Index   114 -- Page 115 -- 116

12/10/15                                                                                                                   AIM



                       Section 3. Airport Marking Aids and Signs

2-3-1. General                                                          2-3-2. Airport Pavement Markings

  a. Airport pavement markings and signs provide                          a. General. For the purpose of this presentation
information that is useful to a pilot during takeoff,                   the Airport Pavement Markings have been grouped
landing, and taxiing.                                                   into four areas:
                                                                            1. Runway Markings.
  b. Uniformity in airport markings and signs from
one airport to another enhances safety and improves                         2. Taxiway Markings.
efficiency. Pilots are encouraged to work with the
                                                                            3. Holding Position Markings.
operators of the airports they use to achieve the
marking and sign standards described in this section.                       4. Other Markings.

  c. Pilots who encounter ineffective, incorrect, or                      b. Marking Colors. Markings for runways are
confusing markings or signs on an airport should                        white. Markings defining the landing area on a
make the operator of the airport aware of the problem.                  heliport are also white except for hospital heliports
These situations may also be reported under the                         which use a red "H" on a white cross. Markings for
Aviation Safety Reporting Program as described in                       taxiways, areas not intended for use by aircraft
Paragraph 7-6-1, Aviation Safety Reporting Pro-                         (closed and hazardous areas), and holding positions
gram. Pilots may also report these situations to the                    (even if they are on a runway) are yellow.
FAA regional airports division.
                                                                        2-3-3. Runway Markings
  d. The markings and signs described in this
section of the AIM reflect the current FAA                                a. General. There are three types of markings for
recommended standards.                                                  runways: visual, nonprecision instrument, and
                                                                        precision instrument. TBL 2-3-1 identifies the
REFERENCE-
AC 150/5340-1, Standards for Airport Markings.
                                                                        marking elements for each type of runway and
AC 150/5340-18, Standards for Airport Sign Systems.                     TBL 2-3-2 identifies runway threshold markings.


                                                              TBL 2-3-1
                                                      Runway Marking Elements
                                                                                         Nonprecision          Precision
                       Marking Element                             Visual Runway          Instrument          Instrument
                                                                                           Runway              Runway
                       Designation                                     X                      X                   X
                        Centerline                                     X                      X                   X
                        Threshold                                     X1                      X                   X
                       Aiming Point                                   X2                      X                   X
                    Touchdown Zone                                                                                X
                       Side Stripes                                                                               X
   1 On runways used, or intended to be used, by international commercial transports.
   2   On runways 4,000 feet (1200 m) or longer used by jet aircraft.




Airport Marking Aids and Signs                                                                                         2-3-1