JACK A. SCOTT, P.E.

FAA, AIRPORTS DIVISION

NORTHWEST MOUNTAIN
REGION

Marking
Signing
Lighting

Advisory Circular
References

AC 150/5340-1G, Standards for Airport

Markings
AC 150/5340-18C, Standards for Airport Sign
Systems
AC 150/5345-44F, Specifications for Taxiway
and Runway Signs
SAMS - Signs and Marking Supplement
AC 150/5340-24A, Runway and Taxiway Edge
Lighting System (draft revision)
AC 150/5340-28 Low Visibility Taxiway
Lighting systems

RUNWAY MARKING ELEMENTS

Visual

Nonprecision
instrument

Precision
instrument

Designation

Centerline

Threshold

X1

Aiming point

X2

X2

Marking
element

Touchdown
zone
Side
stripes

X
X

1-On runways used, or intended to be used, by international commercial transport.

2-On runways 4,000 feet (1200m) or longer used by jet aircraft.

CENTERLINE

20
DESIGNATION MARKING

VISUAL RUNWAY

AIMING POINT
DESIGNATION MARKING

20
THRESHOLD MARKINGS

NONPRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAY

Side Stripe

20
Touchdown Zone

Aiming point

PRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAY

THRESHOLD MARKING
20
150

40

16
130
57

8
STRIPES

Configuration A- Current Standard

New Threshold Markings

Effective

NLT Jan. 1, 2008

Conforms to ICAO Standard
Number of stripes will depend
on width of runway.

New Threshold Markings

R u n w a y w id t h

N o . o f s t r ip e s

6 0 fe e t

7 5 fe e t

1 0 0 fe e t

1 5 0 fe e t

12

2 0 0 fe e t

16

THRESHOLD MARKING
20
150

Stripes and
spaces each
5.75 wide

11.5

Configuration B
(Standard after Jan. 1, 2008)

Threshold Bars
May

or may not be needed

Color - White
Starts at end of usable runway
for landing and is painted 10
feet in width onto runway

Threshold

Displaced Threshold

Demarcation Bars
Separates

a taxiway from a
runway with a displaced
threshold
located on the taxiway
color is yellow
width is 3 feet

Demarcation Bar
Displaced Threshold

BLAST PADS AND STOPWAYS

Threshold

3 Min.
Pavement edge

5 Min.

5 Min.

100

100 50

Holding Position
Markings
Purpose

to hold aircraft &

vehicles
Short of Runway
Short of Approach to Runway
Distance from Runway varies

Runway/Runway Holding Position

Marking
4 lines and
3 spaces at
6 each

Dashes and
spaces 3 in
length
3

Aircraft holding
side

CLOSED RUNWAY MARKING

* For temporary
crosses this
dimension may be
changed to 8 feet

60

25

10*

RUNWAY CENTERLINE

TAXIWAY MARKINGS
- Centerline
- Edge Marking
- Runway hold position
-Taxiway/Runway
-ILS
- Taxiway/Taxiway hold position markings

TAXIWAY CENTERLINE MARKING

TAXIWAY
CENTERLINE
MARKINGS

Intersection having
standard fillets which
permits cockpit-overcenterline steering

TAXIWAY CENTERLINE MARKING

TAXIWAY
CENTERLINE
MARKINGS

Intersection having less

than standard fillets and
requiring judgmental
oversteering

TAXIWAY EDGE MARKING

15

25

DOUBLE
6 LINES WITH
6 SPACE

15

TAXIWAY EDGE MARKING

TAXIWAY EDGE MARKINGS,
DASH

TAXIWAY EDGE MARKINGS,

CONTINUOUS

TAXIWAY/RUNWAY HOLDING
POSITION MARKING
4 lines and
3 spaces at
6 each

Dashes and
spaces 3 in
length
3

Aircraft holding
side

TAXIWAY/RUNWAY HOLDING
POSITION MARKINGS

See AC

See AC

HOLDING POSITION MARKINGS FOR INTERSECTIONS

Approach
category and
design group

Perpendicular distance from runway centerline

Visual/Nonprecision

Precision

A & B (I &II) small

airplanes only

125

175

A & B (I, II, & III)

200

250

A & B (IV)

250

250

C & D (I through IV)

250

250

C & D (V )

