PAPI Lighting | Airfield Lighting Solutions

PAPI Lights

Flexible PAPI lighting systems used by airports around the world. Our range of PAPI lights is suitable for airports of any size – our team has decades of experience in the airport lighting industry and will work with you to ensure you make the best choice for your airfield. And once the project is complete, our aftercare approach ensures you can move forward in complete confidence.

If you require PAPI lights for your airport, browse our product range below or get in touch with a member of our team to discuss your requirements.

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LED PAPI lighting range

IR880L

LED Precision Approach Path Indicator – PAPI

RE880L

RE880 LED modular PAPI system

ZA737/757 (Tungsten)

Precision Approach Path Indicator – PAPI

About our airport PAPI lights

The L-880 LED precision approach path indicator system usually consists of four light units located at the side of the runway adjacent to the origin of the glide path. The lights are equally spaced, with a colour-coded light output providing a visual indication of an aircraft’s approach position relative to the designated glide slope for the runway heading.

The characteristics of each light unit are identical: each PAPI light consists of a light source, red filter and lenses. A high-intensity beam which shows two distinct colours is emitted from each unit – the lower part is red while the upper part is white. The colour transition boundaries of the four units are fixed at different angles, creating the PAPI guidance beams.

When an aircraft approaches the runway, the angles of its approach determines whether the light beams appear red or white to the pilot. If the aircraft is approaching on the correct glide path, the four light PAPI system will show two red lights and two white lights; too steep of an approach increases the number of white lights, while too shallow of an angle increases the number of red lights.

Following this guidance makes it easy for the pilot to correctly angle their aircraft and land in the designated part of the runway.

Alternatively, we offer a two light PAPI approach system, the L-881 type PAPI light, which can be installed depending on your local requirements and the needs of your airfield. The two light system operates in much the same way as the four light variation but provides the pilot with a slightly less granular overview of how much they need to adjust the approach path.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a PAPI light?

PAPI (precision approach path indicator) lights are a set of lights positioned beside the runway which provide pilots with a visual indicator of their aircraft’s position relative to the correct glidepath for the runway. It is typically located on the left-hand side of the runway, approximately 300 metres beyond the landing threshold.

Since their 1974 invention, PAPI lights have played a vital role in aviation safety, from being used by NASA’s Space Shuttle to ensure a safe landing to airports around the world today.

How do PAPI lights work?

The typical PAPI light system consists of four lights. Within this system, each light consists of a red filter and two lenses. They’re then calibrated to a specific angle, meaning pilots will see a different colour depending on the angle of their approach.

This is simple technological approach which results in very few failure risks in comparison with other approaches: the lights simply need to be on and calibrated for the correct angle.

As well as being simple to maintain, the independent, passive nature of the system means it works perfectly for all aircraft approaching a runway. Meaning if several aircraft are approaching a runway, they can all make adjustments in good time and ensure a smooth landing every time, with no last-minute adjustments to the glidepath.

How to read PAPI lights?

A PAPI light system will consist of either two or four lights, which will either be red or white depending on the angle of the plane’s approach. This is how to read a four-light PAPI system:

Four white lights: the plane is much too high
Three white lights and one red light: the plane is slightly too high
Two white lights and two red lights: the plane is on the correct glideslope
Three red lights and one white light: the plane is slightly too low
Four red lights: the plane is much too low

A two-light PAPI system simplifies this:

Two white lights: the plane is too high
One white light and one red light: the plane is on the correct glideslope
Two red lights: the plane is too low

Although a system with four lights provides a pilot with a more granular insight into how much they need to adjust, both types will ultimately help ensure the pilot’s angle of approach is correct.

What is the difference between PAPI and VASI lights?

On the surface, both PAPI lights and VASI lights provide the same information: telling pilot whether they’re on or off the glideslope.

VASI lights differ from PAPI lights in that they have the red over the white, rather than the colours being in the same row. Although VASI lights used to be the most common type of approach lighting system, PAPI lights provide more granular information to pilots alongside being much simpler to sight and maintain. This means that VASI lights are now being phased out and replaced with precision approach path indicators across the aviation sector.

Where are PAPI lights located?

PAPI lights are usually located on the left-hand side of the runway, 300 metres beyond the landing threshold. However, they can be situated on the right of the runway if required.

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Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) Lighting