Division 05 accepts individual airfield lighting fixtures one at a time. Division 06 takes those accepted fixtures and commissions them as one integrated runway lighting system — confirming that circuits, fixtures, intensity control, switching, loading, control, alarms, emergency operation and photometric performance all work together and satisfy the approved project requirements.
Philosophy: Circuit Integrity → Energization → Fixture Operation → Current/Loading → Intensity → Switching → Control → Alarm → Emergency Operation → Photometry → System Acceptance. Numerical photometric criteria, circuit-current limits, insulation requirements, intensity tolerances and switching/control acceptance limits are always taken from the approved project specification, lighting design, equipment manufacturer's documentation and applicable standard — never assumed.
Every runway lighting subsystem moves through the same underlying sequence — from circuit integrity through to photometric compliance — before the complete runway system is accepted.
Division 05 and Division 06 ask two different questions. Neither substitutes for the other.
| Division | Question It Answers |
|---|---|
| Division 05 — Fixture Testing | Is this individual fixture correctly installed and functioning? |
| Division 06 — Runway System | Does the complete runway lighting system function correctly as one integrated system? |
| Circuit Integrity | Continuity, insulation and current of the primary series circuit through to the fixtures |
| Loading & Intensity | Connected load matches design, and the system responds correctly at every intensity step |
| Switching & Control | The system responds correctly to local and remote control commands |
| Alarm & Emergency | Faults are detected and indicated, and the system enters the approved emergency mode correctly |
| Photometry | The runway lighting system delivers the required optical performance as a system |
Two conditions should be established before Division 06 commissioning of any runway lighting subsystem begins.
Grouped by commissioning focus, in the order each runway lighting subsystem is normally worked through — click any topic to expand its verification checks and acceptance criteria.
Acceptance Criteria: the assessment covers the complete runway edge-light system rather than treating each fixture only as an isolated component.
Acceptance Criteria: the threshold-light system is verified as an integrated group, not as isolated fixtures.
Acceptance Criteria: runway end lights, where provided, are commissioned and recorded as part of the runway lighting configuration.
Acceptance Criteria: where provided, runway centreline lights are commissioned as a dedicated runway lighting subsystem.
Acceptance Criteria: where TDZ lighting is provided, the complete TDZ lighting system is verified, not individual fixtures in isolation.
Acceptance Criteria: runway guard lights, where installed, respond correctly to the applicable control command.
Hold Point: any continuity discrepancy is investigated and resolved before proceeding to insulation and current testing.
Hold Point: the applicable test voltage and acceptance limit must come from the approved procedure/specification, not an assumed value.
Hold Point: any abnormal current is investigated before system acceptance.
Acceptance Criteria: every fixture in every applicable subsystem operates correctly, both individually and as part of the integrated runway operation.
Acceptance Criteria: CCR testing establishes regulator performance; Division 06 confirms the complete runway lighting system responds correctly to that CCR output at every applicable step.
Acceptance Criteria: the runway lighting system switches correctly and confirms status for every applicable command path.
Hold Point: any loading discrepancy is investigated and resolved before proceeding to control and photometric verification.
Acceptance Criteria: Division 06 concentrates on the runway lighting system's response to control commands, rather than duplicating complete ALCMS commissioning covered elsewhere.
Acceptance Criteria: every applicable alarm is correctly detected, indicated and recoverable.
Acceptance Criteria: the runway lighting system enters the defined emergency operating condition without unintended behaviour, following the airport/project-approved procedure.
Hold Point: photometric acceptance limits are taken from the applicable approved requirement, never a generic value. Division 06 covers runway-system photometric verification/acceptance; the dedicated photometry division provides detailed measurement methodology and equipment/testing procedures.
Acceptance Criteria: the complete chain — accepted fixtures, healthy runway circuit, correct CCR output, correct circuit loading, all runway lighting subsystems operational, correct intensity steps, correct switching, correct control, correct alarms, correct emergency operation and photometric compliance — is verified and documented before the runway lighting system is declared accepted.