250

280

See AC for adjustment to dimensions

ILS CRITICAL AREA

ILS glide slope
critical area
see local AF
ILS localizer
critical area
see local AF

T-51-M

ILS/MLS HOLDING
POSITION MARKING
1 WIDE

10

2
6
TAXIWAY
CENTERLINE 6
TO 12 WIDE

TAXIWAY HOLDING POSITION

MARKING

TAXIWAY
CENTERLINE 6
TO 12 WIDE

DASHES &
SPACES 3 LONG
and 1 WIDE
3

AIRCRAFT
HOLDING SIDE

TAXIWAY HOLDING
POSITION MARKING

TAXIWAY HOLDING POSITION MARKING

TAXIWAY HOLDING
POSITION MARKING

HOLDING
BAY

NON-MOVEMENT AREA MARKING

BOTH LINES
6 WIDE;
6 SPACES
BETWEEN
LINES

DASHED LINE ON
MOVEMENT SIDE

SOLID LINE ON
NON-MOVEMENT
SIDE

VEHICLE ROADWAY MARKINGS

Roadway
edge stripes,
continuous
6 wide

Roadway lane
line 6 wide,
dashes 15
long with 25
spaces
Alternate roadway
edge stripes

Roadway
stop line,
2 wide

Taxiway
edge
markings

Taxiway
centerline
markings

MARKING - NO BORDERS

At night the marking looks like a

solid yellow line across the taxiway

STRIATED MARKING

Used for marking in frost

susceptible areas

Painted stripes 4 to 8
inches in width

Unpainted stripes not to

exceed width of painted
stripe

NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR

CAT II OR CAT III
APPROACHES

MARKING - GLASS BEADS

- P-620 FAA Specification

- Used to Increase Visibility of Markings
- Used on Runways, Taxiways, and Apron

MANDATORY SIGNS
TW RW Intersection
RW RW Intersection
ILS Critical Area

RW
Approach
Area

No
Entry
Sign

DIRECTION SIGNS
Taxiway
Direction

Runway
Exit

DESTINATION SIGNS

Inbound

27 33
Outbound

LOCATION SIGNS
Taxiway Location Sign
Runway Location Sign
ILS Critical Area
Boundary Sign
RW Approach Area
Boundary Sign

TAXIWAY ENDING MARKER

ROADWAY SIGNS

TO RUNWAY '9'

SURFACE PAINTED HOLDING POSITION SIGN

TAXIWAY 'B'

TA
XI
W
AY

'A
'

SURFACE PAINTED SIGNS

LOCATION
SIGNS

PAVEMENT
EDGE
DIRECTION
SIGN

Additional Signs
Distance Remaining Signs
Information Signs

Runway Edge Lights

LIRL
MIRL
HIRL

Visual
Non precision
Precision

Approach Requirements
1/2 mile 3/4 mile
3/4 mile
1 mile
& 200 ft & <300 ft & 300 ft
& 400 ft
Precision Precision Nonprecision Visual

Runway
Markings
Runway MIRL
Edge
Lights

MIRL

MIRL

LIRL

THRESHOLD LIGHTS

RUNWAY CENTERLINE LIGHTS

Located along runway centerline (normally white)

alternate red & white from 3000 to
1000 feet
solid red the last 1000 feet
split lens with back side white

Taxiway Edge Lights

Color

is blue
Distance can vary based on length of
taxiway
cannot exceed 200 feet between lights
Brightness
MITL
3 levels
LITL
1 level

Taxiway Centerline
Lights

Color

is green
Taxiway centerline lead-off lights
are alternate green/yellow
For RVR ops 1200 ft and above,
spacing is max of 100 ft
For RVR ops below 1200 ft, max
spacing is 50 feet

Clearance Bars

In-pavement yellow light fixtures

used to identify hold points when less
than 600 RVR
Used in conjunction with
taxiway holding position markings
geographic position markings

Runway Guard Lights

Below 1200 RVR - all taxiways, whether part of low
visibility route or not will have Runway Guard Lights

- Elevated

- In Pavement

Access Below 600 RVR

-All illuminated taxiways will have Stop

Bars
-If taxiway provides entry onto or
across active runway, Stop Bars will
be controlled individually
-At other taxiways, Stop Bars will be
uncontrolled