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Questions tagged [airport-markings]

Airside markings and signage found on or near airport runways, taxiways, and ramps.

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47 votes
4 answers
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My windsock is erect, what does this mean?

I know that airport windsocks are calibrated to reach full erection at a particular wind velocity. At half that speed, the first half of the windsock should be erect and the second half should droop ...
Steve V.'s user avatar
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38 votes
1 answer
9k views

What is this star shaped symbol on the tarmac?

This symbol is on the tarmac at Ramona, CA airport. I've seen it at other small GA airports from Google Earth but I don't know what it is. Can someone please explain?
PJNoes's user avatar
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35 votes
1 answer
9k views

What are these criss-cross patterns close to Cambridge Airport (UK)?

To the immediate south of the runway at Cambridge airport, there are a large number of possibly-concrete things embedded in the grass. I'm not sure whether they are have any aviation-related function,...
Party Ark's user avatar
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34 votes
2 answers
10k views

Why are Oscar, India, and X-Ray (O, I, and X) not used as taxiway identifiers?

An old CAR "Licensing of Aerodromes" document indicated that taxiways may not be designated by O, I, or X. Is this still in effect today? Why were (or are) those not used as taxiway identifiers? My ...
Ryan Mortensen's user avatar
31 votes
2 answers
7k views

What are these large yellow circles painted across the runway?

There are not many yellow markings on a runway. This row of six is painted about 400m from the threshold at both ends: Montgomery Airport (Alabama) - Source: Google Maps What does it mean for a ...
mins's user avatar
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30 votes
3 answers
6k views

What is this radar-like thing?

A friend of mine sent me this picture, which Is somewhere in Miami. But I don't seem to recognize it
user22659's user avatar
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30 votes
1 answer
3k views

What are the slash markings on Gatwick's 08R/26L?

Google Earth @ 51°08'52.24" N 0°11'35.71" W The markings are at 100 m intervals, to one side only of the centerline. They're also lighted as seen below. They are missing from the ICAO aerodrome ...
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28 votes
1 answer
7k views

Why are taxiway and runway centerline lights off center?

The centerline lights for runways and taxiways are to the side of the centerline itself by a few inches. This, of course, is not a problem, but why are the lights positioned that way? (Image: ...
Charles Nicholson's user avatar
28 votes
2 answers
4k views

Why is one of Madera Municipal's runways labelled with only "R" on both sides?

I was looking on Google Maps satellite view and noticed Madera Municipal Airport in Madera, CA (ICAO KMAE) has an east-west runway labelled with nothing but the letter "R" on both sides. There is no ...
Ashley Strout's user avatar
28 votes
1 answer
5k views

What is this white rectangle painted on runway 23 at KCRW?

(Related to this question.) Runway 23 at Charleston, WV (KCRW) appears to have a (roughly) 500' x 50' white rectangle painted on the touchdown zone (I've added red arrows pointing at each end of the ...
Pondlife's user avatar
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27 votes
2 answers
4k views

How are the dry lake runways at Edwards AFB marked, and how are they maintained?

In addition to its paved runways, Edwards AFB in California has several runways on the bed of Rogers Dry Lake, famously used in the past for (among other things) Space Shuttle landings. Satellite ...
TypeIA's user avatar
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27 votes
2 answers
11k views

What does RTF mean?

There is a sign in Tempelhof airport in Berlin. What does the abbreviation RTF mean? I tried to google but found nothing.
kharandziuk's user avatar
26 votes
1 answer
3k views

Why is it runway "1" instead of "01" in America?

In the case of a runway with a magnetic heading of 10° in America the runway number ("1") isn't hugely distinguishable from the runway centreline IMHO, (for example see Washington Airport and San ...
Notts90's user avatar
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25 votes
2 answers
8k views

What is this runway marking on Kirkwall Airport's runway?

What are these markings on Kirkwall Airport's runway? From where they are on the runway, they seem like the touchdown markers, is that what they are?
SMS von der Tann's user avatar
22 votes
1 answer
5k views

What is "judgemental oversteering" in taxi procedures?

I found a phrase that I don't understand while reading Jeppesen charts: "judgemental oversteering". I found it in general information about taxi procedures. As I understand this procedure applies ...
wiaim's user avatar
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22 votes
3 answers
5k views

What are these symbols on the runway?

