PAPI LIGHTS CALIBRATION MANUAL

Standardsandrecommendations Veosrin10.

Guideof
Calibration

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 DIVISION OF ENERGY AND ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS

PAPILightCalibrationGuide

Energy and Electromechanical Systems Division

Telecommunications Authority
Tel:571-4139719
Fax:571-4135288
e-mail:cbarraga@[Link]

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 Tableofcontents

DIRECTORATE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

DIVISION OF ENERGY AND ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS

Introduction i CHAPTER 3

CALIBRATION AND CHECKING IN

CHAPTER 1 EARTH 13

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION 5 The positioning of the theodolite 14

Information of interest 5 Adjustment of the elevation angle 15

Construction of the units 6 Theoretical verification of the angles 16

Principles of the system 7 Final data 19

CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 4

GENERAL MAINTENANCE 9 CALIBRATION AND CHECKING IN

Preventive maintenance 9 FLIGHT 20

Electrical review 10 Flight inspection procedure 20

Solution to common SPF problems 11 Tolerances for calibration 26

Other sources of consultation 12 Certificate of Operability and publication

of NOTAMs 28

PAPI installations at the national level 28

TABLE INDEX 30

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 Chapter

If we review Annex 14 of the ICAO,

we will find that it is considered
practically impossible to elaborate on a
guidance text that allows
carry out an objective analysis in order to
determine what type of track of a

Introduction airfield must have priority for the

installation of a PAPI system and
recommends among other considerations
take into account the frequency of
Whenever the topic is addressed use of the track, the severity of the
verification o calibration of dangers in the approach, the presence
systems, we refer to a the from other visual and non-visual aids, the
recommendations given by the ICAO and types of aircraft and the conditions
to the informational circulars (Advisory unfavorable weather conditions in which
Circular) from the FAA, forgetting that this use the hint.
it is one of the institutional missions of
the CivilAeronautics. The Division of Energy and Systems
Electromechanics and the Direction of
In response to the need for Telecommunications have had in
dictate rules and recommendations consider these factors to decide on
the present manual arises, which the sites where they will be located
is aimed at providing to PAPI systems, but additionally has
technical staff a reference in established as a policy to equip the
regarding calibration, maintenance greater number of airfields with a
and operation of the PAPI systems. precision system, giving priority to
those in which they carry out
The information contained herein air operations the airplanes of
The text is provided as a title of regulations.
reaction.
applicable in Colombian territory
it implies the commitment of the UAE to It has been decided to title this manual
Civil Aeronautics in the approval and like Version 1.0, given that it
ratification of the processes pretend it is a document
operational described in each of dynamic, which must collect the
the sections of this manual. practical recommendations y the
obtained experiences, that allow
By the anterior any as a final result achieve a
recommendation or included regulation document that is in agreement with the
within the present and that is found most suitable calibration practices
against any of the of visual aids.
ICAO recommendations, it must be
informed a the air authority Carlos U. Barragán Mina Sep-2000.
Colombian who will carry out the
pertinent correction.

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 4

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 Chapter

SYSTEMDESCRIPTION
Thseisctiopnroviddeasescriptioonthinfedicatosyrstem.
pendniagpporacP
hAP.I

E
The Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lighting system
ApproachPathIndicatorisaprecisionsystemthatprovidesinformationtopilots.
on the glide path to approach the runway, through the combination of
red-white color codes. All systems must comply with the
technical specifications established in Annex 14 of the ICAO, Volume I paragraphs
[Link] to [Link], as well as the specifications and standards provided in the FAA L-880,
AC150/5345-28Dspecification.

RecommendationBefore
proceeding to carry out any
C O N T E N T
workonPAPIequipmentandsystems,readcarefully
QInteresting information theinformationprovidedbytheequipmentmanufacturer
Construction of the units and take into account the observations on safety
QPrinciples of the system personal

How to use this manual

Thetableofcontentsontheleft,atthebeginningofeachchapter,allowsforhyperlinks.
with each of the underlined sections. Position the mouse pointer over the topic of your
[Link]:

