AIRPORT SIGNS, LIGHTING, and MARKING

Flight crews use airport lighting, markings, and signs to help maintain situational awareness when operating on the ground and in the air. These visual aids provide information concerning the aircraft’s location on the airport, the taxiway in use, and the runway entrance being used. Overlooking this information can lead to ground accidents that are entirely preventable. If you encounter unfamiliar markings or lighting, contact ATC for clarification and, if necessary, request progressive taxi instructions. Pilots are encouraged to notify the appropriate authorities of erroneous, misleading, or decaying signs or lighting that would contribute to the failure of safe ground operations.

RUNWAY INCURSIONS

A runway incursion is any occurrence at an airport involving aircraft, ground vehicles, people, or objects on the ground that creates a collision hazard or results in the loss of separation with an aircraft taking off, intending to take off, landing, or intending to land. Primarily, runway incursions are caused by errors resulting from a misunderstanding of the given clearance, failure to communicate effectively, failure to navigate the airport correctly, or failure to maintain positional awareness. Figure 2-5 on page 2-5 highlights several steps that reduce the chances of being involved in a runway incursion.

In addition to the SMGCS program, the FAA has implemented additional programs to reduce runway incursions and other surface movement issues. They

identified runway hotspots, designed standardized taxi routes, and instituted the Runway Safety Program.