Definition
An airport light that emits a periodic flash of light, typically white or green, to identify the location of a lighted airport or other aeronautical feature at night or in reduced visibility.
Plain English
A blinking light at an airport that helps pilots spot it from the air, especially at night.
Context Anchor
You encounter a flashing beacon during preflight, before engine start, while taxiing, and when checking that the airplane’s exterior lights are working.
Derivation
Beacon comes from an old word for a signal or warning light. Flashing means giving light in short bursts. Together, the term points to a light that attracts attention by blinking rather than staying steady.
Why Pilots Care
It helps prevent mid-air collisions by making the aircraft conspicuous when other visual references are limited.
Intuition Check
Do not read flashing beacon as just any blinking light. In this context, it means an aircraft warning light used to make the airplane noticeable, not a light used to guide navigation.
Example Sentence 1
On the night cross-country, the student spotted the airport's flashing beacon several miles out and used it to confirm the field's location.
Example Sentence 2
The flashing beacon on the wingtip helped the approaching traffic maintain separation during the evening pattern.