INFORMATIONOFINTEREST
ThePAPIsystemconsistsofawingbarwithfour(4)multiplelampelements.
(of two units or three units) that have a defined transition between the colors
white and red at equal intervals. This system is placed on the left side of the track, at
unless it is materially impossible to locate it there. In international airports
UAEAC has placed a second wing bar on the opposite side of the runway, having
It is reported that those airfields are used by aircraft that need visual guidance.
balancing.(wide-bodyaircraft)

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 Thereisanotherconfigurationused,whichistheAPAPIsystem,consistingofawingbar.
withtwo(2)multiplelampelements,installedontheleftsideoftheapproach.
Forthissystem,thesameconsiderationsasforthePAPIsystemaretakenintoaccount:

Within the medium and long-term plans of the UAEAC, it is considered to locate this type of
systemsatthoseregionalairportsandforVFRtypeapproaches.

CONSTRUCTIONOFTHEUNITS

PAPIUnitADBPPL-400

The units consist of a main housing that supports two (2) or three (3) channels
optical,acoverandthree(3)orfour(4)mountinglegs,dependingonthemanufacturer.

Normally, the components are manufactured from tropicalized aluminum for

protectitagainstcorrosion,glasses,opticallenses,andreinforcedsteelparts.

TheunitsofthePAPIlightscontaintwoorthreelampsof6.6Amperesand200watts.
withtheirrespectivereflectors,redfilters,lenses,andafrontprotectivelens.

The unit is mounted on adjustable breakable legs and with its respective legs.
anchoring.

The specifications of each of the parts that make up the are described below.
Unit:

Lamp: The lamp is a 200-watt prefocused halogen type that is installed

atthebackoftheunitandpositionedonthereflector

Panel reflector: The reflector panel is aligned with the openings where they are
[Link]
specularaluminum.

Filter panel: The filter panel is where the red filters are located. They are used
asreferencepointsformakingadjustmentsinthefieldoftheunits.

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 Lens panel: This panel is where the lenses and objectives are located.
opticalsettheprecisionandquality.

Front glass: This glass protects the units from sand, stones, etc. and must be
designedtopreventreflectionsoflightrays.

Adjustable mounting legs: The mounting legs allow for leveling and must
tohavedevicesthatallowthecalibrationoftheunitsintheanglesof
calibratedsettingsforeachoftheunits.

PRINCIPLESOFTHESYSTEM
Thesystemconsistsofafour-unitbar,eachproducingadividedbeamoflight.
in a white upper section and a red lower section. The transition from red to white is
very narrow, as it does not exceed three arc minutes over the entire beam. The
unitsareinstalledinalineperpendiculartothecentralaxislineofthetrackinagame
from different angles of elevation. The difference between two adjacent units is 20
minutesofarc.

Whentheaircraftapproachesonacorrectglideslope,thepilotwillseethetwo(2)unitsof
[Link]
deviatestenminutesofarcfromthecorrectglidepath,thepilotwillseethreeunitsofthe
same color and only one of the other color. When the deviation exceeds thirty
arcminutes,thefourunitswillappearthesamecolor.

Note

TheinformationprovidedbythePAPIsystemcanbeconsidereddigital,since
small deviations in the glide path are immediately reflected
in the color change of the units, due to the definition of the
informationisfoundonanarrowchannel.

WHATISTHEPILOTOVE?-Figure1

VERY
HIGH

LEVEMENTE
HIGH
EN
SEND

Lifting
LOW

VERY
LOW

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 From the cockpit, the descent is carried out taking into account the
color combination, when it goes on the right path, observe both
units closest to the red track and the two farthest are white.

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 Chapter

GENERALMAINTENANCE
Thorenuieatsndercommendoiahntsaotudblofelwendoidorter
maintain the PAPI approach slope lights systems
npam
[Link]
hiti

E
ThePAPIapproachlightsystem,likeanyprecisionsystem,mustbe
maintained within the most stringent tolerance parameters in order to be able to
guarantee its normal operation and be able to offer the best results, keeping
simple rules of common sense and the practice of good engineering
maintenance. Therefore, it should be remembered that the equipment is designed so that there is the
lessinterventionontheiropticalcomponentsbyqualifiedtechnicalstaff.

RecommendationBefore
proceeding to carry out any
C O N T E N T
preventive or corrective maintenance work on the
Preventive Maintenance systems,de-energizetheUnitandensurethatthecircuitor
QElectrical Review the corresponding regulator on which it is located
Solution to frequently asked once the lamp is installed it cannot be energized by anyone
problems
remote medium from the control tower or from the
Other sources of consultation
powersubstation.

