Signal Description Meaning

A horizontal red
Landings are prohibited and that the prohibition
square panel with
is liable to be prolonged.
yellow diagonals

Owing to the bad state of the manoeuvring area,

Horizontal red
or for any other reason, special precautions
square panel with
must be observed in approaching to land or in
one yellow diagonal
landing.

Horizontal white Indicates that aircraft are required to land, take-

dumb-bell off and taxi on runways and taxiways only.

The same horizontal white dumb-bell but with a

black bar placed perpendicular to the shaft
Horizontal white
across each circular portion of the dumb-bell
dumb-bell with
indicates that aircraft are required to land and
black bars
take-off on runways only, but other manoeuvres
need not be confined to runways and taxiways.

Displayed horizontally on runways and taxiways

Crosses of a single
or parts thereof indicate the runway or taxiway is
contrasting colour,
closed and the area unfit for movement of
yellow or white
aircraft.

Indicates the direction to be used by aircraft for

landing and take-off, which must be in a
A horizontal white
direction parallel to the shaft of the T towards
or orange landing
the cross arm Note: When used at night, the
“T”
landing T is either illuminated or outlined in
white coloured lights.
 Signal Description Meaning

Displayed vertically at or near the aerodrome

control tower. Indicates to aircraft on the
A set of two digits manoeuvring area the direction for take-off,
expressed in units of 10 degrees to the nearest
10 degrees of the magnetic compass.

When displayed in a signal area, or horizontally

at the end of the runway or strip in use, a right-
Right-hand arrow hand arrow of conspicuous colour indicates that
turns are to be made to the right before landing
and after take-off.

The letter “C”

displayed vertically Indicates the location of the air traffic services
in black against a reporting office.
yellow background

Double white cross

Indicates that the aerodrome is being used by
displayed
gliders and that glider flights are in operation.
horizontally

Indicates that agricultural flights are in operation

A figure “A”
at the aerodrome.

Signalling lamp
Controlled aerodromes should have a signalling lamp capable of producing red, green and white signals. The
signalling lamp should be capable of:

 being aimed manually at any target as required

 giving a signal of any one colour and thereafter a signal of either of the other two colours.
 transmitting a message in any one of the three colours in Morse Code at a speed of at least four words
per minute.

The various light signals that could be directed towards you are as follows:
 Vehicles, equipment Aircraft on the
Colour and type Aircraft in the air
and personnel ground
Steady green Cleared to cross, proceed
Cleared for takeoff Cleared to land
or go
Flashing green Return for landing (to be followed by
Not applicable Cleared to taxi
steady green at the proper time)
Steady red Give way to other aircraft and
Stop Stop
continue circling
Flashing red Taxi clear of the
Clear the taxiway/runway Airport unsafe, do not land
runway in use
Flashing white Return to starting point Return to starting
Not applicable
on airport point on airport
Alternating red and green Exercise extreme
Exercise extreme caution Exercise extreme caution
caution

Colour
 Runway markings are white.
o There may be yellow taxiway centrelines that lead on , lead off or cross the runway.
 Taxiway markings are yellow.
 Markings on aprons and in ramp areas can be of other colours
o Vehicle roadways are often marked in white.

Taxiway marking patterns

 A marking consisting of two or more lines, of which some are solid and some are dashed indicates a
runway holding position.
 You are always allowed to cross from the dashed to the solid side without permission.
 ATC permission is required to cross from the solid side to the dashed side when there is air traffic
control at the aerodrome.
 If you are told to "hold short", you need to stop before the first solid line at the holding point marking.

Intermediate holding positions

An intermediate holding position marking is used to indicate a holding position between two taxiways. You are
required to hold at this marking if air traffic control has instructed you to hold short of a particular taxiway.

Examples of different taxiway markings

Example Type of marking Explanation Location
Located across the
Indicates an entrance to a
Holding position centreline on taxiways
runway from a taxiway.
and on certain runways.
Located on taxiways
Indicates an entrance to
where the taxiways enter
an area that is to be
the NAVAID critical area
ILS critical area protected because of an
or where aircraft on
ILS signal or approach
taxiway would violate
airspace.
ILS approach airspace.
Used at controlled
Indicates a location on the
aerodromes where it is
Taxiway/taxiway taxiway or apron where
required to hold traffic at
holding position aircraft should hold short
a taxiway/taxiway
of another taxiway.
intersection.
Located on the boundary
between the movement
Outlines the movement
and non-movement
Non-movement area under control of ATC
area. Located in a way
area boundary from the non-movement
to ensure wing-tip
area.
clearance for taxiing
aircraft.
Located along taxiway
edge where contiguous
Defines edge of usable,
Taxiway edge shoulder or other paved
full strength taxiway.
surface NOT intended
for use by aircraft.
Located along taxiway
Defines taxiway edge edge where contiguous
Dashed taxiway
where adjoining pavement paved surface or apron
edge
is usable. is intended for use by
aircraft.

