What are Runway Guard Lights?
High-visibility yellow lights positioned at a runway holding position to draw attention to the presence of a runway ahead.
Runway guard lights are provided at runway holding positions to enhance the conspicuity of the holding position and draw the pilot's attention to the potential hazard of entering or crossing a runway.
They are normally composed of two pairs of yellow lights, one pair on each side of the taxiway, arranged to provide a distinctive warning indication.
Two configurations are recognised. Configuration A — described above and shown in the diagram — is the elevated pair-per-side arrangement, with each fixture alternately flashing. Configuration B is a row of unidirectional yellow lights inset across the full width of the taxiway at the holding position, used where enhanced conspicuity is needed, such as at a wide-throat taxiway. It is not collocated with a stop bar. Configuration B is the less common of the two and is not shown in the schematic here.
ICAO Annex 14 requires Configuration A at each taxiway/runway intersection associated with a runway used in an RVR below 550 m where no stop bar is installed, and in an RVR of 550 m to 1,200 m where traffic density is heavy. Elsewhere, Configuration A or B, or both, is provided wherever enhanced conspicuity of the intersection is needed.
Runway guard lights are not runway lights. They are a taxiway/runway-intersection warning system, and they sit alongside two other fixtures that are easy to confuse with them:
- Taxiway Centreline Lights→ guide the aircraft along the taxiway
- Runway Guard Lights→ alert the pilot that a runway is ahead
- Stop Bar Lights→ indicate that the aircraft must stop at the holding position
ICAO Runway Guard Lights
ICAO Annex 14 provides runway guard lights at runway holding positions to make the holding position more conspicuous and to draw the pilot's attention to the hazard of entering or crossing a runway. They are normally two pairs of yellow lights, one pair on each side of the taxiway. Configuration A is the elevated pair-per-side arrangement, with each fixture alternately flashing. Configuration B is a row of unidirectional yellow lights inset across the full width of the taxiway, used where enhanced conspicuity is needed, such as at a wide-throat taxiway, and not collocated with a stop bar.
FAA Runway Guard Lights
This entry describes runway guard lights as set out in ICAO Annex 14. FAA terminology, configurations and fixture specifications differ, so for an FAA-governed project take the requirements from the current FAA advisory circulars (AC 150/5340-30J for design and installation) and the project specification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What are runway guard lights?
High-visibility yellow, flashing lights positioned at a runway holding position to enhance conspicuity and draw the pilot's attention to the hazard of entering or crossing a runway.
Q2How many runway guard lights are there, and how are they arranged?
Normally two pairs of yellow lights, one pair on each side of the taxiway, elevated and flashing.
Q3What is the abbreviation for runway guard lights?
RGL.
Q4How are runway guard lights different from stop bars and taxiway centreline lights at the same intersection?
Taxiway centreline lights guide the aircraft along the taxiway, runway guard lights alert the pilot that a runway is ahead, and stop bar lights indicate the aircraft must stop at the holding position — three different instructions at the same location.
Q5Is the elevated pair-per-side arrangement the only RGL configuration?
No. That's Configuration A, the common one. Configuration B is a row of unidirectional yellow lights inset across the full taxiway width at the holding position, used where enhanced conspicuity is needed, such as at a wide-throat taxiway, and not collocated with a stop bar.
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