Red runway status lights used at large U.S. airports such as Chicago O’Hare International and JFK indicate runway status, thereby increasing situation awareness for pilots and vehicle operators. The lights are set in-pavement and illuminate when it is unsafe to enter, cross or begin takeoff.
Everything Explained: Runway Status Lights
Key Takeaways:
- Red in-pavement runway status lights at large U.S. airports automatically enhance pilot and vehicle operator awareness, illuminating when it is unsafe to enter, cross, or begin takeoff due to detected traffic.
- Key components include Runway Entrance Lights (REL) on taxiways indicating an unsafe entry, Takeoff Hold Lights (THL) on the runway warning aircraft in takeoff position of occupancy, and Runway Intersection Lights (RIL) alerting about high-speed traffic on intersecting runways.
- The Final Approach Runway Occupancy Signal (FAROS) acts as an additional safety measure, detecting runway occupancy and causing the PAPI to flash, prompting pilots to contact ATC for resolution or execute a go-around.
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