Supplements elevated
Surface painted Indicates the entrance to a holding position signs.
holding position runway from a taxiway. Useful at complex
intersections.

Taxiway centrelines are

Enhanced Provides visual cue to help
enhanced prior to a
taxiway identify location of hold
runway holding position
centreline position.
marking.
Example Type of marking Explanation Location

Located on the left side

Indicates the for turns to left and on
Surface painted
designation/direction of the right side for turns to
taxiway direction
intersecting taxiway(s). right. It is placed prior to
an intersection.

Located on the right side

Identifies the taxiway on but it be installed on left
Surface painted
which the aircraft is side if combined with a
taxiway location
currently located.. surface painted hold
sign.

Taxiway lighting
Taxiways have green centreline lights or blue edge lights. At some aerodromes both centreline and edge lights
may be used. Some aerodromes may also have green centreline lights on some taxiways and blue edge lights
on other taxiways.

A red stop-bar is used to indicate positions where an aircraft must hold.

If a section of a taxiway equipped with centreline lights lies within the ILS sensitive area or is close enough to a
runway that an aircraft on that part of the taxiway would be a hazard to aircraft taking-off or landing, the
centreline lights will change to alternating green and yellow lights. When in this area, a pilot should avoid
stopping.

Stop bars and lead-on lights

Lighted Stop Bars and Lead-on Lights are provided at those aerodromes used for low visibility operations. A
stop-bar is a row of lights equally spaced across the taxiway at right angles to the centreline which shine red to
an aircraft approaching the lights. They are normally installed together with green lead-on lights which form
part of the taxiway centreline lighting. The lead-on lights and the stop-bar are interlinked so that when the stop-
bar lights are on, the lead-on lights are off, and vice versa. An aircraft must not taxi past a stop-bar that is lit.
The stop bars are found at entrances to runways as well as taxiway intersections and other places where they
are deemed necessary.
Runway lighting
Runway edge lighting
Runway edge lights are white and they may also be directional so that they are only visible to aircraft that are
aligned with the runway on approach. Some runways have edge lights that are visible in all directions.

Approach threshold lighting

The lights at the approach threshold are green. If the lights are flush with the surface they will extend across
the width of the runway, but if they are elevated they may only be on the edges of the runway. Some elevated
approach threshold lights do extend along the width of the runway. These lights are usually directional and can
only be seen when aligned with the final approach path.

End threshold lighting

The lights at the end threshold are red. Like the approach threshold lighting, these lights are often also
directional.

Caution range
If there is a published instrument approach procedure for the runway, then the last 600 metres of runway edge
lighting will be yellow. This is called the caution zone. On some precision approach runways at larger
aerodromes white centreline lighting as well as touchdown zone lighting is used. Touchdown zone lighting
consists of 900 metres of white lights in two rows on either side of the centreline from the start of the runway
touchdown zone.

Runway guard lights

Runway Guard Lights are pairs of alternately flashing yellow lights, with one pair located on each side of the
taxiway. They provide a warning of the close proximity of the runway. Where a taxiway is wider than normal, an
alternative form of Runway Guard Light is installed comprising of additional pairs of flashing yellow lights inset
into and stretching across the full width of the taxiway. The electrical circuits are so arranged that alternate
lights flash in unison. Runway Guard Lights are often referred to as "Wig Wags”.
Approach lighting systems (ALS)
These lighting systems are found at major aerodromes and extend out from the approach end of the runway.
They consist of light-bars and/or strobe lights that extend outward from the runway end. The approaching
lighting system (ALS) is usually used for a runway that has a published instrument approach procedure
associated with it. These lights allow a pilot to visually identify the runway and align the aircraft for landing on
an approach in instrument conditions. It is important to note that these lights do not indicate a suitable landing
area, they are only used to guide an aircraft towards the runway.

Visual approach slope indicator (VASI)

The typical two-bar VASI is made up of two pairs of wing bars found on the side of the runway, usually at 150
metres and 300 metres from the approach threshold. The system is sometimes called the red/white system
because of the colours used. The indications are as follows:

 All bars white: The aircraft is too high

 Near bars white and far bars red: The aircraft is on the correct slope
 All bars red: The aircraft is too low

Some systems have a third set of wing bars that are to be used by pilots of long-bodied aircraft, known as the
three-bar VASI. The reason for the extra wing-bar is that the image seeing (red/white) depends on where the
pilot's eyes are and on a long-bodied aircraft, the wheels are much lower than the pilot's eyes compared to a
light aircraft. This requires the pilot's eyes of a long-bodied aircraft to follow a parallel, but slightly higher
approach path than the pilot's eyes of a light aircraft.

