What is stopway and blast pad lighting?
The red lights that mark a stopway beyond the runway end, and the reason a blast pad is normally left unlit.
Pavement beyond the runway end is not always the same thing. A stopway can stop an aircraft and is lit red at night. A blast pad only protects the ground from jet blast, is not for aircraft use, and is normally unlit.
1What a stopway is
A stopway is a prepared area beyond the take-off run, as wide as the runway, strong enough to stop an aircraft after an aborted take-off. It is not for landing. Its length adds to the accelerate-stop distance available, so it appears in the declared distances.
2Stopway lights
Where a stopway is used at night, Annex 14 calls for red lights facing the runway, placed along the full length of the stopway. They sit in two parallel rows along the stopway edges, in line with the runway edge lights, at intervals of no more than 60 m. At least four lights are equally spaced across the stopway end, not more than 3 m beyond it. Red here carries the same message as on the runway: nothing beyond is available for landing.
3Runway end lights stay in place
The red runway end lights remain at the runway end, across the runway width. The stopway lights continue the red message beyond them, so a pilot rolling along the runway sees one consistent picture rather than two competing ones.
4Blast pads are normally unlit
A blast pad is a surface laid beyond the runway end, or beyond a stopway, to resist erosion from jet blast. It is not intended for aircraft use, so guidance does not call for lights on it. In FAA practice it is marked with yellow chevrons, which show that the pavement is unusable for landing, take-off and taxiing. The runway end lights still show where the usable runway stops.
| Feature | Stopway | Blast pad |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Stops an aircraft after an aborted take-off | Resists erosion from jet blast |
| Aircraft use | Stopping only, not landing | None |
| Counted in declared distances | Yes, in accelerate-stop distance | No |
| Lights at night | Red, facing the runway | Not normally lit |
| Arrangement | Two edge rows at no more than 60 m, plus at least four lights across the end | Not applicable |
| Marking (FAA practice) | Yellow chevrons | Yellow chevrons |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is a stopway?
A stopway is a prepared area beyond the end of the take-off run, as wide as the runway, strong enough to stop an aircraft after an aborted take-off. It is not for landing, and it adds to the accelerate-stop distance available.
Q2What colour are stopway lights?
Red. They are fixed lights that face the runway, so a pilot looking along the runway sees red where the stopway is. Red tells the pilot that the pavement beyond is not available for landing or the take-off run; it is for stopping only.
Q3How are stopway lights arranged?
Annex 14 places them along the full length of a stopway that is used at night, in two parallel rows along the stopway edges, in line with the runway edge lights, at intervals of no more than 60 m, with at least four lights equally spaced across the stopway end. Confirm the exact layout against the standard in use.
Q4Does a blast pad have lights?
Not normally. A blast pad protects the ground beyond the runway end from jet blast and is not meant for aircraft use, so guidance does not call for lights on it. The runway end lights still mark where the usable runway ends.
Q5What is the difference between a stopway and a blast pad?
A stopway can carry an aircraft that is stopping after an aborted take-off, so it counts in declared distances and is lit at night. A blast pad only resists erosion from jet blast, is not for aircraft use, and is not lit.
Q6Are stopway lights the same as runway end lights?
No. Runway end lights are the red row across the runway at the runway end. Stopway lights are separate red lights further on, along the edges and at the end of the stopway. Together they give one consistent red message along the runway.
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