AFL essentials

The guide does provide detailed information on the various AFL systems, including what are they, how they operate and how they perform in order to help maintain a safe and compliant aerodrome. The document also makes clear that under no circumstances should untrained personnel undertake any maintenance or installation work on AFL systems. It is important to ensure only qualified electrical professionals with appropriate qualifications are permitted to carry out this work.

This guide will be a valuable resource to all airport operators.

Airfield lighting is a very technical area dominated by specialists in the field, however aerodrome operators are responsible for ensuring their facility complies with all relevant regulations and standards. High level knowledge of the various aspects of airfield lighting and an understanding of common terms and definitions, will assist operators with decisions such as scheduling preventative maintenance, required repairs and when to seek professional help.

The document provides a significant amount of information on all the major components and aspects that need to be considered when developing an understanding of airfield lighting. The chapters covered include illumination theory, categories of systems and circuits, transformers and regulators, cables and connections, taxiway lighting, approach lighting, PAPIs, MAGS, mounting systems, illuminated wind indicators, beacons and obstruction lights, control and monitoring systems, PAALC and AFRU, power supplies, portable and temporary lights, serviceability, as well as safety and best practices. The document is concluded with a series of useful case studies and template documents that can be used to assist airports in planning airfield lighting projects. Each topic covered includes useful explanations, diagrams and where appropriate, basic maintenance and troubleshooting advice. 

It should also be noted that the contents of this document have been written in compliance with the requirements set out in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) and Manual of Standards Part 139 at the time of publication. The AAA is aware of the Post Implementation Review (PIR) currently underway for CASR and MOS Part 139, which is likely to be completed at some point in 2017.

The AAA endeavours to periodically review its publications to ensure that they are consistent with the latest standards and regulatory requirements. It is our intention to ensure the Airfield Lighting Essentials document is reviewed following the publication of the new CASR and MOS Part 139 to ensure it remains consistent with the relevant standards.

The AAA believes that this guide will be a valuable resource to all airport operators, particularly those in regional locations with limited expert resources. It will allow an airport manager or other personnel to gain a basic knowledge of airfield lighting systems components, how they operate and how they perform. This knowledge will assist aerodromes to better manage and maintain a compliant facility, as well as ensure that airfield lighting becomes more widely understood by a broader range of aviation professionals.

This new AAA Airport Practice Note, along with all of the other AAA resources, are available to download for free by all AAA members via the ‘Member Centre’, on the AAA website. The AAA would also like to acknowledge and thank Mr Hank Steuten (Airfield Lighting Consultant) whose knowledge and assistance was instrumental in the development of this document.