Basic Principles of Airmanship

Airfields

Objectives

• Understand Airfield Layouts

• Know how runways are numbered

• Know how runways & taxiways are marked – by day and night

• Know how approach lights guide an aircraft into land

Types of Airfield

• Grass

• Triangle Pattern

• Main Instrument Runway

Wind Speed 20 Knots

Airspeed 80 Knots

Ground Speed = 60 Knots

Taking off into Wind

Grass Airfield

Triangle Pattern Airfield

Types of Airfield

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of:

• Grass airfields?

• Triangle pattern airfields?

Modern Main Instrument Runway

Major Airport

Modern Main Instrument Runway

Aircraft are vulnerable to attack if lined up!

Aircraft Dispersal (Battle of Britain 1940)

Hardened Aircraft Shelter (HAS) 2004

Exterior of Hardened Aircraft Shelter

Damaged HAS in Iraq 2003

QRA Take Off

Runways numbered by Magnetic Compass Bearing

Runway 22 heading South West

Runway 04 (Reciprocal) heading North East

Runways numbered by Magnetic Compass Bearing

Runway 22 is heading 220°

Air Traffic Control

Windsock – Wind Direction & Strength

Runway & Taxiway Markings

• Runways marked in white

• Taxiways marked in yellow

Taxi way Markings - Yellow

Markings on Approach to Runway

Runway Threshold

Threshold and Displaced Threshold markings

Taxiway

Displacement Markings

Threshold Markings

Sterile Area

Airfield Lighting

Taxiway Lighting – Blue Edge, Green Centre

PAPIs (Red/White)

Threshold (Green)

Approach Lights (White)

Airfield Approach Lights

Threshold Green Lights

White Runway lights

Sterile Area

Red Obstruction Lights

Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPIs)

Threshold Lights

High Visibility “T”

Approach Lights

Runway Lighting

Lining up on Approach

Lining up on Approach

Landing on Runway 15 – Birmingham Airport

Landing on Runway 15 – Birmingham Airport

Why are taxiway lights and markings so important?

Objectives

• Understand Airfield Layouts

• Know how runways are numbered

• Know how runways & taxiways are marked – by day and night

• Know how approach lights guide an aircraft into land

Questions?

Questions

• What does “HAS” stand for?

What colour are obstruction lights?• What colour are threshold lights?• How are taxiways marked in daylight?• What colours are taxiway lights?• What is used on an airfield to show wind

direction?

Questions

• How are runways numbered?

• True or False: Pilots will usually choose to take off with the wind behind them.

• What is a “Sterile Area”?

• How is a Sterile Area marked?