PREVENTIVEMAINTENANCE
Thefollowinginstructionsaregeneralandshouldbeappliedaspartofthe
periodicmaintenanceroutinesthatmustbeestablishedineachofthe
airportsofthecountry.

Daily inspection of the elevation angle of the units must be carried out, checking
thatisthesameastheoneestablishedasthemaintenanceangleonceitisfound
flight calibration and/or inspection has been completed and ensure that the unit is
operatingproperly.

∙ Weeklycleantheprotectiveglassonbothsides,filters,lenses,andreflectors.
[Link]
donottouchthelampswithbarefingersasthisshortenstheirlifespan
lamp.

Monthly inspect the system cabinet, lamps, electrical connections,

filtersandprotectiveglassforpossibledamage,breakage,orscratches.

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 Monthly, clean the inside surface of the cabinet, removing dust or materials.
strangersfoundwithinthis.

Monthly check that the vegetation does not obstruct the light beam; if this happens
Irequestedtheairportadministrationtocleanthesite.

Monthly ensure that the unit assembly is completely rigid, if not

adjusttheunitthatrequiresit.

Every time adjustments are made, clean the adjustment screws of the rust unit that
maybefoundinthese.

The calibration flight must be carried out at least once a year, but if it is
Itisadvisabletotakeaflighteverysixmonths.

ELECTRICALREVIEW

Thissectionincludesthereviewthatmustbecarriedoutonthesystembeforeproceedingwithboth
calibrationtasksaswellasforroutinemaintenancetasks:

Verification of the luminous intensity of the lamps

The luminous intensity of the lamps should be approximately 140,000 candelas.

para el color blanco y 24.000 candelas para el color rojo, la intensidad luminosa de las
Twolampsofabeaconmustbeidentical,aswellastheluminousintensitybetweenthem.
beacons.

The200Whalogenbulb,6.6A,usedinPAPIlightshasalifespanof
1000hoursaveragelifespanatfullintensity.

Using the lux meter, verify the light intensity in front of each of the
thebeaconlensesmusthaveaminimumof15,000candelasofintensity.

Thebeaconsmusthaveuniformlightintensityamongthemselves.

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 Note

Thevalueoftheintensityinthewhitesectorofthebeamshallnotbelessthan2timesthe
intensitycorrespondingtotheredsector.

Verification of the support and control equipment.

Itisimportanttoverifytheoperationoftheremotecontrolfromthecontroltower.
thelightsintheirdifferentstagesofbrightness.

Initially, the different brightness stages must be manually selected to

tocorroboratetheproperfunctioningoftheregulators.

Intheequipmentroom,measurethecurrentdeliveredbytheconstantcurrentregulator.
at each stage of brightness, considering that for a typical system must be obtained
thefollowingvalues:
Table1Three-stageregulatorcurents
First stage 4.8 amperes
Second stage 5.5 amperes
Third stage 6.6 amperes

Fora5-stagebrightnessregulator,theammetermustindicatethefollowingvalues
typical:
Table2Curentregulatorof5stages
First stage 2.8 amperes
Second stage 3.5 amperes
Third stage 4.0 amperes
Fourth stage 5.3 amperes
Fifth stage 6.6 amperes

Ifyoufindvariationwithrespecttothevalueslistedabove,maketheadjustments.
inthecurrentregulatorasindicatedintherespectiveequipmentmanual.

SOLUTIONTOCOMMONPROBLEMS
Belowisaguidetosolvingcommonproblems,pleasenotethat
this may change depending on the manufacturer, so it is recommended to check the
Respectivemanual.
FIGURE2-FPS

PROBLEM POSSIBLECAUSATION SOLUTION

All the lamps are Powersupply Repairorreplacethecable
they are found off ohdisconnectedconnectionoh
rotateinthecableorthe
transformer of
isolation.