Every runway lighting subsystem test and the final integrated acceptance gate is recorded against one of the following statuses.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| PASS | Runway lighting system satisfies applicable requirements |
| FAIL | One or more acceptance requirements are not satisfied |
| RETEST | Corrective action and repeat testing required |
| CONDITIONAL | Accepted with documented conditions |
| N/A | Not applicable to the runway configuration |
Division 05 and Division 06 should never be treated as duplicates — one confirms components, the other confirms the integrated system.
Division 06 runs as a single continuous sequence from accepted Division 05 fixtures through to final runway system acceptance.
Begin from Division 05 accepted fixtures and identify the runway lighting system.
Commission edge, threshold, end, centreline, TDZ and guard-light subsystems.
Verify runway circuit continuity from CCR through to fixtures.
Perform runway circuit insulation testing against approved criteria.
Verify CCR output current against runway circuit response.
Verify ON/OFF and stable operation across all subsystems, then integrated.
Verify system response at minimum, intermediate and maximum steps.
Verify local/remote switching response and status confirmation.
Compare design load, installed load and measured operating condition.
Verify control-command response through to control-system indication.
Verify alarm detection/recovery and approved emergency operating mode.
Complete photometric verification and final runway system acceptance test.
Quick answers about Division 06 — Runway Lighting System Commissioning in the AGL Testing & Commissioning Manual.
Division 06 of the AGL Testing & Commissioning Manual covers Runway Lighting System Commissioning. Division 05 accepts individual airfield lighting fixtures one at a time. Division 06 takes those accepted fixtures and commissions them as one integrated runway lighting system — confirming that circuits, fixtures, intensity control, switching, loading, control, alarms, emergency operation and photometric performance all work together and satisfy the approved project requirements. It contains 18 topics (TC-RWY-001 to TC-RWY-018) organised into 6 groups (A–F), each topic with its own verification checks.
Circuit Integrity → Energization → Fixture Operation → Current/Loading → Intensity → Switching → Control → Alarm → Emergency Operation → Photometry → System Acceptance. Numerical photometric criteria, circuit-current limits, insulation requirements, intensity tolerances and switching/control acceptance limits are always taken from the approved project specification, lighting design, equipment manufacturer's documentation and applicable standard — never assumed.
Every runway lighting subsystem moves through the same underlying sequence — from circuit integrity through to photometric compliance — before the complete runway system is accepted. Steps: Circuit Integrity → Energization → Fixture Operation → Current / Loading → Intensity → Switching → Control → Alarm → Emergency Operation → Photometry → System Acceptance. Focus areas: Runway lighting subsystem commissioning; Runway circuit verification; Fixture, intensity & switching operation; Loading & control response; Alarm & emergency operation; System-level photometric acceptance.
Division 06 has 18 topics in 6 groups. A — Lighting Subsystem Commissioning: Runway Edge-Light System Commissioning, Runway Threshold-Light Commissioning, Runway End-Light Commissioning, Runway Centreline-Light Commissioning, Touchdown-Zone-Light Commissioning, Runway Guard-Light Commissioning. B — Runway Circuit Verification: Runway Circuit Continuity Verification, Runway Circuit Insulation Testing, Runway Circuit Current Verification. C — Fixture & Intensity Operation: Runway Fixture Operation Verification, Runway Intensity-Step Verification. D — Switching, Loading & Control: Runway Lighting Switching Verification, Runway Circuit Loading Verification, Runway Lighting Control Verification. E — Alarm & Emergency Operation: Runway Lighting Alarm Verification, Runway Lighting Emergency-Operation Test. F — Photometry & System Acceptance: Runway Lighting Photometric Verification, Runway System Acceptance Test.
