Airport Operation

• Runway Number
• Wind direction indicators
• Segmented Circle
• Visual Glide Slope Indicator
  • Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
  • Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)
  • Trip-color
  • Pulsating VASI
  • Alignment of Elements
• LAHSO Procedure
• ATC Light Signal

  Runway Number

• Magnetic Heading of Approach or Take-Off Direction, round to nearest 10 and drop the last zero
  • Landing on north heading of 358: Runway 36
  • Landing SW heading 223: Runway 22
• Parallel runways are designated with “L,” “C,” and “R” which stand for left, center, right

Wind direction indicators

Segmented Circle

Visual Glide Slope Indicator

Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)

• Red over white: on the glide slope - you are alright
• White over red: it’s impossible
• White over white: above the glide slope - you are too high
• Red over red: below the glide slope - you are dead

Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)

• 4 white: way too high
• 3 white 1 red: slightly high
• 2 white 2 red: on glide path
• 1 white 3 red: slightly low
• 4 red: way too low

Trip-color

Pulsating VASI

• Pulsating white: above glidepath
• Steady white: on glidepath
• Pulsating red: slightly below glidepath
• Steady red: below glidepath

Alignment of Elements

LAHSO Procedure

• Land and Hold Short Operations
• Pilot can refuce LAHSO Clearance
• Visibility must be 3 statute miles or greater
• Available landing distance published in Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD)

ATC Light Signal