11

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 ReviewtheoperationoftheCCR
All the lamps Allthelampsare Replacethebulbs.
turned off theyarefoundburned Checkthelevelofthe
inputcurrent.
The lamps look Dirtonthelens Cleanwithasoftcloth
dark. frontal withdampcotton
alcohol.
Thelampisnotthere Rearrangethelamp
correctlylocatedin
thereflector
Thecurrentlevelis Checkthelevelof
verylow currentwiththeammeter
TheUnitislocated Checkwiththeclinometer
malaligned followingtheprocedure
fromtheequipmentmanufacturer.
Short duration of the Thecurrentlevelis Checkthelevelof
lamp findveryhigh. inputcurrentinthe
lampandintheCCR
Checkthelevelof
isolationofthe
transformer

OTHERSOURCESOFCONSULTATION
Within the consultation documentation, the following must be taken into account:

The FAA Advisory Circular AC No. 150/5340-26 Maintenance of Airport Visual Aid
Facilitieswheregeneralsafetyrecommendations(SAFETY)areestablished,Management
del mantenimiento, equipo de prueba eléctrica y se dan pautas sobre el mantenimiento
estimate.

The FAAAdvisory Circular AC No. 5345-28D Precision Approach Path Indicator,

wherethecriteriafortheplacement,location,andadjustmentofthePAPIsystemareestablished:

The ICAO in Part 5 of the Aerodrome Design Manual provides guidelines on the systems
electricvehiclesthatarefrequentlyusedinairports.

Installationandoperationmanualofthedifferentmanufacturers.

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 Chapter

CALIBRATIONAND
GROUNDCHECK
Thefollowingproceduresandrecommendationsmustbefollowedto
ensure that the calibration underground for the systems complies with the
recommendations and standards of the ICAO and those adopted by the UAE
Civil Aviation.

L
The correct calibration of the approach systems allows for the greatest
benefit and use by pilots of this visual aid, therefore the
responsibility on land to carry out the appropriate actions and tasks corresponds to the
qualifiedtechnicalpersonnel,whomustfollowthedescribedproceduresinorderto
[Link]'sinstructionsmust
follow carefully, to avoid accidents among the staff and form a chapter
complementarytothismanual.
C O N T E N T

QPositioning of the theodolite Recommendation The operations staff and

maintenance must observe at all times the
Adjustment of the angle of elevation
regulations and safety standards. They should not be changed
Theoretical verification of the angles
thelamps andmaketheinterioradjustmentswiththecircuitof
Q Final data lightson.

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 POSITIONINGOFTHETHEODOLITE
The position of the theodolite for calibration flights is directly related to the
heightoftheoperatorofthesame,forthispurpose,itisadvisablethattheoperatorisinstalledbetween
beaconstwo(2)andthree(3),atadistancesuchthatthetransitionbetweenthecolorscanbeobserved
red and white of these two beacons. The theodolite must be properly leveled between its
supportsandwiththeangleofelevationatzerodegrees,zerominutes.

Unavezsehaubicadoelteodolito,sedebeprocederaverificarlasalturasdecadaunadelas
units that make up the PAPI and for this, the following procedure must be executed
heightverification:

Leveling of the beacons regarding the runway axis

Position the observation rod or sight at the intersection between the runway axis and the
extensionoftheaxisofthetransitionbars.

By observation through the Theodolite, which must be leveled and at zero degrees of
elevation, mark on the rod the point coinciding with the center of the quadrant of
Theodolite (C/TE).

Measure the distance from the base of the rod to the marked point and note this data for your records.
Post-use. This measurement H corresponds to the difference in height of the terrain.
betweenthelocationpointofthetheodoliteandtherunwayaxis.

Move the observation rod over the structure of each of the beacons (over the
transitionbar)onbothsides.

Observing from the theodolite, align the center of the quadrant with the mark.
C/TEoftherod,observetheheightHoneachsideofthebeacon,incasetheydonotmatch.
adjustment in the supports (anchor leg) of the same until it matches the reference
obtained, this ensures that the transition bar of the beacon is at the same height as the
[Link].

In case there is a difference greater than ±15 centimeters between the axis of the lamp
And the central axis of the track, a leveling of the buoys should be done using the
respectivelevelingscrews,inordertomeettheindicatedtolerance.

NOTE

Throughout this procedure, the observation rod must be adjusted.

toavoidvariationsinthemeasurements.

All the beacons must be on the same horizontal plane, therefore it is

it is necessary to make the necessary adjustments in each of the units to ensure their
leveling,youcanuseadroplevelforthispurpose,orifapplicable,thelevelthatis
includedwithintheclinometer.

