LPO Phase 3 - AGL and LPO

Question 1

What does AGL stand for?

Answer 1

Aerodrome Ground Lighting

Question 2

What lights does it comprise of on the airfield?

Answer 2

The Approach and Runway light system, and the taxiway light system.

Question 3

Who is responsible for ensuring the AGL is illuminated as required?

Answer 3

The VCR Supervisor

Question 4

What dictates how the A&R lighting will be illuminated

Answer 4

The prevailing weather conditions and ambient light conditions

Question 5

What do you do if a pilot wishes for the lighting intensity to be reduced or increased?

Answer 5

You should comply with this where practical, but then the lighting should be returned to the appropriate setting.

Question 6

During Daylight, VIS 3000m and Cloud 500ft, what lights will be on?

Answer 6

HIAs, EDGE, C/L, TDZ, PAPIs at 100%, SALs, TAXIWAY at 0%

Question 7

During TWILIGHT, VIS 7000m and Cloud 2000ft, what lights will be on?

Answer 7

HIAs, EDGE, C/L, TDZ, PAPIs at 10%, SALs at 0%, TAXIWAY at either 30% or 10%.

Question 8

During DARKNESS, VIS 800m and Cloud 100ft, what lights will be on?

Answer 8

HIAs SALs 10%, EDGE, C/L, TDZ, PAPIs, TAXIWAY 30%

Question 9

During DARKNESS, and the RVR is 200m, what lights will be on?

Answer 9

HIAs SALs 30% EDGE C/L TDZ TAXIWAY 100%, PAPIs 80%

Question 10

When will the taxiway centreline lights be illuminated

Answer 10

At Night
By Day when the vis is 1100m or less
When LVPs are in force

Question 11

Who is responsible for checking and inspecting the A&R lighting, including PAPIs

Answer 11

AOPS

Question 12

How often will the A&R lighting be checked

Answer 12

Daily

Question 13

Describe the routine inspection of the taxiway lighting

Answer 13

AOPS will carry out a nightly lighting inspection once the AGL is switched on, including all routes and stop bars in use plus the routes to the end of the runways not in use and any sections that require attention. They will also carry out a more detailed inspection on an area nightly during the TMS check.

Question 14

Who should you report any lighting outages to

Answer 14

AOPS

Question 15

What does RGB stand for

Answer 15

Runway Guard Bar

Question 16

Describe the RGB

Answer 16

Two lines of unidirectional red lights located between the wigwags at a runway entry/exit point. One line of lights faces towards the runway when illuminated and the other line of lights face the taxiway. Both operate independently depending on their usage

Question 17

On the RCP, when an RGB is supressed and the runway is set to ARR, DEP or MIXED, what do you expect to happen to the RGB?

Answer 17

It will only be suppressed for a finite amount of time, there is a timer that counts down, which can be extended once. Once the time has expired the RGB will illuminate again.

Question 18

On the RCP, when an RGP is suppressed and the runway is set to off, what do you expect to happen to the RGB?

Answer 18

It will be suppressed and stay suppressed until it is illuminated again, there is no timer.

Question 19

Can the runway mode be changed on the RCP when an RGB is suppressed

Answer 19

No

Question 20

How will a vehicle enter a runway?

Answer 20

Ask for clearance to enter from ATC, after which the RGB will be suppressed at the relevant entry point

Question 21

Is it acceptable that drivers, once on a runway, may cross RGBs whilst completing their tasks?

Answer 21

Yes, if they followed the procedure of asking for permission upon entering the runway

Question 22

If a stop bar does not work on a taxiway, what should you do?

Answer 22

Avoid using that piece of taxiway and report the fault to ASD.

Question 23

Is there time when an aircraft could cross a red stop bar?

Answer 23

Yes, when withdrawing the operational stop bar is not possible, or when the stop bar cannot be suppressed. The pilot can be instructed to cross the bar if they are visible from the VCR and the instruction is clear enough that it leaves no doubt to the pilot which bar they are permitted to cross

Question 24

What would you do if a pilot refused to cross a red stop bar

Answer 24

Call AOPS and ask for a leader vehicle to escort them across

Question 25

Who is responsible for issuing instructions for the operation of the A&R lighting?

Answer 25

The relevant AIR Controller

Question 26

Define/Describe the responsibility of the LPO with regards to the Aerodrome lighting and ground reference.

Answer 26

The LPO will maintain a listening watch on the relevant GMC frequency at all times, unless otherwise instructed by the GMC controller, and is responsible for the selection of taxiway routings in coordination with GMC. The LPO is to ensure that the appropriate taxiway centreline lighting and stop bars are illuminated. The LPO will pre-select runway crossing routes for AIR and select appropriate A&R lighting that may be required by AIR, the brilliancies and service set in accordance with the table of lighting intensities in the MATS part 2.

Question 27

Before making any changes to the settings of the A&R lighting, what must the LPO do?

Answer 27

Advise the relevant AIR ATCO

Question 28

What are position indicator boards?

Answer 28

These are boards that are positioned to the left side, where possible, or all traffic bars as they are approached. They have yellow lettering on a black background to indicate the taxiway that an aircraft is currently on. Adjacent, or crossing taxiways, are indicated with black lettering on a yellow background.

