Runway Edge Lights
Runway edge lights are the fixed white fixtures spaced along both sides of a runway that define its usable width at night or in low visibility, switching to yellow along the final section approaching the runway end on longer runways. Northlane Solutions supplies runway edge light fixtures engineered to ICAO Annex 14 Volume I, elevated and in-pavement, across Saudi Arabia.
Inside the Runway Edge Lights
A runway edge light is an assembled field unit rather than a bare lamp, combining a domed optical lens, an LED light engine, a frangible base, and a buried isolating transformer into one fixture. Each part carries a distinct load, from shaping the wide-angle beam a pilot reads at low approach angles to breaking away safely if a vehicle or aircraft strikes it.
01
Optical Lens Assembly
A domed, weatherproof lens that spreads the light engine's output into the wide-angle beam edge lights need so the runway boundary reads clearly from most approach and taxi angles, not just head on.
02
LED Light Engine
Generates the fixture's white output, switching to yellow on lenses fitted for the final section of a long runway, and holds steady intensity across a long service interval compared with older filament lamps.
03
Frangible Mounting Base
Holds the fixture at the correct elevation above the pavement shoulder while being designed to break away cleanly on impact, limiting damage to an aircraft, vehicle, or the fixture wiring below ground.
04
Isolating Transformer
Steps the constant current series circuit down to the fixture's operating voltage and isolates each light electrically, so one lamp failure does not interrupt the loop feeding the rest of the runway.
05
Cable Entry Connector
A sealed plug connector joining the fixture leads to the buried primary and secondary circuit cable, keeping moisture out of the connection where the fixture meets the underground duct run.
FULLY ASSEMBLED
Runway Edge Lights
| Body material | Cast aluminium alloy housing with corrosion-resistant outdoor finish |
| Colour output | Variable white along the runway length, changing to yellow over the final section on longer runways per ICAO Annex 14 Volume I |
| Power supply | Constant current series circuit via isolating transformer, matched to the runway lighting circuit |
| Control compatibility | Brightness step selection via ALCMS or manual regulator step control |
| Mounting | Frangible low-profile ground mount set along the runway shoulder |
| Beam coverage | Omnidirectional or wide-angle unidirectional beam depending on runway configuration |
| Operating environment | Rated for sustained high-temperature, dust, and sand exposure |
What runway edge lights do
Runway edge lights mark the lateral limits of the runway strip so a pilot can hold the correct line down the centreline during taxi, takeoff roll, and landing rollout, independent of daylight. They run in continuous rows along both edges, spaced at intervals set by the aerodrome's design standard, and stay white along the full length except on runways of 2,400 metres or more, where the final section approaching the runway end switches to yellow as a visual cue that the runway end is close.
Standards and fixture types
ICAO Annex 14 Volume I sets the photometric intensity, beam spread, colour, and spacing tolerance for edge light fixtures, and GACAR Part 139 applies the same reference to licensed Saudi aerodromes. Northlane Solutions sources both elevated fixtures, mounted on a frangible base beside the pavement edge, and in-pavement fixtures rated for direct tyre contact and jet blast where clearance from the wheel path does not allow an elevated unit. Luminaire construction follows IEC 60598, and LED sources are now the standard choice for their longer service life and lower lamp-change frequency compared with incandescent fixtures.
Why Saudi conditions matter
Runway pavement in the Kingdom reaches surface temperatures well above the ambient air temperature most fixture datasheets are rated against, which pushes lens material and internal components harder in summer than a temperate-climate test standard assumes. Airborne sand and dust also work into fixture seals over years of exposure, so IP66 or IP68-rated housings and gasket quality matter more here than on a typical outdoor installation. Northlane Solutions checks fixture ambient rating and ingress protection against actual runway surface conditions before recommending a product, rather than relying on the base datasheet figure alone.
Turnkey supply and installation
Northlane Solutions runs runway edge lighting as turnkey scope: fixture supply, circuit and constant current regulator sizing, installation into new or resurfaced pavement, and commissioning against the aerodrome's lighting design. Fixtures are sourced from established international aviation lighting manufacturers and matched to the series circuit current the design specifies, commonly a fixed current loop shared across the whole edge lighting string. Pricing is quoted in USD and SAR from a single point of contact.
What to send for a quote
A project team typically provides the runway lighting plan or fixture schedule from the aeronautical design, including circuit current, fixture spacing, and total fixture count. Northlane Solutions returns a matched fixture and CCR recommendation with a lead time and quote. In-pavement fixtures built to a specific frangibility and load rating generally carry a longer factory lead time than elevated units, so confirming fixture type early avoids a late schedule surprise.
Specifications
- ✓Photometric intensity, beam spread, colour, and spacing per ICAO Annex 14 Volume I; GACAR Part 139 applies the same reference on licensed Saudi aerodromes
- ✓Elevated (frangible base) and in-pavement fixture formats, selected against wheel-path clearance and pavement condition
- ✓Luminaire construction to IEC 60598, LED source as the current standard
- ✓Constant current regulator sizing matched to the series circuit current the aerodrome's lighting design specifies
- ✓Sealed housings specified to the ingress protection rating jet blast, heat, dust, and sand exposure requires on Saudi runways
- ✓Turnkey supply, installation into new or resurfaced pavement, and commissioning
Frequently Asked Questions
Who supplies runway edge lights in Saudi Arabia?+
Northlane Solutions sources and supplies runway edge light fixtures built to ICAO Annex 14 photometric and siting standards, in elevated and in-pavement formats, for airfield and heliport projects across the Kingdom, as turnkey supply and installation.
Why do runway edge lights turn yellow near the end of the runway?+
On runways of 2,400 metres or more, the final section of edge lights approaching the runway end switches from white to yellow, warning a pilot on landing rollout or takeoff that the end is coming up.
What lead time should I expect for runway edge light fixtures in KSA?+
In-pavement fixtures with a specific frangibility and load rating typically carry a longer factory lead time than elevated edge fixtures. Northlane Solutions confirms an exact schedule once fixture type, circuit current, and quantity from the lighting plan are set.
What is the role of the Optical Lens Assembly in Runway Edge Lights?+
A domed, weatherproof lens that spreads the light engine's output into the wide-angle beam edge lights need so the runway boundary reads clearly from most approach and taxi angles, not just head on.
What is the role of the LED Light Engine in Runway Edge Lights?+
Generates the fixture's white output, switching to yellow on lenses fitted for the final section of a long runway, and holds steady intensity across a long service interval compared with older filament lamps.
What is the role of the Frangible Mounting Base in Runway Edge Lights?+
Holds the fixture at the correct elevation above the pavement shoulder while being designed to break away cleanly on impact, limiting damage to an aircraft, vehicle, or the fixture wiring below ground.
What is the role of the Isolating Transformer in Runway Edge Lights?+
Steps the constant current series circuit down to the fixture's operating voltage and isolates each light electrically, so one lamp failure does not interrupt the loop feeding the rest of the runway.
What is the role of the Cable Entry Connector in Runway Edge Lights?+
A sealed plug connector joining the fixture leads to the buried primary and secondary circuit cable, keeping moisture out of the connection where the fixture meets the underground duct run.