ThisgroundverificationprocedureisshowninFigure3.

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 Tolerance: All the beacons must be at the same height relative to each other but a
tolerance of + 15 cm difference with respect to the track axis.

In the case of bilateral systems, the beacons corresponding to each side of the runway must
to adjust according to the previous [Link] ensures the perfect synchronization of the
markersonbothsidesofthetrack.

ADJUSTMENTOFTHEELEVATIONANGLEOFTHEPAPISYSTEM
For a runway with an approach angle of 3 degrees, the beacons should be adjusted to
thefollowingangles,inaccordancewiththeprovisionsestablishedinAnnex14oftheAerodromeManual
fromtheICAO:

Tabel3Adujsm
t enothfteelvaoitnangel

ANGLE OF NUMBEROF INSTALLATION WITHOUT INSTALLATION WITH

TRANSITION BUOY ILS ILS

HIGH 4 3°30’ 3°35’

MEDIUM HIGH 3 3°10' 3°15'

LOW MEDIUM 2 2°50’ 2°45

LOW 1 2°30’ 2°25

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 Bydefinition,thenormalglidepathangleofthePAPIsystemistheoneatwhichthepilot
fromanaircraftonapproach,visualizethetwoinnermostbeacons(3and4)inredand
thetwobeaconsfurthestfromtherunwayedge(1and2)inwhitecolor.

THEORETICALVERIFICATIONOFTHECALIBRATIONANGLES.

It is advisable to check that the beacons are adjusted at the last angle of
calibration certificate, in case this data is not available, you should proceed as follows: Use the
observationrodthatcomeswitheachclinometerandforthispurpose,itmustbefollowed
thefollowingprocedure:

Marking of observation points - OP:

The distance at which the observation points are located depends on the height of the.
observerandtheangleofthenormaltrajectory,thereforeitiscalculatedusingtheformula
next:

X=Heightoftheobserver/tanf

For an observer with an average height of 1.70 meters and an angle of trajectory
Normally,thevalueofdistanceXisequalto20meters,whichismeasuredfromthe
transition bar (From the site where the filters are located) and front of the center of

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 Each beacon marks the points PO1 to PO4 in such a way that it serves for observations.
later,asshowninfigure4

To verify that the Observation Points are at the same distance, the
nextprocedure,takingfigure5asareference

A new reference point PR is defined at the edge of the track by placing a stake.
so that it aligns with the transition bar axis (It is advisable that in the
installation, this reference point should be topographically defined and conveniently
marked).

From the previous point, measure the distance X (in meters) to the runway threshold and
Locate a reference point PO5. When aligning PO1 with PO5, the other Points of
Observation must align with this alignment if the measure of X meters is in shape.
Theindividualhasbeencompletedcorrectly(Perpendiculartothelineofthebuoys).

Verification of the transition with the observation barrier:

Calculationofthetheoreticalobservationheight.

For beacon No. 4, the theoretical value VT = 20 tan 3°30' is obtained, equivalent to 1.22.
meters,thisvalueisindicatedontheobservationrodstartingfromthecenterofthe
horizontalstripofthescreentowardsthebottomofthetube;fromthispoint,the
value H obtained in the leveling procedure of the beacons and a mark is placed
offinalobservation,asseeninfigure6.

The observation rod is located at PO4 and by sliding the inner tube of this rod,
matches with the view from the theodolite (which must be at zero degrees) and
tightentherod.

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 The beacon is observed through the screen and just above the bottom line of it, the beam of
lightmusthavetheminimumcomponentofwhite,ifthisisnotthecase,thebeaconrequiresa
adjustinitscalibrationuntilachievingthiseffect.

