 assist pilots in the landing approach

 provides a color coded visual glidepath

using a system of lights positioned
alongside the runway
 ensures safety by providing a visual
glidepath which clears all obstructions in
the final approach area
 descent, using the VASI, should not be
initiated until the aircraft is visually
aligned with the runway
 these lights are visible from 3-5 miles
during the day and up to 20 miles or
more at night
 each light is designed so that the light
appears as either white or red,
depending on the angle at which the
lights are viewed
 2-Bar VASI
 3-Bar VASI
 Tri-color VASI
 Pulsating VASI (PVASI)
 PAPI
Two-bar VASI installations provide one
visual glide path which is normally set
at 3 degrees
•three-bar VASI installations provide two visual
glide paths
•lower glide path is provided by the near and
middle bars and is normally set at 3 degrees
•the upper glide path, provided by the middle
and far bars, is normally 1/4 degree higher
•higher glide path is intended for use only by high
cockpit aircraft to provide a sufficient threshold
 When using a 3 bar VASI it is not
necessary to use all three bars
 The near and middle bars constitute a
two bar VASI for using the lower
glidepath
 the middle and far bars constitute a 2
bar VASI for using the upper glidepath
•normally consist of a single light unit
projecting a three-color visual
approach path into the final
approach area of the runway
•below glide path indication is red,
•the above glide path indication is
*errors are increased due to a major design
shortcoming of the tri-colored VASI. While on
approach, the color amber (above slope) can be
seen at a very thin angle of approach between
green (on slope) and red (below slope)
•Despite this shortcoming, it is (reportedly) in
widespread use in Eastern European countries,
• normally consist of a single light unit projecting a two-
color visual approach path into the final approach area
of the runway
•the on glide path indication is a steady white light
•the slightly below glide path indication is a steady
red light
•if the aircraft descends further below the glide path,
 system is a simple and efficient, positive
visual aid to the pilot on final approach
 consists of a line of four units at 90˚ to the
runway centre line which are typically
spaced at 9 meters apart
 either four or two identical light units
placed on the left of the runway aimed
outward into the approach zone
 provides the pilot with a safe and
accurate glide slope on final approach
to the runway
 A row of PAPI light housing assemblies
(LHAs) placed perpendicular to the
approach path are seen by the pilot in
combinations of red and white to
indicate a path that is too high, too low
or correctly on slope.
 An earlier glideslope indicator system,
the Visual Approach Slope
Indicator (VASI) is now obsolete and was
deleted from Annex 14 in 1995
 The units are spaced 9 meters apart with
the nearest unit 15 meters from the
runway edge
 PAPI can, if required, be located on the
right hand side of the runway
In good visibility
conditions the
guidance
information can be
used at ranges up
to five miles by day
and night. At night
the light bars can
be seen at ranges
of at least twenty
miles
 To form the PAPI guidance signal the color
transition boundaries of the four units are
fixed at different angles
› The lowest angle is used for the unit furthest from
the runway, the highest for the unit nearest to
the runway
› The designated glideslope is midway between
the second and third light unit settings
 Depending on the position of the aircraft
relative to the specified angle of approach,
the lights will appear either red or white to
the pilot