Visual Approach Light Systems

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GrahamC

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Graham
Howdy all,

I've been trying to find an answer of where (if at all anymore) there are Tri-Color Approach Slope Indicators and Pulsating Approach Slope Indicators installed anywhere in the Contiguous United States.

I've spent more time than I'd like to searching google, and scouring forums. I'm just looking for any first hand knowledge.

Any information would be much appreciated.
 
GrahamC said:
Howdy all,

I've been trying to find an answer of where (if at all anymore) there are Tri-Color Approach Slope Indicators and Pulsating Approach Slope Indicators installed anywhere in the Contiguous United States.

I've spent more time than I'd like to searching google, and scouring forums. I'm just looking for any first hand knowledge.

Any information would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...

For what is worth, the FAA no longer asks questions about tri-color on knowledge exams.

Bob Gardner
 
All the same, I was tired of telling students that I didn't know where any of these systems were still installed. Now I'll have an answer for them at least.
 
I show the following Tri-Colored-VASIs (TRCV) in the US:
5I4, 7G8, 02C, C81, 1C1, 9K7, 0G0 , 08R, CKE, W24, 15N ,U01, 1U2, U78 , 1S4 ,T56,2A6,N97,3M8, O20,5V4, K08,2O3

At least one seems to be notamed Out of Service, I didn't check all the notes.
(Searched all of the digital Chart Supplement for TRCV)
 
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I don't recall seeing any sort of visual approach indicator at 2o3 (Angwin-Parrett), though airnav says it's there.

And I've done earthquake damage assessment exercises there.

It's a great place to practice reading winds, though the runway is a bit long for that.
 
Fredericksburg, TX (T82) had a pulsating light. But looking at AirNav, it lists both runways as having a 2-light PAPI. Hmmmmm. Haven't been there in a few months. I should fix that this weekend! :)

And while I understand that you asked about US airports, rest assured that MANY airports in the rest of the world still use these "ancient" pulsating or tri-color lights. Same with NDBs. :)
 
Paxton (1C1) has one? Cool, I'll have to hop over there one day and check it out.
 
chartbundle said:
I show the following Tri-Colored-VASIs (TRCV) in the US:
5I4, 7G8, 02C, C81, 1C1, 9K7, 0G0 , 08R, CKE, W24, 15N ,U01, 1U2, U78 , 1S4 ,T56,2A6,N97,3M8, O20,5V4, K08,2O3

At least one seems to be notamed Out of Service, I didn't check all the notes.
(Searched all of the digital Chart Supplement for TRCV)
Click to expand...

I picked five at random from your list: three were notamed out of service indefinitely, one was notamed as "calibration unconfirmed". Only one (a very peculiar private airstrip, Falwell Airport in Virginia) was not notamed at all.
 
MAKG1 said:
I don't recall seeing any sort of visual approach indicator at 2o3 (Angwin-Parrett), though airnav says it's there.
Click to expand...

Well, the note says to activate it on CTAF with the runway lights. But I never keyed it up when I went out there eirher.
 
chartbundle said:
I show the following Tri-Colored-VASIs (TRCV) in the US:
5I4, 7G8, 02C, C81, 1C1, 9K7, 0G0 , 08R, CKE, W24, 15N ,U01, 1U2, U78 , 1S4 ,T56,2A6,N97,3M8, O20,5V4, K08,2O3

At least one seems to be notamed Out of Service, I didn't check all the notes.
(Searched all of the digital Chart Supplement for TRCV)
Click to expand...

Hmm. 5V4 is Calhan, the runway that has the famous AstroTurf on about 1/3 of it. And poorly maintained gravel on all the rest of it.

Pretty much nothing there, never saw any lights, that's for sure.
 
Sitting in a box in my hangar is a surplus military VASI. We keep meaning to set it up at the airfield but it's really only bright enough for night use and by the time we think about playing with it, we've already started drinking for the evening.
 
flyingron said:
Sitting in a box in my hangar is a surplus military VASI. We keep meaning to set it up at the airfield but it's really only bright enough for night use and by the time we think about playing with it, we've already started drinking for the evening.
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Ever thought of selling it?
 
flyingron said:
Sitting in a box in my hangar is a surplus military VASI. We keep meaning to set it up at the airfield but it's really only bright enough for night use and by the time we think about playing with it, we've already started drinking for the evening.
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We had ARA (airborne radar approach) reflectors at Eglin AFB when I was there, on runway 30. Basically a 'poor' man's VASI. The plane's airborne radar would pick up the reflectors on the runway edges (2 on each side) and fly an approach using their radar. Thought I had a picture of the reflectors but can't find it. The reflectors resembled a large metal box, open on the end facing the plane's radar, at an angle. Two reflectors on each side of the runway gave a method to have a glide path to that runway.

Our F-15s back then also practiced following the preceding fighter using their radars for recovery, about a mile apart. It was cool to watch from the tower as 15-20 recovered, all a mile apart.
 
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PVASI at KAJG. How sad is it that I was excited to see this the first time I landed there at night!
 
Somwhere in the distant past I just stopped looking at (or for) the darn things; I kinda recall maybe taking a look once or twice, at unfamiliar fields, in the last decade, but not at all recently. . .Flying 172s and 182s I guess the need went away. Maybe if I was flying something heavier or hotter. . .
 
MAKG1 said:
I don't recall seeing any sort of visual approach indicator at 2o3 (Angwin-Parrett), though airnav says it's there.

