In the second part of this series, we bring you more airport line markings to explore. Always remember that these markings are vital to the smooth operation of airports. They help guide the pilots and keep them properly oriented, allowing the latter to deliver passengers and cargo safely and on time.
 

RUNWAY END MARKINGS

The runway end marking is a white line with a width of 1.2 metres. It extends the full width of the runway, indicating the end of the runway. It is found on all sealed, concrete, or asphalt runways. When the threshold is located at the end of the runway, this marking should coincide with the corresponding part of the threshold marking.
 

RUNWAY SIDE-STRIPE MARKINGS

Used to mark the edges of a runway turning node, the runway side-stripe markings are composed of two continuous white lines, which are sometimes broken when used for taxiways and other runways. They are the same width as the runway centreline marking, which we discussed in the first part of this article, and used on all sealed, concrete, and asphalt runways to delineate the wide of the runway.

The distance between the outer edges of the stripes of these runway markings is usually equal to the width of the runway. The stripes extend the full length of the runway between the runway end markings. They also should be parallel to the runway centreline.  According to experts, the side-stripe markings should not extend across intersecting runways or taxiways. In case the runway has no sealed shoulders, these markings may be removed, particularly if there is a distinct contrast between the edges of the runway and the surrounding terrain.
 

RUNWAY FIXED DISTANCE MARKINGS AND RUNWAY TOUCHDOWN ZONE MARKINGS

These two runway markings tell the pilot of the aircraft’s position along the runway. As the name implies, they also indicate the part of the runway on which touchdown should take place. These markings are seen at both ends of all sealed, concrete, and asphalt runways that are at least 30m wide and 1500m long.

Runway fixed distance and runway touchdown zone markings are always white. These taxiway markings are usually composed of two stripes that are 45m long. The ends of the stripes nearest to the threshold are located 300m from the line of the threshold.