Airport runway lighting systems comprise many different types of lighting, all of which have specific meanings and play specialized roles in enhancing airfield safety. Many airports, especially those with non-precision runways, usually use a simple runway lighting system that consists of runway edge lights, PAPI lights, runway threshold end  lights, and taxiway lights. However, most modern airports that see dozens or hundreds of flights per day will have a more complex runway lighting infrastructure to support the safe movement of large numbers of aircraft. Here’s a list of the more common runway lights in service at airports worldwide, and how they contribute to operational efficiency.

The airport lighting industry has vastly improved the operations of airfields around the world thanks to advanced technology that enhances safety and efficiency on the runway and taxiway. Since the early days of using Tungsten-Halogen incandescent lamps to provide guidance to pilots, our industry has grown in leaps and bounds in terms of innovation. However, given the milestones aviation has achieved over the past century, many airport experts agree that few advancements have improved runway safety like LED technology.

Airport operators face many challenges when planning their runway infrastructure projects. One significant challenge in the coming decades will be a substantial rise in the number of passengers passing through their airports, which, according to an article in Reuters, is expected to more than double by 2050.  This situation presents airports with multiple opportunities to increase the capacity of their operations to accommodate the needs of potentially millions of additional travelers safely and efficiently. 

Inset (or in-pavement) lighting on runways and taxiways is critical to an airport’s overall aircraft management strategy. Unlike elevated lights, inset lights are installed flush with the pavement. This placement minimizes damage due to the movement of aircraft and maintenance equipment, which are common hazards to elevated lights. However, their placement is also why inset lights generally require more maintenance than elevated lights. These flat, ground-level light fixtures are subject to dirt, jet fuel, de-icing fluid, and other contaminants that can collect on the lens and deteriorate the light output on both runways and taxiways.

As we turn the calendar on another year, we thought we’d look ahead at the trends our experts expect to see in 2025 as airports make swift investments in their airport runway systems to improve safety, efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

In the past, airport lighting systems were generally easy to operate. In many cases, it typically involved a small number of air traffic controllers flipping switches to turn individual incandescent bulbs on and off as needed. With a relatively low number of jets using the runways and taxiways, this system worked efficiently for decades.