And I've done earthquake damage assessment exercises there.

It's a great place to practice reading winds, though the runway is a bit long for that.
Click to expand...

Maybe you're going crazy?

(inside joke/reference, for people that are unfamiliar with the area's history.)
 
Sundancer said:
Somwhere in the distant past I just stopped looking at (or for) the darn things; I kinda recall maybe taking a look once or twice, at unfamiliar fields, in the last decade, but not at all recently. . .Flying 172s and 182s I guess the need went away. Maybe if I was flying something heavier or hotter. . .
Click to expand...

It does become more important in heavier things that sink without as many visual cues and do it more quickly when too much power is removed, without a noticeable change in pitch.

Cessnas provide a huge hint when the nose falls.

Some aircraft have very little pitch change and just start descending rapidly. The only place you'll see it is on the static instruments (often delayed like the VSI) and seeing the lights go to the "low" indication if looking outside.

Sometimes the angle changes of the runway environment are not as easy to spot happening at first, and can be as "delayed" as the VSI because of visual illusions.

It's not a bad idea to just keep looking for them and using them, in case someday you get a chance to fly something that does this. Mostly because you'll build a habit to not look at them that'll take a long time to break when/if you need them.

Not a huge deal, just commentary on why it's not as important in things that give good visual clues that you've set up a hell of a sink rate. Especially stuff where it's hard to get the energy back without manhandling the throttles up aggressively. Momentum can be a pain when your aircraft has a lot more weight.
 
bobmrg said:
For what is worth, the FAA no longer asks questions about tri-color on knowledge exams.
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Do they acknowledge the existence of 2-light PAPIs yet or do they still pretend they don't exist?
 
It's not like there's an exorbitant amount of light systems. Teach them all, and just perhaps they may learn a bit of aviation history as a byproduct.
 
Kritchlow said:
It's not like there's an exorbitant amount of light systems. Teach them all, and just perhaps they may learn a bit of aviation history as a byproduct.
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Nothing wrong with that, but there's useful history and not so useful history taught.

Not too many people care much anymore that the green and white beacon at the airport was part of the lighted beacon system, overall. They won't be flying the air mail routes in bad weather looking for the next beacon.

The history of little colored lights in boxes next to runways is even duller in the modern "my GPS will make me a nice glodeslope" world.

Not picking on you, but there's a lot of this stuff nobody learning today as a newbie will care about other than as discussion fodder for killing time on a long XC following their magenta line. Haha.

Anyone know the history of how we ended up using magenta? Seems an odd color to choose. Heh.
 
denverpilot said:
Nothing wrong with that, but there's useful history and not so useful history taught.

Not too many people care much anymore that the green and white beacon at the airport was part of the lighted beacon system, overall. They won't be flying the air mail routes in bad weather looking for the next beacon.

The history of little colored lights in boxes next to runways is even duller in the modern "my GPS will make me a nice glodeslope" world.

Not picking on you, but there's a lot of this stuff nobody learning today as a newbie will care about other than as discussion fodder for killing time on a long XC following their magenta line. Haha.

Anyone know the history of how we ended up using magenta? Seems an odd color to choose. Heh.
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Whoa.... little colored lights in boxes next to the runway a bad thing????

Maybe I don't understand, but that's a biggie IMO.
 
Kritchlow said:
Whoa.... little colored lights in boxes next to the runway a bad thing????

Maybe I don't understand, but that's a biggie IMO.
Click to expand...

LOL... I'm talking about the visual approach slope lights, and specifically their history... may not be important to teach. The history.

Not that they're good or that they exist or teaching people how to use them.

Make sense?

I'm saying that over time as tech becomes commonplace, nobody cares about the *history* of how it got there... they just need to know it's there and they should use it.

The history gets lost, the tech that makes things better remains.

I love the history, but your statement seemed to indicate a need to teach the history. I'm not sure it matters for a lot of things.

Like how we ended up with magenta lines. Couldn't they have been chartreuse? Or maybe a nice mauve? ;)
 
There is at least one airport on my epic road trip to fly the Cub to all the public unpaved airports in the state with APAP (PNIR or PNIL). I'm curious what that will actually look like, since I can't find a picture of one online. It's not a "light system" but apparently just some panels. It's a few months away before I attempt the trip, but I'll try to remember to get a picture of this one from the air.
 
iamtheari said:
There is at least one airport on my epic road trip to fly the Cub to all the public unpaved airports in the state with APAP (PNIR or PNIL). I'm curious what that will actually look like, since I can't find a picture of one online. It's not a "light system" but apparently just some panels. It's a few months away before I attempt the trip, but I'll try to remember to get a picture of this one from the air.
Click to expand...

I've seen those somewhere, made out of plywood. It's an extension of the "bug on the window" concept.
 
iamtheari said:
There is at least one airport on my epic road trip to fly the Cub to all the public unpaved airports in the state with APAP (PNIR or PNIL). I'm curious what that will actually look like, since I can't find a picture of one online. It's not a "light system" but apparently just some panels. It's a few months away before I attempt the trip, but I'll try to remember to get a picture of this one from the air.
Click to expand...

I call this the "Plywood Approach Path Indicator" (alas that acronym is already used for something else). Back decades ago, these were installed at every airport in MD I think that didn't have a real VASI (MDOT paid for it). It's pretty dirt simple. You just line up the close panels with the far panel. It's kind of analogous to the "dayboard" range markers used for lateral navigation on the wate.r
 
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