Over the next several decades, airports are expected to expand their runway systems to accommodate a predicted growth in travellers. As a result, runways and taxiways are expected to become more complex, increasing the need for accurate and reliable ground traffic control.

Runway guidance signs provide a forward-thinking solution to helping decrease taxiway snarls and accidents. When specified, installed, and maintained to the proper standards, they provide unambiguous visual instructions that help pilots navigate their aircraft safely along the tarmac.

How Do Runway Guidance Signs Help Pilots?

Modern airports operate under a level of complexity that legacy systems were never designed to handle. With more and more aircraft traversing runways and taxiways, even experienced crews rely heavily on ground-based visual cues.

Runway guidance signs provide the support pilots need in three critical ways:

1. They provide positional awareness, confirming where an aircraft is relative to runways and taxiways
2. They deliver directional information that guides pilots toward runways, terminals, or holding positions 
3. They enforce compliance by clearly relaying mandatory instructions, such as runway holding points

Without modern guidance signs, aircraft are at risk of mishaps, especially when visibility is poor or the airport uses outdated technology or unreliable devices. A missed holding position or a misread taxiway identifier can escalate into a runway incursion within seconds.

How Runway Guidance Signs Work

Runway guidance signs are engineered to deliver high-contrast, standardized information under all operating conditions, including inclement weather and low visibility. Most modern signs use LED systems for reliable, energy-efficient illumination across the sign face, eliminating hotspots and shadowing that can impair readability.

Each sign is designed in accordance with strict regulatory standards, including guidelines in FAA Advisory Circulars (150/5340-18; 150/5345-44), Transport Canada TP312, and ICAO Annex 14, governing everything from color coding to character height and spacing.

There are currently three types of signs used at airports, discernible by their color coding to ensure that pilots can interpret information quickly and instinctively:

1. Instruction signs use a red background with white lettering 
2. Location signs use black backgrounds with yellow text
3. Directional signs use black text on a yellow background

Runway guidance signs operate most effectively when integrated with other components of your airfield lighting network via an Airfield Lighting Control and Monitoring System (ALCMS). The signs can also be integrated into a Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (SMGCS). Both systems enable air traffic control personnel to remotely control the sign’s brightness and monitor its operational status.

Read More: Integrating Automated Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE) With Your Runway Lighting Systems

Specific Applications For Runway Guidance Signs 

Airport Lighting Company offers two high-quality, reliable runway guidance signs that help you safely and efficiently manage ground traffic along taxiway edges, runway exits, holding positions, and at taxiway and runway intersections. 

L-858 D-LUX™ Guidance Signs

Our D-LUX series of exceptionally durable guidance signs utilizes a solid architecture in which each module is mounted on an evenly spaced pair of legs. Structural integrity is maintained through slip-flanges that secure the legs with minimal gaps, ensuring that environmental forces are distributed across the legs and the cabinet rather than concentrated on the hardware. 

The curved sign faces are constructed from expertly formed acrylic, with Size 3 models featuring factory-installed Herculens panels. Individual legend panels are fused using translucent panel joints, which are welded with adhesive and reinforced with stainless steel hardware.

For maintenance efficiency, the D-LUX features a tool-free re-lamping process. The module tops are engineered to automatically guide panel edges into place and are secured by two-turn fasteners. Field-proven brightness control technology and the inclusion of one tether per module enhances reliable performance.

L-858 I-LUX Guidance Signs

The I-LUX series of high-quality guidance signs features a seamless, high-strength construction by integrating custom fabrication with off-the-shelf parts to minimize operating costs. Unlike modular alternatives, the I-LUX platform is machined from solid, heavy-gauge aluminum, creating a cabinet free of joints and gaps that typically allow dirt, wind, and moisture to penetrate. 

Its flat-face design is inherently stronger as it does not rely on the hardware used to join modular sections. Furthermore, the I-LUX offers a smaller footprint; it is available in half-module sizing and strictly adheres to FAA lettering specifications without artificial lengthening, resulting in a smaller obstruction and a lower inertial load in the event of a runway incursion.

Installation and operation of the I-LUX are optimized for economy, requiring smaller excavations and fewer legs than modular signs. The sign utilizes seamless panels that are up to 30 times more impact-resistant than competing products while maintaining distortion-free messaging. 

Partner With The Experts In Airport Runway Technology

If you’re unsure about which runway guidance sign is best for your needs, or where they should be placed to maximize airport safety, talk to our experts at Airport Lighting Company. We’ll analyze your entire runway system and connect you with reliable technology to help you achieve your operational goals. 

Whether you need L-858 I-LUX or D-LUX guidance signs or any other high-quality, durable runway lighting or power equipment solution, we always put your needs first.

Read More: About Us

Call Airport Lighting Company For The Latest In Airport Lighting Technology

The Airport Lighting Company team is standing by to answer your questions about how our tech-based products can help improve the safety, reliability, and efficiency of your runways. Call 315-682-6460 for fast, friendly service you can count on.