Light Gun Signals

Light Gun Signals - Tower Instructions

Flying into controlled airports, without radio communication on the piloted plane, you must have knowledge of the instructions sent to you by light signals. These instructions may help. Try making a small readable page on a computer to keep in a plane - just in case! 

Steady Green on Land:

• Cleared for takeoff

Steady Green in the Air:

• Cleared to land

Flashing Green on Land:

• Cleared to taxi

Flashing Green in the Air:

• Return to land

Steady Red on Land:

• Give way to other aircraft

Steady Red in Air:

• Give way to other aircraft

Flashing Red on Land:

• Taxi clear of runway

Flashing Red in Air:

• Airport unsafe - do not land

Flashing White on Ground:

• Return to starting point on airport

Alternating Red and Green Flashing:

• Exercise extreme caution on land or in the air

If you fly into busy uncontrolled airports with a manager, during daylight hours, they may have a signal gun and will use it to convey operation instructions to the planes approaching and in the landing pattern sequencing for landing.

In all cases it is very important to increase your "scan" for other planes. First order of business, controlled or not controlled, is look for air traffic - ALWAYS.

Now, many pilots with antique aircraft, carry portable radios to communicate with controlled airports. Remember, some batteries in portable radios give a strong signal then suddenly quit. That is the nature of the batteries. Some weaken slowly, others don't.

Many of you  know these unspoken light signals. Help teach new pilots learn them for their own safety.