Thepreviousprocedureiscarriedoutfortheotherbeaconstakingintoaccountthevalues.
relatedbelow:

Tabel4-Theorecitavlaulesofitloranangelof3°

ANGLE OF BALIZA No. INSTALLATION WITHOUT INSTALLATION WITH

TRANSITION ILS ILS

HIGH 1 1.223 1.251

MEDIUM HIGH 2 1.104 1.135

LOW MEDIUM 3 0.988 0.960

LOW 4 0.873 0.845

Othertrajectoriesofapproach

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 Itisworthnotingthatthecalibrationanglesofeachofthebeaconsdependontheangleof
approach of the track; below are listed these calibration angles for
typical approach angles; the calibration procedure is the same as described
previouslyinthismanual:

Tabel5-Approachangelof25.°degrees

ANGLE OF BALIZA No. INSTALLATION WITHOUT INSTALLATION WITH

TRANSITION ILS ILS

HIGH 1 3rd 3°15'

MEDIUM HIGH 2 2°40' 2°45

low middle 3 2°20’ 2°15’

LOW 4 2°00' 1°45'

Tabel6-Approachangelof35.°degrees

ANGLE OF BALIZA No. INSTALLATION WITHOUT INSTALLATION WITH

TRANSITION ILS ILS

HIGH 1 4°00' 4°15'

MEDIUM HIGH 2 3°40' 3°45’

Mid-low 3 3°20’ 3°15’

LOW 4 3°00’ 2°45

FINALCALIBRATIONDATA,
AttheendofthetestflightofthePAPIlights,thelastreading(degreesand
minutes)obtainedwiththeclinometerforuseandanalysisinthefollowingcalibrations.
This information must be retained by the respective airport administration and forwarded to a
copy to the Energy Division and Electromechanical Systems of the Directorate of
Telecommunications,accordingtotheparametersoutlinedinthefollowingchapterandinparticular
usingthereportattachedtothismanual.

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 Chapter

CALIBRATIONAND
FLIGHTCHECK
Tnhigci-fleabhilrtaoiptnrocedure,

L
Correct calibration of the approach systems allows for the greatest
benefit and use by the pilots of this visual aid, therefore the
responsibility on land to carry out the appropriate procedures corresponds to the
qualifiedtechnicalpersonnel,whomustfollowtheproceduresdescribedinorderto
toensuretheoperationalsafetyofthissystemandinflightthisresponsibilityisassumed
bythein-flightInspectorwhowillcertifytotheauthoritytheavailabilityofthesystemfor
tobeusedbytheaircraft..
C O N T E N T

QIn-flight inspection RecommendationBeforeproceedingtocarryoutthetasksof

in-flight calibration, you must ensure you have the
Tolerances for calibration
initial calibration data, for this purpose it must be
QCertificate of operability consult the final table of this manual or the data
PAPI National Facilities relevant published in the Manual of Standards, Routes and
ATS procedures. These data consist of the angles
trajectory norms of the designated airport and obstacle data or
restrictions

FLIGHTINSPECTIONPROCEDURE
The in-flight inspection of new facilities and calibration checking of the
existing, must be carried out by competent personnel to confirm the correct operation

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 of the system, including the establishment of adjustment angles, track width,
coverageandoperationalstatusofthesystem.

Tabel7-Typeofsysetmnispecoitn

Procedimiento Tipo de Inspección

Commission Newspaper Surveillance

Intensityandbrightnessofthelights IF YES YES

Trajectory angles and YES YES YES

transition

Coursewidth YES YES

Angularcoverage YES YES

Clearingobstacles YES YES YES

MatchwithILSsystem YES YES YES

Intensity and brightness of the PAPI lights

Whenthecalibrationaircraftisdescendingintheapproacharea,the
The inspector requests the tower operator to adjust the brightness intensity control of the system.
goingthroughallthestages;itisverifiedthatallthelampsareoperatingnormallyand
withthesamerelativeintensityforeachposition.

The indicated brightness stages can be three or five: The usage is: Stage 5 or 4 for
daytime operation, stage 3 or 2 for twilight, stage 2 or 1 for nighttime operation. The
commissioning inspection should not be carried out during times or periods,
SolarlightcanreducetheeficiencyofthePAPIsystem.

Intheeventthatthereareonlythree(3)brightnessstages,thiswillbetheuse:Stage3for
day operation, Stage 2 for twilight or dawn and Stage 1 for the operation
nocturnal.

Trajectory and transition angles.

The arrangement of the units is indicated in figure 7 along with the angles of
transition and the adjustment patterns. The approach angle is shown as 'f', The
Thenormaldifferencebetweentheadjustmentanglesis20’(0.33°),thewidthsofthetrajectoryare
indicatedintableNo8.

