Definition
A rotating light installed at an airport that flashes a specific sequence of colors to identify the airport from the air at night or in reduced visibility. White-and-green flashes identify a lighted civilian land airport; white-and-yellow identify a lighted water airport; white-white-green identify a lighted military airport. When operated during daytime hours, it generally indicates that the ceiling is below 1,000 feet or visibility is less than 3 statute miles in Class B, C, D, or E surface areas.
Plain English
A flashing light at the airport that helps pilots spot the airport from the air. The colors of the flashes tell you what kind of airport it is. If it is on during the day, it usually means the weather is poor.
Context Anchor
Seen on airport diagrams and airport sketches, and in flight when looking for the airport at night or when the airport is hard to see.
Derivation
‘Beacon’ comes from the Old English ‘beacen,’ meaning a sign or signal — historically a fire or light placed on a hilltop to guide or warn travelers. The aviation use keeps that original idea: a light placed prominently to guide pilots to the airport.
Why Pilots Care
Allows pilots to positively identify and locate an airport during night operations or reduced visibility without relying solely on instruments or radio aids.
Analogy
Similar to how a lighthouse uses a rotating beam to guide ships safely to shore, the airport beacon guides aircraft to the runway area.
Intuition Check
Do not assume an airport beacon is a radio signal or a landing clearance. Here, it means a visible airport identification light.
Example Sentence 1
On the night cross-country, the student spotted the alternating white-and-green airport beacon and turned toward the field.
Example Sentence 2
On the sectional chart, the airport beacon symbol indicated the presence of this rotating light at the destination airport.