Airport Lighting Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering airport lighting systems, beacons, glide path indicators, surface lighting, pilot-controlled lighting, and ATC light gun signals.

Civilian (Land) Airport Beacon

A rotating beacon light that alternates white and green flashes to help pilots locate a civilian land airport.

Civilian (Seaplane) Airport Beacon

A rotating beacon light that alternates white and yellow flashes to help pilots locate a civilian seaplane base.

Heliport Beacon

A rotating beacon light that alternates white, yellow, and green flashes to identify a heliport location.

Military Airport Beacon

A rotating beacon light featuring dual-peaked (two quick) white flashes alternating between green flashes to identify a military airport.

Obstruction Lights

Red or white lights required on ground structures above certain heights to help pilots see and avoid them.

Wind Indicator

A windsock, wind tee, or tetrahedron—which may be internally or externally illuminated—that helps pilots see wind direction at night.

Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)

A visual glide path indicator system consisting of lights that help pilots assess their approach angle during landing.

Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)

A visual glide path indicator system providing precise approach angle information to pilots on final approach.

Pulsating VASI

A visual approach slope indicator system that displays a pulsating red light when an aircraft is below the glidepath.

Tri-Color VASI

A visual approach slope indicator system that uses amber, green, and red lights to indicate whether an aircraft is above, on, or below the glidepath.

Runway Edge Lights

White lights along the left and right edges of a runway that switch to amber for the last 2,000 feet.

Runway Threshold Lights

Green lights designating the beginning threshold of a runway.

Runway End Lights

Red lights marking the physical end of a runway.

Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL)

Synchronized strobe lights positioned on either side of the runway threshold to aid in identifying the runway end.

Taxiway Edge Lights

Blue omnidirectional lights defining the outer edges of taxiways.

Pilot-Controlled Lighting

A lighting control system at non-towered airports activated by keying the microphone within 5 seconds: 3 clicks for low intensity, 5 clicks for medium intensity, and 7 clicks for high intensity.

Steady Green Light Gun Signal

An ATC visual light signal meaning 'Cleared for takeoff' to an aircraft on the ground, and 'Cleared to land' to an aircraft in the air.

Flashing Green Light Gun Signal

An ATC visual light signal meaning 'Cleared to taxi' to an aircraft on the ground, and 'Return for landing' to an aircraft in the air.

Steady Red Light Gun Signal

An ATC visual light signal meaning 'Stop' to an aircraft on the ground, and 'Give way, circle' to an aircraft in the air.

Flashing Red Light Gun Signal

An ATC visual light signal meaning 'Clear runway' to an aircraft on the ground, and 'Airport unsafe, do not land' to an aircraft in the air.

Flashing White Light Gun Signal

An ATC visual light signal instructing an aircraft on the ground to return to its starting point on the airport.

Alternating Red and Green Light Gun Signal

An ATC visual light signal instructing aircraft both on the ground and in the air to exercise extreme caution.

Sectional Notation *L

A symbol on VFR Sectional charts indicating lighting limitations at an airport, directing pilots to check the Chart Supplement for details.