Runway Status Lights (RWSL) Program
RWSL Upcoming Exhibits
FAA Acting Administrator Huerta with Runway Safety Office (RSO) and RWSL representatives at Women in Aviation.
Runway Status Lights (RWSL) is exhibiting at the following industry events:
Women in Aviation (WIA):
Annual Conference; Dallas, TX; Mar 8-10, 2012
Sun ‘n Fun:
International Fly-In; Lakeland, FL; Mar 27-April 1, 2012
American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE):
Annual Conference; Phoenix, AZ; Apr 30-May 2, 2012
Regional Airline Association (RAA):
Annual Convention; Minneapolis, MN; May 21-24, 2012
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA):
AirVenture; Oshkosh, WI; Jul 23-29, 2012
Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA):
Annual Meeting; National Harbor, MD; Sept 30-Oct 3, 2012
Airport Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA):
Aviation Summit; Palm Springs, CA; Oct 11-13, 2012
National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA):
Annual Meeting; Orlando, FL; Oct 30-Nov 1, 2012
Pilot Reference Guide
RWSL is a fully automated system that provides runway status information to pilots and surface vehicle operators to indicate when it is unsafe to enter, cross, or takeoff from a runway. The RWSL system processes information from surveillance systems and activates Runway Entrance Lights (REL) and Takeoff Hold Lights (THL) in accordance with the motion and velocity of the detected traffic. REL and THL are in-pavement light fixtures that are directly visible to pilots and surface vehicle operators. RWSL is an independent safety enhancement that does not substitute for an ATC clearance. Clearance to enter, cross, or takeoff from a runway must still be issued by ATC. Although ATC has limited control over the system, personnel do not directly use, and may not be able to view, light fixture output in their operations.
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Vehicle Operators Training
Runway Entrance Lights (REL): The REL system is composed of flush mounted, in-pavement, unidirectional fixtures that are parallel to and focused along the taxiway centerline and directed toward the pilot at the hold line. A specific array of REL lights include the first light at the hold line followed by a series of evenly spaced lights to the runway edge; and one additional light at the runway centerline in line with the last two lights before the runway edge (See FIG 2-1-9). When activated, these red lights indicate that there is high speed traffic on the runway or there is an aircraft on final approach within the activation area.
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Airport Diagrams for RWSL
Click to view Airport Diagrams:
Orlando International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Baltimore-Washington International Airport
Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport *
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport
LaGuardia Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
Denver International Airport
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport *
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Boston Logan International Airport *
San Diego International Airport *
San Francisco International Airport
* = Prototype Runway Status Lights System