New Runway Landing Lights for Atlanta Airport

A major global airport is to get new runway lighting technology after a multi-million dollar funding package supplied by the dominant US commercial aviation regulator.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world as far as passenger handling numbers and aircraft operation statistics are concerned. In 2009, 88 million passengers passed through, and over 970,000 airliners either took off or landed.

Supplementing the Atlanta airport lighting system funding, the US FAA has additionally provided further multi-million dollar funding for additional airport upgrade projects in and around Atlanta.

Runway Landing Lights

Hartsfield-Jackson has five runways in total, the newest of which has been in operation for over four years. The runway landing lights will be integrated into the airport’s Runway 27L, at a total cost to the FAA of $5 million.

Atlanta’s runway lighting system will provide pilots of inbound passenger airliners with visual data when the weather’s bad. It’s anticipated that it will also allow more aircraft movements to take place and boost safety levels, too.

“Landing is one of the most critical phases of flight. This approach lighting system will give pilots an extra layer of safety”, Randy Babbitt – Administrator at the FAA – stated. “The Recovery Act [the direct source of the funding] is responsible for safety enhancements and upgrades at airports and FAA facilities nationwide.”

“These projects are just a few examples of the terrific work being done around the country thanks to the Recovery Act”, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood added. “Construction workers and engineers are helping to modernize and repair our nation’s commercial and general aviation airports.”

Airport Runway Lights

Airport runway lights have been an airport safety feature for 80 years, ever since the first such system was installed at the former Cleveland Municipal Airport in 1930.

Then, as now, the lights give pilots an illuminated path when lining up to land.

There are many different runway lighting sub-types, including runway end identification lights, runway edge lights and runway end lights.

See also:

Companies supplying Airport Lighting Systems