Definition
Horizontal rows of high-intensity white lights arranged perpendicular to the runway centerline as part of an Approach Lighting System (ALS), used to give the pilot visual alignment, roll, and distance cues during the final segment of an instrument approach.
Plain English
Rows of bright white lights laid out across the approach path before the runway. They show the pilot how the airplane is lined up and how close it is to the runway as it breaks out of the clouds.
Context Anchor
Seen in approach lighting system descriptions, runway environment discussions, and during the transition from instrument references to outside visual references near the runway.
Why Pilots Care
They give immediate visual confirmation of runway alignment when the pilot transitions from instruments to visual references.
Intuition Check
Do not think of a light bar as one solid glowing strip or a cockpit lighting control. In this context, it means a row or group of individual lights placed across the approach path.
Example Sentence 1
As the aircraft descended through 400 feet, the captain spotted the approach light bars and continued visually to landing.
Example Sentence 2
Sequence flashers within the light bars made the runway threshold easy to identify in the fog.