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 dictates that certain airport structures require enhanced visibility during daylight hours, prescribing specific patterns and colors for marking.
Checkerboard patterns, consisting of alternating aviation orange and white, are used for maximum visibility on obstructions such as water/gas tanks and certain buildings exceeding 10.5 feet across with specific horizontal dimensions.
The individual sections of the checkerboard pattern must measure between 5 and 20 feet and be as square as possible, while cylindrical objects like communication towers use horizontal alternating bands.

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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.”