As just a passenger, not a pilot, this may be a very basic question, but when I am on an airplane leaving the terminal, it goes over a symbol on the tarmac that looks like this: Also I see ...
AAM111's user avatar
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18 votes
1 answer
1k views

What's this turquoise stuff covering the overlap between the blast pads of KBOS runways 04L and 09?

Although runways 04L/22R and 09/27 at KBOS stop just short of intersecting, the blast pads for runways 04L and 09, which continue some distance beyond the ends of the runways proper, do intersect. ...
Vikki's user avatar
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16 votes
2 answers
5k views

Why are lat-lon coordinates written at parking bays in civil airports?

Why are coordinates marked at parking bays at civil airports?
Vikas Singh's user avatar
16 votes
1 answer
2k views

What are these markings on the runway at Haneda Airport?

I haven't seen these markings in other airports in the world. Look: They also appear in other Japanese airports. What do they mean?
user13197's user avatar
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16 votes
1 answer
6k views

What are the areas marked in green around the taxiways?

In the photos for this AvHerald article you can see areas marked in green with yellow stripes around the taxiways. The entire maneuvering area appears to be solid concrete. The green painted areas ...
TomMcW's user avatar
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15 votes
1 answer
3k views

Why is the aiming point distance shorter in the US vs. Europe for long runways?

In essence, if you compare EGLL and KJFK (but it works for other airports too) you would see that US airports generally adhere to the rule of 1000 ft in distance between threshold and aiming point ...
user2530062's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
3k views

What does the sign "Caution your blast" mean?

At London City Airport (LCY) there exists a "CAUTION YOUR BLAST" sign. This isn't one I've seen before. What does it mean?
Tomi's user avatar
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14 votes
2 answers
3k views

Are taxiways numbered in a predictable order?

When taxiing at an airport without a full-blown airport diagram (most commonly, a non-towered airport), how does a pilot know whether taxiway A (Alpha) is on one end of a runway, or the other? Or, in ...
Conway's user avatar
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13 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why isn't KTEX's runway designation 10/28 instead of 9/27?

Why is the marking on the runway written as (9/27) Telluride (KTEX), Colorado, USA. whereas the direction is 284 degrees? Shouldn't it be (10/28) instead?
Ashraf Hassan's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
2k views

What are the curved centerlines at taxiway intersections for?

At all airports where I've looked out the window during taxi, the taxiway intersections have been painted with nice circular arcs connecting (the centerline of) each entry to the intersection with ...
hmakholm left over Monica's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
5k views

Why five touchdown zone markings for only one aiming point?

RWY 24 at Paris-Orly is a runway sustaining precision approaches. There is an aiming point and five touchdown zone markings. Orly RWY 24, source: Google Maps Aiming the visual aiming point, or ...
mins's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why would an airport use an L/R runway combination and a second number instead of L/C/R?

At KPHX, there's a Runway 25L/R and a runway 26. What would the reasoning be for using this instead of what seems to be the more common L/C/R designation?
a25bedc5-3d09-41b8-82fb-ea6c353d75ae's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
13k views

How do you calibrate the compass of an aircraft on a compass rose?

A follow-up from this question; one of the answers mentioned that the compass rose in the picture was used to calibrate an aircraft's compass. But how does that actually work? Do you park the ...
David says Reinstate Monica's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
809 views

Is there a standard for required repainting of worn runway markings? In USA

Is there an FAA regulation or advisory circular covering the allowable wear, fading, or weathering of runway markings? I can find many FAA standards for the paint of fresh new runway markings, but I ...
Max Power's user avatar
  • 2,604
10 votes
2 answers
4k views

What are these devices on or adjacent to an airport taxi-way?

Can someone identify and provide some description of the objects marked in this photograph? Especially those marked with yellow and red seem to be placed in the middle of a road and that seems to ...
trejder's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
2k views

What are those markings on runway 25L at Frankfurt Airport?

50°01'59.15" N 8°34'05.10" E What are those markings on runway 25L at Frankfurt Airport? UPDATE: July 2016 imagery shows the runway as closed, top image is c. 2015.
user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

What's the point of having ILS on runway signs?

Runway signs show the ILS category next to the runway designation. But if you flew and didn't drive to the airport, you already know (hopefully). Either way, you are taking off, so you don't really ...
Stelios Adamantidis's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
3k views

FAA Commercial Pilot Knowledge Test: Sign Question

This image appears in the FAA Test Supplement Commercial Test FAA-CT-8080-1E but I am unable to find it in the AIM or the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. I looks like a don’t taxi here ...
JScarry's user avatar
  • 7,494
8 votes
1 answer
477 views

What is this odd large sign near Aalborg airport/millitary airport?

