LED Runway Landing Lights
New Technology Pilots Major Energy Savings
- Steve Leinweber, Lighting Design Lab Lighting Specialist

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the U.S. has approximately 14,000 airports. Not all airports are as big as the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), or the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). A large majority of airports throughout the world are small, with single landing strips of grass or pavement for general aviation needs. It is hard for most of us to imagine that there are approximately 700 airports without control towers. For air traffic to flow safely and efficiently, pilots must follow specific regulations, procedures, and fly a designated traffic pattern. To facilitate this process, prescribed standards are imposed on all airports for runway markings, signs and lights. This is especially critical considering that there are a large number of airports without a control tower directing traffic.

The FAA has 3 types of airport classifications.

I. General Aviation - including small private, single engine, multiengine, and turbine-powered

II. Commercial or airline aircraft

III. Military - ranging from trainers, fighters, bombers, cargo transport and helicopters.

The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) has 5 categories of runway classification. Each category is determined by the visibility conditions and the electronic navigational aids used to conduct operations. Associated with all of these airports are a wide variety of lights to safely carry out the tasks in and around the terminal and airfield. For the runway alone there are many types of lights as there are task and purposes. For example, signal lighting is used on taxiways, runway edges, runway thresholds, approach lighting, departure and take-off illumination, numbers, guidance markers and signage.

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Figure 1: Airport runways and LEDS This photo illustrates LEDs installed in grade on an airport taxiway.

source: HIL-Tech International Ltd

Table 1:
Manufacturers of LED aviation lights

Company Dialight Corporation
1913 Atlantic Avenue
Manasquan, NJ 08736
tel: 732 223-9400 fax: 732 223-8788 http://www.dialight.com Contact: Doug Woehler

HIL - TECH International Ltd.
2155 Dunwin Dr., Suite 6
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 4M1
tel: 905-820-6769 fax: 905-820-1061 http://www.hil-tech.com

East Air Corporation
337 Second Street
Hackensack, New Jersey 07602
tel: 201-487-6060 fax: 201-487-5938

Interface Displays & Controls Inc.
4630 North Avenue
Oceanside, California 92056-3509
tel: 760-945-0230 (Ext. 113 fax: 760-945-0239