Why Are Some Airport Buildings Painted in a Checkerboard Pattern?

The FAA has determined that some structures need to be more visible than others during daylight hours.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 10:57 AM ET

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The short answer is that the FAA has determined that some structures need to be more visible than others during daylight hours. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA mandates specific markings to ensure certain airport structures are highly visible during daylight hours, as detailed in Advisory Circular (AC) 70/7460-1L.
A checkerboard pattern of aviation orange and white is used for maximum visibility on large obstructions like water, gas, or grain storage tanks, and some buildings exceeding 10.5 feet across with specific horizontal dimensions.
The checkerboard squares typically measure between 5 and 20 feet, while cylindrical objects such as communication towers or smokestacks use alternating horizontal bands of aviation orange and white.

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Question: Why are some buildings at airports painted in a checkerboard pattern and others in solid colors?

Answer: The short answer is that the FAA has determined that some structures need to be more visible than others during daylight hours.

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According to Advisory Circular (AC) 70/7460-1L, “recommendations on marking structures can vary, depending on terrain features, weather patterns, geographic location, and the number of structures.” The AC goes on to state “alternate sections of aviation orange and white paint should be used as the contrast in colors provides maximum visibility of an obstruction.”