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 TabelNo.8-TrackWdihts

TYPEOFINSTALLATION ANGLE OF Differential Angle

APPROXIMATION DEADJUSTMENT

Isolated From 2° to 4° 20' (0.33°)

WITH THEM From 2° to 4° 30’ (0.50°)

ISOLATED From 4° to 7° 30' (0.50°)

ISOLATED Morethan7° 60' (1.00°)

The normal glide path angle of the PAPI is the one at which the pilot of a
aircraft on approach visualizes the two units closest to the runway
ROJAS and the two outermost WHITE units. (What is it that the pilot...
ve?)

During the commissioning inspections and periodic checks, they must be

verifiedtheapproachvisualtrajectoryangles(averagevaluebetweentheangles

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 medium high and medium low), as well as high and low angles, for this purpose a
thetheodolitepositionedaccordingtowhatwasstatedinthepreviouschapter.

First method:Alevel flight pass is made, due to the importance of specifying the
transitionangleofeachbeacon,about3'(0.05°).Theflightatlevelmustbecarriedoutat
alowspeed,[Link].

Apass is made at approximately 500 feet above the ground and is requested to the
theodolite operator that transmits the angle each time there is a color variation
informed

The variations should occur in the following order and configuration:

1- Low Angle: Outermost beacon with pink indication and the others red.

2- Medium Low Angle: The outermost buoy is white, the adjacent one is pink, and the two innermost ones are.
red.

3- Trajectory angle: The two outermost white beacons and the two innermost red ones

4- Medium high angle: The two outer white beacons, the adjacent pink one and the innermost one.
red

5- High Angle: The three outermost beacons are white and the innermost one is red.

Secondmethod:Adescentflightapproachismadeattheangleofeachone.
fromthebeaconscheckingtheapproachangle,highandlowangles.

Forthecalculationofthenormaltrajectory,theangleindicatedinFigure7mustbeused.
as the normal trajectory angle, which corresponds to the arithmetic mean between the angles
middlehighandmiddlelow.

Width of the approach trajectory.

Normal course width: it is the angular measure between the medium high transition angles and
[Link],itistheverticalspacewheretheaircraftcanfluctuate.
having the pilot the indications of 'On trajectory'. Thus, piloting becomes difficult to
As this angle narrows, it becomes easier as it widens, but safety
canbecompromised.

Forastandardconfiguration,thetrackwidthandtheotherangularopeningsare
20'(0.33°).

Verification of match with the ILS

Operationally, it is desirable for the PAPI to be installed in such a way that its information
intrajectorymatchestheILStrajectoryuptoaminimumusabledistance.
Thevariablesthatmustbeconsideredarelistedbelow.

*       

ForanominalILSapproachangle,Annex10oftheICAOspecifiesatolerance.
from+7.5%foranILSCATIorCATIIand+4%

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 For a CAT III ILS. Accordingly, for an ILS trajectory with an angle of 3° it is
tolerances + 13.5' (0.225°) for ILS CAT I and II and 7.2' (0.12°) for ILS CAT III.

WhenadjustedtoanILS,theanglesthatdefinethewidthandcourseofaPAPIvary.
from + 15' ( + 0.25° ) around the center. Consequently, through the APAPI we can
detectvariationsinthetrajectoryoftheILSfromitsintendedangle.

*        

The values of "VISUAL / ANTENNA" for current aircraft in position of

approximations range between 20 cm and 6.4 m, with most being at the lowest part of the
[Link]'sorigin
from ILS, the value of 'Pilot View / Antenna' for certain types of aircraft,
Itwil complicatethevisualizationoftheexistingPAPI/[Link]' whytheadjustmentrange
it may be increased, increasing a sector of the PAPI trajectory from 20’(0.33°) to
30'(0.5°)ofarc.

Coverage.

a- Longitudinal coverage :

Thebeamoflightproducedbythebeaconsmustbevisiblewithinacoveragearea.
angle at least 4 NM from its origin.

Incommissioning,thiscoveragemustbeverifiedalongwiththeclearancechecks.
approachangles,[Link]
Adjacent at a distance of 4 NM the system can be seen perfectly.

During periodic checks, the inspection is carried out on the track axle extension.
(approach trajectory) along with the pass to observe “clearance” and measurement of
angles.

