Runway & Taxiway Lighting vs. Runway Threshold Markings
Comparing 2 standards across 9 specifications. 9 key differences identified.
Airfield lighting follows strict international color codes to prevent runway incursions: Runway Edge (White / Amber), Runway Threshold (Green), Runway End (Red), Taxiway Edge (Blue), and Taxiway Centerline (Green).
Runway designations reflect their magnetic azimuth heading divided by 10 (e.g., 094° rightarrow Runway 09, 274° rightarrow Runway 27), while the number of longitudinal threshold stripes (piano keys) strictly indicates the runway width.
Specification Comparison Table
9 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standard Authority
|
ICAO Annex 14 / FAA AC 150/5340-30 | FAA AC 150/5340-1M / ICAO Annex 14 |
|
Runway Edge Lights
|
White (transitions to Amber on final 2,000 ft or half of runway) | — |
|
Threshold Lights
|
Unidirectional Green indicating landing threshold | — |
|
Runway End Lights
|
Unidirectional Red indicating physical end of pavement | — |
|
Taxiway Edge Lights
|
Omnidirectional Blue | — |
|
Taxiway Centerline
|
In-pavement Green (alternating Green/Amber in runway lead-on/off zones) | — |
|
Runway Number Orientation
|
— | Magnetic heading rounded to nearest 10 degrees (01 to 36) |
|
Parallel Runway Letters
|
— | L (Left), C (Center), R (Right) |
|
Threshold Stripe Dimensions
|
— | 100 ft (30 m) length, 5.75 ft (1.8 m) width per stripe |