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Airport Radio Communications

Airport Operations

Operating in and out of a towered airport, as well as in a good portion of the airspace system, requires that an aircraft have two-way radio communication capability. For this reason, a pilot should be knowledgeable of radio station license requirements and radio communications equipment and procedures. Radio License There is no license requirement for [...]

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Air Traffic Control (ATC) Services

Airport Operations

Besides the services provided by an FSS as discussed in Chapter 12, Aviation Weather Services, numerous other services are provided by ATC. In many instances a pilot is required to have contact with ATC, but even when not required, a pilot finds it helpful to request their services. Primary Radar Radar is a device which [...]

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Traffic Patterns

Airport Operations

At those airports without an operating control tower, a segmented circle visual indicator system [Figure 13-13], if installed, is designed to provide traffic pattern information. Usually located in a position affording maximum visibility to pilots in the air and on the ground and providing a centralized location for other elements of the system, the segmented [...]

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Wind Direction Indicators

Airport Operations

It is important for a pilot to know the direction of the wind. At facilities with an operating control tower, this information is provided by ATC. Information may also be provided by FSS personnel located at a particular airport or by requesting information on a CTAF at airports that have the capacity to receive and [...]

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Airport Lighting

Airport Operations

Control of Airport Lighting Airport lighting is controlled by air traffic controllers at towered airports. At nontowered airports, the lights may be on a timer, or where an FSS is located at an airport, the FSS personnel may control the lighting. A pilot may request various light systems be turned on or off and also [...]

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Visual Glideslope Indicators – Runway Lighting

Airport Operations

There are various lights that identify parts of the runway complex. These assist a pilot in safely making a takeoff or landing during night operations. Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL) Runway end identifier lights (REIL) are installed at many airfields to provide rapid and positive identification of the approach end of a particular runway. The [...]

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Visual Glideslope Indicators – Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)

Airport Operations

Visual Glideslope Indicators Visual glideslope indicators provide the pilot with glidepath information that can be used for day or night approaches. By maintaining the proper glidepath as provided by the system, a pilot should have adequate obstacle clearance and should touch down within a specified portion of the runway.Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) VASI installations [...]

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Inflight Weather Advisories – AIRMET

Aviation Weather Services

AIRMETs (WAs) are examples of inflight weather advisories that are issued every 6 hours with intermediate updates issued as needed for a particular area forecast region. The information contained in an AIRMET is of operational interest to all aircraft, but the weather section concerns phenomena considered potentially hazardous to light aircraft and aircraft with limited [...]

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Airport Beacons

Airport Operations

Airport beacons help a pilot identify an airport at night. The beacons are operated from dusk till dawn. Sometimes they are turned on if the ceiling is less than 1,000 feet and/or the ground visibility is less than 3 statute miles (VFR minimums). However, there is no requirement for this, so a pilot has the [...]

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