This serves as an additional visual indicator that the pilot is nearing the end of the runway. On runways with ILS capability, the runway edge lights will be yellow rather than white for the last 2,000 feet of the runway or half the runway length for runways shorter than 4,000 feet in length. At those intersections up to a 400-foot gap in edge lighting is authorized. The exception to that rule is at intersections between the runway and a taxiway or another runway. The FAA allows there to be no more than 200 feet in between each individual runway edge light in a high-intensity runway lights (HIRLs) system or medium intensity runway lights system (MIRLs). Runway edge lighting can be classified as either high, medium, or low intensity, with high and medium-intensity lighting being adjustable and having the capability to vary in intensity. At their most basic, runway edge lights are a series of white lights positioned in a row on either side of the runway. It is important for pilots to have a visual guide to the width of the runway when landing and taking off at night.
Knowing their configuration, spacing, color, and purpose has the power to bring clarity to the confusion and to train our eyes to pick out and understand what we are seeing as we make that approach to landing. While we may not be able to take away all the butterflies that come with tackling that first night landing, it pays to dedicate some time prior to the flight for reviewing all the airport runway lights you can expect to see. For new pilots making their first nighttime approach to landing, when the runway comes into sight, it can easily appear as a complex and confusing sea of lights and colors.
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