Communication plays a very important role in contributing to the safety required in aviation. Aircraft pilots and professional air traffic controllers may need to communicate in order to work efficiently with their job and to avoid accidents in aviation. Signalling lights or light signals are also effective instruments used to establish communications for aviation, especially if a certain aircraft does not have radio equipment or if there are any unexpected problems with its primary communication systems. Signalling lights or light signals have been utilized with the use of specialized lamps.
What are Aviation Signal Lights?
As with traffic lights that are used for maintaining and keeping the safety of vehicles, aviation signalling lights also have the same purpose. Traffic lights and aviation signalling lights are also the same in the manner that they can operate in several colours, with different functions. But aside from those similarities, aviation signal lights do not have the same colours as traffic lights. Aviation lighting is useful for airborne aircraft and aircraft that are still on the ground.
What is the significance of Aviation Signal Lighting?
The main significance of aviation signalling lights is to provide aid to maintain the safety of aircraft pilots, passengers, personnel on the ground, and even cargo carried by an aircraft. They have a critical role in the overall safety of everyone. Aviation signalling lights provide guides for pilots on what they need to do on landing an aircraft, placing the aircraft on the plane runway, and taking the aircraft off the ground. These warning lights also notice or warn other people on the ground whether it is safe to cross a certain area or not.
Aviation signalling lights are often being used at night because they are more visible. No one can ever predict if an aircraft or traffic controller tower will lose communication between each other, but if radio failure occurs this can be catastrophical. Lastly, signal lights are not just being utilized to guide pilots, they are also being used to guide the operation of multiple service vehicles in the airport.
Meaning of Aviation Signaling Light colours
As with most warning lights, there are different colours available each of which carries a different meaning or instruction.
Airborne signals
– Green (Blinking or flashing) – an aircraft is cleared to return in the airport.
– Green (Steady) – an aircraft is cleared to land in the airport.
– Red (Blinking or flashing) – an aircraft should not approach or land in the airport because of a Green (Steady) dangerous situation.
– Red (Steady) – an aircraft is required to provide a way for other aircraft first and is requested to circle around while letting others get their way.
– Alternate green and red – an aircraft must be cautious for possible danger.
On-ground signals
– Alternate green and red – an aircraft must be cautious for possible danger.
– White (Blinking or flashing) – an aircraft must return to the first point.
– Green (Blinking or flashing) – an aircraft is sanctioned for taxis.
– Green (Steady) – an aircraft is cleared to take off anytime.
– Red (Blinking or flashing) – an aircraft must leave the airstrip.
– Red (Steady) – an aircraft must stop.
Conclusion
The main concept or significance of aviation signalling lights is to provide safety and alternative communication for aircraft and personnel in the airport. In the case of primary communication failures, aviation lighting becomes crucial with its critical role in establishing communication and the safety of everyone in the airport.