I have recently moved to Aalborg in denmark and while riding my bike each morning I cycle past these large signs pointing out into the water. I assume they are for aircraft at the nearby millitary/...
Rugnir's user avatar
  • 687
8 votes
1 answer
4k views

What does a "runway hold position sign" denote?

I'm wondering why I got this question wrong, as I thought the point of hold positions were to protect aircraft from each other. Any ideas?
Patrick McGuirk's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can a runway have a displaced threshold and a closed section in the same area?

There is tricky question we weren't able to find a clear answer to. Following roughness tests we decided to close part of the runway to all aircraft movements (1400 ft out of a total 3000 ft runway). ...
Tao Sassi's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
813 views

Do we have orange runway markings? [closed]

As you can see in this picture, the runway markings are in orange or yellow.
Mike's user avatar
  • 115
7 votes
1 answer
651 views

Is it permitted to deviate from yellow lines, during taxi?

During taxi procedures, the pilot should follow the yellow lines, to avoid a collision with any obstacle or even with another aircraft. Is the any situation, which the pilot can deviate from the ...
eduardoguilherme's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is the meaning of this airport marking?

This mark is identified as a plane control marking and based on an apron surface. What does it mean?
Volkan Eroğlu's user avatar
6 votes
5 answers
693 views

Do different planes (category) aim differently in the 'final stages before flaring'?

(youtube.com) Do different planes (categories A through D) aim differently in the final stages before flaring? I'm asking about precision runways. The reasons I ask: An ILS' glide slope is not ...
user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
15k views

What do the white dumb-bell signals indicate?

From ICAO Annex 2: 4.2.3.1 A horizontal white dumb-bell (Figure A1-4) when displayed in a signal area indicates that aircraft are required to land, take off and taxi on runways and taxiways only. ...
60levelchange's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
407 views

What do these ramp markings mean at KIFP?

As a pilot, what do I need to know about these ramp markings at KIFP? Are they operationally significant?
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
318 views

What is ILS 114 / 162 / 294?

I am searching for airports that have ILS (not sure if there is a "law" that any airport servicing civil flights must have one). So I googled around and found this nice site http://www....
Kyslik's user avatar
  • 163
6 votes
2 answers
363 views

When does taxiing become taking off?

When there is a relocated runway threshold, the PHAK says: When the threshold is relocated, the closed portion of the runway is not available for use by aircraft for takeoff or landing, but it is ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 17.6k
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

Do seaplane bases ever have marked "runways" or approach lighting?

Some seaplane bases have prescribed areas for landing, but are the landing areas marked by buoys or lights? If so are "runways" outlined in the water or just a general area? Do they have IFR ...
TomMcW's user avatar
  • 28.6k
6 votes
1 answer
322 views

NOTAM - What means "no shoulders along taxiways" in German?

can anyone explain to me what "no shoulders along taxiways" means? I know what shoulder markings are, but I don't know how to translate them. Are there German people? :) Thank you!
epus's user avatar
  • 93
6 votes
1 answer
373 views

Are there some minimum criteria for a field to be registered with the FAA as an airstrip?

I spend an unacceptable amount of time 'flying' around the country (U.S.) via Google Earth and I'm always zooming in on airplane symbols to have a look at airfields. In the western U.S. there are ...
PJNoes's user avatar
  • 3,144
6 votes
1 answer
342 views

Is there a regularized width of yellow taxiway ground bands?

What is the width of the yellow stripes that are painted on the ground of the taxiway? Is it the same on the whole taxiway or does it vary from an area to another? Is it mentioned in the aerodrome ...
S.E.K.'s user avatar
  • 63
6 votes
1 answer
480 views

Runway distance remaining signs outside of USA and/or in meters?

Are there runway distance remaining signs used outside of the United States (and territories)? From what I can tell by reading this document (p. 50), these are standardized by the FAA (§ 2-3-13), but ...
pr1268's user avatar
  • 1,945
5 votes
2 answers
11k views

Yellow chevron markings at end of runway, what do they mean?

In this YouTube video (link starts video at time of interest), the pilot appears to land in the area marked by the large yellow chevrons, in what appears to me (a layperson) to be a taxi way. What ...
Steve's user avatar
  • 2,228