Lesson 9 Airports, Airspace, Radio Communications
Airport Marking Aids And Signs
Grouped into four categories
1. Runway markings:
There are 3 types of runway markings:
Visual
Non-precision instrument
Precision instrument
Runway designator; mag. Number L, C, R
1. Runway Markings
Runway aiming point; solid block 1000 feet down
Touchdown zone; solid and broken lines every 500′
Side stripe; continuous white stripe on each side
Shoulder markings; continuous yellow stripe not for aircraft use
1. Runway Markings
Threshold markings; 2 types 4 to 16 stripes or a 10’wide white bar across the runway called a threshold bar
Displaced threshold; not at the beginning of the runway for obstacle clearance or construction. May be used for taxi, rollout and takeoff but not landing
1. Runway Markings
Demarcation bar; yellow across delineates unusable portion of overrun, blast pad, stopway, or taxiway
Chevrons; area that may appear to be useable but is not
2. Taxiway Markings:
Centerline; 6″ yellow stripe
Edge markings; 2 types double yellow delineates area not to be used for aircraft or dashed double yellow and delineates area that can be used for aircraft like an apron
2. Taxiway Markings
Shoulder; yellow lines 90 degrees to edge markings
Painted direction signs; indicate left or right turn
Geographic position markings; help you id your position in low vis conditions
3. Holding Position Signs
Runway hold lines; 4 lines, 2 solid 2 broken.
One may find hold lines preceding the runway, on the runway eg intersections, and on a taxiway that cuts to close to approach/departure end of a runway.
No part of the aircraft may cross the hold short lines.
3. Holding Position Signs
ILS hold lines; 2 solid lines and lines 90 degrees to them
Taxiway hold lines; single dashed line
4. Other
Taxi signs; black background with yellow letter indicates taxiway aircraft is on, yellow background with black letter indicates direction of taxiway ahead
4. Other
Runway distance sign; usually has black background white#
Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
1. Visual approach slope indicator (VASI)
Provides safe obstruction clearance +-10 degrees off centerline and 4NM from the threshold
Most are 2 bar and 3 degree slope
Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
Some are 3 bar 3.25 degree slope for higher cockpit aircraft can be as high as 4.5 degree slope for obstacles.
Red over white alright, white white out of site, red red your dead.
Remember going below glide path indicators is illegal at tower airports unless safety dictates.
Quentin Stepon contribution (vertical to visual)10/20/2014
2. Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)
Single row of 2 or 4 lights.
All white more than 3.5 degrees.
Right red 3.2 degrees.
2 right red on glide 3 degrees.
3 right red 2.8 degrees.
4 red less than 2.5.
3. Tri-color System
Red below, green on, amber above
4. Pulsating System
On glide steady white
Slightly below steady red
Pulsates faster the further you go above or below
Runway Lights
Instrument runways the last 2000 are amber otherwise white
Pilot controlled lighting 3 clicks low, 5 med, 7 high within 5 seconds
Threshold lights are green, runway end lights are red taxiway lights are blue
Beacons
White and green, civil lighted airport
White and yellow, lighted water airport
Green yellow white, lighted heliport
White white green, military airport
Operation of beacon during daylight indicates IFR conditions
Airspace
Vertical dimensions
Horizontal dimensions
Pilot requirements
Equipment requirements
Visibility requirements
How depicted on the sectional
Special requirements
Class A
18,000 to FL 600.
Contiguous U.S.
Pilot must be IFR rated.
Plane must be IFR rated.
No vis requirements.
Not marked on sectional.
Must be under IFR.
Class B
Surface to 10,000 msl
Denoted by solid blue line
Pilot can be student in some private minimum in others
Mode c and two way radio
3 miles vis clear of clouds
Class B
Solid blue line
Must have clearance prior to operating
Only found around heavy traffic areas a
30NM mode c veil surrounds class B surface to 10,000msl
Class C
Surface to 4000agl
Inner circle 5nm, outer circle from 5 to 10nm from 1200agl to 4000agl
Pilot can be lowest form
Mode c and two way radio
3 mile vis 500 below 1000 above 2000 horizontal
Class C
Solid magenta line.
Must establish two way radio comm. Prior to entering.
2 way radio comm. Is established when they say call sign back.
Found around high traffic areas but less than class B airports.
Class D
Surface to 2500agl
Average 4.4 nm based on rwy length
Pilot can be lowest form
Two way radio
3 mile vis 1000′ ceiling
Dashed blue line
Class D
Must establish two way radio comm. Prior to entering.
Some class D airports have surface based E extensions controlled by the tower.
If no weather reporting when tower closes, then it reverts to G.
If there is wx reporting then it reverts to E.
Surface Based Class E
Surface, magenta dash line
700agl, magenta shading
1200agl blue shading
14,500msl not marked
Ends at: to but not including 18,000
Surface Based Class E
Pilot can be lowest form
No radio re
quirements when VFR
Less than 10,000msl; 3 miles 500 below, 1000 above, 2000 horizontal
Over 10,000msl; 5 miles 1000 below, 1000 above, 1 mile horizontal
Surface Based Class E
If desired ops in surface E with weather less than 3 miles and 1000′ ceiling need special VFR otherwise none
Configured to include instrument approaches
Surface based; dashed magenta line
Class E Transition Area
700agl magenta shading towards the area designated
1200agl blue shading towards the area designated
Blue zippers designate special altitudes of floors on sec
14,500msl denoted by sharp edged blue shading forming a box
Class G Uncontrolled
Surface to 700agl
Or surface to 1200agl
Or surface to 14,500msl
Denoted by shading
Student pilot
No equipment requirements
Class G Uncontrolled
Less than 1,200agl day 1 mile clear of clouds, night 3 miles 512BAH
More than 1,200 agl but less than 10,000msl day 1 mile 512BAH, night 3 miles 512BAH
More than 1,200agl and more than 10,000msl 5 miles 111BAH
Terry Haws contribution (night G 10/20/14)
Class G Uncontrolled
Look for the class E depictions
By process of elimination any airspace that is not A,B,C,D, or E then it must be G
Special Use Airspace
1. Prohibited
2. Restricted
3. Warning areas; 3nm outward from US
4. Moa
5. Alert areas; high volume of training
6. Controlled firing areas; ops suspended automatically
7. National security areas; voluntary like Hanford
Other Airspace Areas
1. Airport advisory area; 10nm FSS.
2. MTR; 4 numbers below 1500agl, 3 numbers above 1500agl.
3. Temporary flight restrictions; by notam, toxic gas, volcano, nuclear accident, hijackings ect.
4. Parachute jump ops; contained in AFD
5. Published VFR routes through class B, VFR flyways, corridors, transition routes
6. Terminal radar service area