Safety Publications/Articles

Airport and Taxiway Signage

Reproduced with permission of Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc.

(From the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Operations at Towered Airports safety advisor)

There are many types of signs on airfields. The information on the signs may also be painted on the airport pavement. The following examples are described as if you were on the taxiway or runway, looking at the sign.

Runway Signs

	Taxiway location sign: Indicates the taxiway you are on.
	Holding position sign: Hold here. From your position on the taxiway at midfield, the threshold for Runway 15 is to your left and the threshold for Runway 33 is to your right. This sign is located next to the yellow holding position markings painted on the taxiway pavement.
	ILS critical area boundary sign: Seen when exiting the runway, this sign marks the boundary of the ILS critical area. When ILS approaches are in use, be sure your aircraft has passed beyond this sign before stopping on the taxiway.
	ILS holding position sign: ATC may hold you at this sign when the instrument landing system is being used at the airport. Aircraft taxiing beyond this point may interfere with the ILS signal to approaching aircraft.
	Runway boundary sign: This sign faces the runway and is visible to pilots exiting the runway. Taxi past this sign (dash past the dashed lines) to be sure you are clear of the runway.
	Holding position sign for approach areas: Hold here unless cleared to cross. Taxiing past this sign may interfere with arriving or departing aircraft to Runway 15.

Location and Direction Signs

Reproduced with permission of Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc.

Taxiway entrance at intersection of two runways
You are on Taxiway A. The arrows pointing to Runways 5-23 and 9-27 indicate the approximate alignment of the runways relative to you and point to each runway threshold.

Reproduced with permission of Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc.

Taxiway intersection
You are on Taxiway A. The orientation of these signs is from left to right in a clockwise manner. Left turn signs are on the left side of the location sign and right turn signs are on the right side of the location sign.

Other Signs

	No entry sign: Do not enter this area. Aircraft are prohibited. This sign would be found at the entrance to a one-way taxiway or at the intersection of a road intended for vehicles.
	Inbound destination sign: The military installation is to your right. Other information signs are Cargo, Term (Terminal), Ramp, etc.
	Outbound destination sign to different runways: Runways 27 and 33 are to your right.