BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE ...

AFMAN 11-217V1 3 JANUARY 2005 343
15.4. Runway Lighting Systems. Two basic runway lighting systems are used to aid the
pilot in defining the usable landing area of the runway. These systems are Runway Edge
Lights and Runway Centerline and Touchdown Zone Lights. For discussion of airport
markings and signs used during ground operations, see AFI 11-218, Aircraft Operations and
Movement on the Ground.
15.4.1. Runway Edge Lighting. The runway edge lighting system is a configuration of
lights that defines the limits of the usable landing area. The lateral limits are defined by a
row of white lights on either side of the runway. The longitudinal limits are defined at
each end by the threshold lighting configuration. This configuration includes threshold
lights, a pre-threshold light bar, and a terminating bar. The threshold lights emit green
light toward the approach end of the runway and red light toward the rollout end of the
runway.
15.4.1.1. NOTE: The distance from the threshold lights to the landing surface of the
runway can be up to 10 feet without a waiver. The pre-threshold wing light bars and
the terminating light bar emit red light toward the approach area.
Figure 15.2. Runway Lighting Systems.
15.4.1.2. HIRL. The High Intensity Runway Lighting (HIRL) system is the basic
type of installation used by the Air Force. These elevated bi-directional lights, which
extend the length of the runway, emit a white light the entire length of the runway at
some military fields. Most military and all civil field HIRLs also emit a white light
except in the caution zone, which is the last 2,000 feet (610m) of an instrument
runway or one-half the runway length, whichever is less. The lights in the caution
zone emit a yellow light in the direction of the approach end and white light in the
opposite direction. The yellow lights are intended for rollout information after
landing and are sometimes used in place of runway remaining markers.
15.4.1.3. MIRL. The Medium Intensity Runway Lighting (MIRL) system, which