Division 05 and Division 06 ask two different questions. Neither substitutes for the other. Division 05 — Fixture Testing: Is this individual fixture correctly installed and functioning?; Division 06 — Runway System: Does the complete runway lighting system function correctly as one integrated system?; Circuit Integrity: Continuity, insulation and current of the primary series circuit through to the fixtures; Loading & Intensity: Connected load matches design, and the system responds correctly at every intensity step; Switching & Control: The system responds correctly to local and remote control commands; Alarm & Emergency: Faults are detected and indicated, and the system enters the approved emergency mode correctly; Photometry: The runway lighting system delivers the required optical performance as a system.
Two conditions should be established before Division 06 commissioning of any runway lighting subsystem begins. Numerical Limits Are Not Universal: Circuit-current limits, insulation test voltages and acceptance values come from the approved project specification and applicable standard; Intensity-step tolerances and switching/control acceptance limits are design- and equipment-specific — never apply an arbitrary universal figure; Photometric acceptance criteria are taken from the applicable approved requirement, not a generic value; Sensitive electronic equipment should be protected from inappropriate insulation testing.
Division boundary: Division 05 establishes acceptance of individual airfield lighting fixtures; Division 03 separately covers CCR testing and commissioning — Division 06 confirms the runway circuit's response to CCR output, it does not repeat CCR-specific testing; A dedicated Photometric Testing & Measurement division provides detailed photometric methodology and equipment/testing procedures — Division 06 covers runway-system photometric verification and acceptance; No runway lighting subsystem is declared commissioned merely because individual fixtures illuminate.
Every runway lighting subsystem test and the final integrated acceptance gate is recorded against one of the following statuses. PASS: Runway lighting system satisfies applicable requirements; FAIL: One or more acceptance requirements are not satisfied; RETEST: Corrective action and repeat testing required; CONDITIONAL: Accepted with documented conditions; N/A: Not applicable to the runway configuration.
Division 05 and Division 06 should never be treated as duplicates — one confirms components, the other confirms the integrated system. Division 05 Asks: Is this individual fixture correctly installed?; Is this individual fixture functioning?; Fixture A, B, C each independently PASS. Division 06 Asks: Does the complete runway lighting system function as one integrated system?; Individual fixture passes do not automatically mean the runway edge-light system passes; Additionally verifies circuit integrity, CCR current, loading, intensity steps, switching, control, alarms and emergency operation. Why It Matters: Prevents component-level acceptance being incorrectly treated as system-level acceptance; Mirrors the same separation used for taxiway, approach-lighting, PAPI and photometric/system commissioning activities; Keeps the final runway acceptance gate meaningful and traceable.
Division 06 runs as a single continuous sequence from accepted Division 05 fixtures through to final runway system acceptance. (1) Fixture Acceptance — Begin from Division 05 accepted fixtures and identify the runway lighting system; (2) Subsystem Commissioning — Commission edge, threshold, end, centreline, TDZ and guard-light subsystems; (3) Circuit Continuity — Verify runway circuit continuity from CCR through to fixtures; (4) Circuit Insulation — Perform runway circuit insulation testing against approved criteria; (5) Current Verification — Verify CCR output current against runway circuit response; (6) Fixture Operation — Verify ON/OFF and stable operation across all subsystems, then integrated; (7) Intensity Steps — Verify system response at minimum, intermediate and maximum steps; (8) Switching — Verify local/remote switching response and status confirmation; (9) Loading — Compare design load, installed load and measured operating condition; (10) Control — Verify control-command response through to control-system indication; (11) Alarm & Emergency — Verify alarm detection/recovery and approved emergency operating mode; (12) Photometry & Acceptance — Complete photometric verification and final runway system acceptance test.
Runway lighting commissioning proves that individual fixtures function together as one coordinated system.
Build the technical knowledge to understand circuit sequencing, intensity-step control, and how edge, centerline, and threshold lighting integrate into a single, standards-compliant system.
Commission with precision. Coordinate with confidence. Operate with certainty.
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