Question 29

Define/Describe the taxiway lighting

Answer 29

At night and in conditions of poor visibility during the day, the principal method used to guide aircraft along selected ground routes is using green taxiway centreline lighting. These routes can be selected to lead on or off the runways in the form of turn on or off curves. Red lights form stop bars marking divisions between adjacent taxiway blocks. All turn on and turn off curved lead to or from the centre of the runway. Any other taxiway lighting on runways provides crossing routes.

Question 30

What should happen if an RGB is lit as it should be but there is one individual light fitting that remains off?

Answer 30

AIR should still use the runway entry point unless informed otherwise. And they should inform the VCR Sup

Question 31

What should happen if by suppressing an RGB, an individual light fitting remains on?

Answer 31

One illuminated light on an RGB is a stop bar. AIR should stop using that runway entry point at the earliest opportunity and not allow aircraft or vehicles to enter the runway via the RGB. And they should inform the VCR Sup

Question 32

What are PAPIs

Answer 32

PAPIs are Precision Approach Path Indicators. They are installed at Heathrow and consist of four units on the port side, providing guidance in maintaining the required 3-degree approach angle.

Question 33

Who is responsible for ensuring the OSIs are correct on the AGLCS?

Answer 33

VCR Sup

Question 34

When would you use a red OSI?

Answer 34

For a runway closure or full taxiway closure detailed in a TOI

Question 35

When would you use a yellow OSI?

Answer 35

For taxiway closures outside of the main worksite detailed ina TOI, taxiway closures not detailed in a TOI, and engine runs.

Question 36

When would you use a white OSI

Answer 36

For any taxiway restrictions

Question 37

When would you use a blue OSI?

Answer 37

For any taxiway closures under a night works permit

Question 38

Describe the type of approach lighting used at Heathrow

Answer 38

All runways have standard ICAO CAT III lighting. Heathrow used the Calvert approach lighting system which consists of a while High Intensity coded centreline with five crossbars. The last 300m of the lightings includes the SALs. These consist of nine barrettes of four white lights either side of the centreline and the same number of four red light barrettes either side and in line with them. The outer lights are in line with the contact lights of the runway, all at 30m spacing.

Question 39

What would you expect to happen if there was a failure to some part of the approach and runway lights?

Answer 39

The VCR Sup would make sure that arrivals pass on the information to pilots, TC would be informed as well as the AfDM, who would promulgate the unserviceability via a NOTAM. The VCR sup would also ensure that the relevant information is put on the ATIS.

Question 40

What happens if you see a fault with the lights on the panel, or a pilot report one on the airfield?

Answer 40

Tell the relevant ATCO it may affect. Tell AOPS, who will contact ASO, and tell the VCR sup.

Question 41

When carrying out a TMS check, before the TMS area can be selected, what must you do with the green routes surrounding that area?

Answer 41

Ensure that there are no green routes leading into the area, otherwise the check will not be able to be started.

Question 42

Area 7 of the TMS check has been requested and we are departing 27L. What must you do before selecting that area

Answer 42

Inform AIR Departures, as Area 7 is within the 27L holding area

Question 43

When checking the runway turn ons and turn offs during a TMS check, the MATS 2 states the runway being checked must be placed into what mode?

Answer 43

CATIII mode

Question 44

What does MALMS stand for and what is it?

Answer 44

Mobile Airfield Light Monitoring System. It is a test that involves a vehicle and trailer to enter the runway and perform several runs up and down the runway, testing the C/L, edge and TDZ lights at full brilliancy. Each run takes about 10 minutes. The lights must be selected using the MALMS check button on the MCP. It is essential that the run is uninterrupted, so no vehicle or aircraft can enter or cross the runway unless it is an emergency. If interrupted, the the run must be started over. The MALMS vehicle must vacate using an exit and the windscreen is tinted so it may take some time to vacate. A leader vehicle will escort the MALMS vehicle onto the runway.

Question 45

What would you do if an emergency vehicle had to enter of cross the runway to get to an incident during a MALMS check?

Answer 45

The ATCO would inform the relevant leader vehicle of the impending crossing and instruct them to stop the MALMS run and hold position. The then LPO would cancel the MALS check on the MCP and services would return to their previous settings. When the vehicle does cross, the ATCO will inform them that there is a MALMS vehicle on the runway.

Question 46

If the AGL is on and there are no LPOs available to operate it, what will happen?

Answer 46

The green routes would be set up as follows:
A continuous green ring around A and B leading to the appropriate holding area, and all taxiway/taxi lane centrelines adjacent to stands. On the arrival runway turn offs should be used that terminate at a red stopbar short of the taxiway. If 27L is the landing runway S5W and S7 to the south and N6, N8 and N11 to the north. Only a limited number of turnoffs should be offered on the departure runway if TEAMing, for example 27R A10E and A12.

Question 47

What if there are not LPOs when the AGL is to be switched on?

Answer 47

The VCR sup is in charge to switch it on.

Question 48

When a night work permit is approved and the area is no longer available to ATC, what should the LPO do?

Answer 48

Draw an OSI around the area, removing the green routes within it and making sure there are not green routes leading into it. Path and Junction disable may be used.