CFC Airfield Lighting & Signaling 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The rotating beacon at a civil land airport flashes which color combination?
- White and yellow
- Green and white (Correct answer)
- White and white
- Green and yellow
Correct answer: Green and white
Civil land airports use a rotating beacon that alternates between green and white flashes, distinguishing them from military and water airports.
Question 2: A military airport rotating beacon can be distinguished from a civil airport beacon by:
- Flashing only white
- Alternating green and white, same as civil
- Two white flashes alternating with one green flash (Correct answer)
- Yellow and green alternating flashes
Correct answer: Two white flashes alternating with one green flash
Military airports use a beacon that produces two white flashes followed by one green flash, distinguishing them from civil airports which produce a single white flash with each green.
Question 3: A heliport rotating beacon displays which colors?
- Green and white
- White and yellow
- Green, yellow, and white (Correct answer)
- Blue and white
Correct answer: Green, yellow, and white
Heliport beacons flash green, yellow, and white in sequence, making them distinct from airport beacons and easily identifiable from the air.
Question 4: During daytime hours, operation of an airport's rotating beacon typically indicates:
- The airport is closed to traffic
- Weather at the airport is below basic VFR minimums (Correct answer)
- Night operations are in effect for that runway
- The control tower is closed
Correct answer: Weather at the airport is below basic VFR minimums
In the contiguous US, a rotating beacon operating during daylight hours indicates that ground visibility is less than 3 miles and/or the ceiling is below 1,000 feet (below basic VFR).
Question 5: A large lighted yellow 'X' displayed on a runway surface or signaled by a light gun means:
- Runway available for takeoff only
- Runway temporarily closed — do not use (Correct answer)
- Runway is restricted to aircraft under 12,500 lbs
- Intersection departure point
Correct answer: Runway temporarily closed — do not use
A yellow X on a runway surface, or a flashing yellow X displayed from a light gun, indicates that the runway or taxiway is closed and should not be used.
Question 6: High-intensity white obstruction lights on structures above 500 feet AGL are:
- Used only at night in place of red lights
- Used day and night, with intensity reduced at night (Correct answer)
- Required only within 5 miles of an airport
- Flashed in a synchronized pattern with nearby structures
Correct answer: Used day and night, with intensity reduced at night
High-intensity white obstruction lights operate at full intensity during daylight and twilight, but are required to be dimmed at night to prevent glare and disorientation for pilots.
Question 7: Approach lighting systems (ALS) serve which primary function for an arriving aircraft?
- Identify the runway elevation above sea level
- Provide a visual transition from instrument to visual flight at the decision height (Correct answer)
- Indicate the location of the ILS localizer antenna
- Signal the runway surface condition to the pilot
Correct answer: Provide a visual transition from instrument to visual flight at the decision height
ALS provides pilots with a visual reference corridor that guides the transition from instrument meteorological conditions to visual flight, enabling the pilot to identify the runway environment at or before decision height.
CFC Airfield Lighting & Signaling 5
The rotating beacon at a civil land airport flashes which color combination?