline, from 900 meters to 300 meters from the extension line of the centerline. They form a row of sequentially flashing light lines, flashing twice per second. Looking down from the plane, this set of lights flickered from a distance, pointing straight towards the end of the runway. Due to its appearance as a ball of white fur running rapidly towards the runway entrance, it is nicknamed “rabbit”.

Approach horizontal lights

The variable white horizontal lights set at an integer multiple distance of 150 meters from the runway threshold are called approach horizontal lights. The approach horizontal lights are perpendicular to the centerline of the runway, and the inner side of each side is 4.5 meters away from the extended centerline of the runway. The two rows of white lights on the diagram, which are horizontal to the approach centerline lights and longer than the approach centerline lights (if you think they are orange, I can’t do it), are two sets of approach horizontal lights. These lights can indicate the distance between the runway and allow the pilot to correct whether the aircraft’s wings are horizontal.