Pilots of long bodied aircraft should refer to the further two wing bars and the pilots of smaller aircraft should
refer to the nearer two wings bars for approach slope guidance.

Precision approach path indicator (PAPI)

This is an improvement of the VASI system. Red and white lights are still used to guide the pilot down the
approach slope, but the lights are arrangement slightly different. A PAPI system has only one wing-bar, which
has four light units on one or both sides of the runway. If the aeroplane is on the correct approach slope, the
two outer lights will be white and the two inner lights will be red. If the aeroplane gets too high, the number of
white lights increase and if the aeroplane gets too low, the number of red lights increase. The VASI system
also has a pink transition stage from white to red and vice versa, but the PAPI system has a more sudden
change of colour.
Mandatory instruction signs
A mandatory instruction sign indicate a location beyond which an aircraft that is taxiing shall not proceed
unless authorised by ATC. At uncontrolled airports, use appropriate precautions prior to proceeding.

Example Type of sign Explanation Location

Holding position Indicates the

Located on each side of
for a taxiway to entrance to a
the taxiway, near the
runway runway from a
holding position markings.
intersection taxiway

Holding position
Located on each side of
for a runway to Indicates an
the runway prior to an
runway intersecting runway
intersection.
intersection

Indicates an area Located on each side of

that must be the taxiway crossing
Holding position
protected for aircraft through runway approach
for a runway
approaching or area's where the aircraft
approach area
departing from a would violate approach /
runway. departure airspace.

Located on each side of

Indicates the
Holding position the taxiway where the
entrance to an area
for an ILS critical taxiway enters the navaid
that is to be
area or precision critical area or where an
protected for an ILS
obstacle free aircraft on the taxiway
signal or approach
zone would enter ILS approach
airspace.
airspace.

Indicates that an Located on the sides of the

No entry aircraft may not paved areas where aircraft
enter the area. may not enter.
Information signs
Information signs indicate a specific location or route. They are made up of direction, location, destination,
runway exit and runway vacated signs. They are normally found on the left-hand side of the taxiway in light
with the taxiway intersection marking.

If there is no taxiway intersection marking, the signs are located at least 40 metres away from the centreline of
the intersecting taxiway. Runway exit signs are located on the same side of the runway as the exit the sign is
indicating. A runway vacated sign could be indicated on either side or on both.

Examples
Example Type of sign Explanation Location

On the side of the taxiway, by

Indicates the taxiway on
Taxiway itself, in an array of signs or
which the aircraft is
location combined with a taxiway hold
currently situated.
sign.

Indicates the runway on Where two runways that are

Runway
which the aircraft is near to each other could
location
currently situated. cause confusion.

Indicates a specific
Specific Where it is found to be
location on the
location necessary.
aerodrome.

Taxiway Indicates the the current

Near to the end of a taxiway.
ending taxiway will end.

The left hand side of the

Indicates the designation taxiway, before an
Taxiway
and direction of an intersection or in an array
direction
intersecting taxiway. from left to right in a
clockwise order.
Example Type of sign Explanation Location

Indicates the designation Same side of the runway as

Runway exit and direction of an exit the exit the sign is referring
taxiway from the runway. to, and before the exit.

On taxi routes to runways.

Outbound Indicates the direction to This sign is never combined
destination a take-off runway. or co-located with other
signs.

Indicates the direction to On taxi routes to specific

Inbound specific destinations on destinations. This sign is
destination the aerodrome for never combined or co-located
arriving aircraft. with other signs.

Provides aircraft with Along taxi routes or aircraft

Information procedural or other parking areas. It might not be
special information. lighted.

Sign array
This is a group of direction signs placed together. The signs are orientated clockwise from left to right. Signs
indicating a left turn on places on the left and signs indicated a turn to the right are placed on the right.
Taxiway holding point sign
This sign indicates that you are on a taxiway at the holding point for a runway. It also indicates which side of
the runway each threshold is at. It is located next to the yellow runway holding point markings that are painted
on taxiways that intersect a runway. In this example you are on taxiway alpha and the threshold for runway 13
is on the left, and the threshold for runway 31 is on the right.

A signal area is provided at aerodromes when it is intended to use visual ground signals to communicate with
aircraft in flight. Such signals may be needed when the aerodrome does not have an aerodrome control tower
or an aerodrome flight information service unit, or when the aerodrome is used by aeroplanes not equipped
with a radio. Visual ground signals may also be useful in the case of failure of two-way radio communication
with aircraft. The type of information which may be conveyed by visual ground signals should normally be
available in AIPs or NOTAMs.

The various signals found in the signal area are list under "Indicators and signalling devices"

Signal area at an aerodrome (Photo: Phil Vabre)