TRANSPORTATION LIGHTING 13-43

FIELD LIGHTING FOR AIRPORTS

Field-lighting equipment for airports generally is classed as signal
equipment. With the exception of landing area and loading area flood-
lights, and illuminated wind cones or socks, airport lights convey the in-
formation intended by means of their own color, arrangement, or direction,
rather than by illumination of other areas or objects. The amount of
light normally required for this purpose is not large, but the control of its
direction and color must conform with rigid standards.
Since the signal equipment must serve its purpose under varying at-
mospheric conditions, a control of the brightness of the runway and the
approach lights used for landing the airplane must be provided. Low
brightnesses are used in clear weather, and are increased as the transmit-
tance of the atmosphere decreases. For practical purposes, the useful
range of the signal remains the same over a rather wide variance of at-
mospheric conditions.
Standardization
The interstate and international scope of scheduled air transport opera-
tions makes it imperative to set up minimum performance standards for
apparatus and to standardize colors and characteristics of signals.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (C.A.A.) of the Department of
Commerce is the domestic agent for the establishment of such standards
and recommendations in civil aviation. In many cases the Army, the
Navy, and the C.A.A. have collaborated in reaching joint standards,
known as A.N.C. Aeronautical Standards.
International practices and standards are formulated by the U. N. spon-
sored International Civil Aviation Organization (I.C.A.O.), which is com-
posed of representatives of all nations interested in international air
commerce. Standards adopted by this body generally are accepted by
all member nations and made mandatory minimum requirements.
Seeing Problems, Incoming Aircraft
In many landing fields all of the recommended types of lights and lu-
minaires are not always necessary, but there should be uniformity in
those used for the very evident advantage it gives the pilot, w-ho thus can
be familiar with the meaning of the lighting at any airport.
The seeing problems for pilots of incoming aircraft include
:
1. Locating the airport.
2. Determining the usable landing area.
3. Determining the wind direction.
4. Determining the landing direction.
5. Locating the obstructions.
6. Utilizing perception of depth and of rate of change of depth to de-
termine altitude.
7. Determining taxiing direction.
8. Establishing visual contact from an instrument approach.