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 B-Angularcoverage:

Thebeamoflightproducedbythebeaconsmustbevisiblethroughanazimuthangleof
atleast10°duringthedayand15°duringthenight.

Verification procedure:Across pass is carried out along the extended track axis, to
anapproximatedistanceof2NMandatanaltitudeof600feetabovetheground,itisreportedtothe
theodoliteoperatorafterobservingallthevisiblelightsofthePAPIsystem,continues,
untilIcannolongerseebeaconNo.1ontheoppositeside(seefigure8).

Although there is no predetermined tolerance, the angular covers on both sides of the
tracks are expected to be as symmetrical as possible.

Inspecialsituations,therewillbeaneedtolimittheangularcoveragetolowervalueswith
theobject

Clearance of obstacles.

The term 'clearance' is used when the separation concerning obstacles is

Acertainareaallowsforasafeflightinthelowestsectoroftheaid.

TheclearanceisverifiedthroughapproachesintheredsectorofthePAPI.

Duringcommissioninginspections,theclearanceintheextensionoftheshaftischecked.
oftrackandattheendsofangularcoverage.

Intheperiodicinspections,itisonlyperformedintheextensionoftherunwayaxis.

Theprocedureisdescribedbelow:Withthetheodolitesetto0.5°above
the greatest obstacle is making approaches at the upper limit of the red sector (Beacon 1
tending to a pink color). In this situation, the pilot must visualize the system with all
theredunits(Seefigure9)andtheremustbeaseparationofatleast0.5°for
over the largest obstacle in the coverage area. The passes of the aircraft over the
systemwillbeexecutedbasedonthecoveragelimits.

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 NOTE

Coverage area is that defined by the angular coverage and the distance or
scopeofuse.

Belowisamemoryaidtokeepinmindwhenmakingthe
testandcalibrationflights.

CALIBRATION CHECKLIST

Intensity and brightness of the lights

Verification of the approach angle

Verification of the transition angles

Angular coverage

Obstacle clearance

Coincidence with the ILS

TOLERANCESFORCALIBRATION

PAPI systems must meet the expected tolerances in order to be classified.

asrequested,thesevaluesarestrictlybindingandintheeventthatduringaflight
If calibration finds that the values are outside of these values, it should be requested.
that the ground operator makes the necessary corrections, in order to certify the
installation:

Tabel9-Toelrancesforcabilraoitn

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 PARAMETER LIMITS OBSERVATIONS

Intensityofthelights Allwiththesameintensityinthe Unrestricted

samestageofbrightness.

Non-operationallamps 50%perparkingspace(atleastone Incommissioning100%of

lampbybeacon lampsmustbeoperational.

Approachangle Commissioninginspection+3'
(0.05°)

In periodic inspection +5’

(0.083°)

Transitionangles Commissioninginspection+3’Thesevaluesareapplicableinthe
(0.05°) lowangles,mediumlow,medium
highandhigh
Inperiodicinspection+5'
(0.083°)

RunwayswithILS Theapproachanglemust
tobeascloseaspossibletothe
trajectoryoftheILS.

Coursewidth(systemswith20’InthevisualtrajectorynotlessApplicabletothewidthbetweenthe
(0.33°) from 15' (0.25°) and no greater than sectorsincludedbetweenthe
(0.25°) mediumlowandlowanglesandbetween
themid-highandhighangles.

Course width (systems with 30' for compatibility with the Sameasthepreviousobservation.
(0.5°) trajectoryofILS,notlessthan
25'(0.42°)andnomorethan35'(0.58°)

Angularcoverage Thebeamoflightvisiblethrough
angleinazimuthofatleast
10°duringthedayand15°duringthenight
night.

Crossheightatthethreshold Heightofthelandinggearover
thethresholdofthetrackforthe
criticalaircraftmustbe9m.

Obstacleclearance 30'(0.5°)betweenthelimitoftheangle
thelowandtheheightofthelargest
obstacleinthecoveragearea.

Adjustments during the flight according to what is planned in the

calibration Annex14,DesignManualof
airportsandspecificationsofthe
manufacturer'smanual.

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 CERTIFICATEOFOPERATIONALITYANDPUBLICATIONOFNOTAM
InordertoproceedwithprovidingthecommissionedPAPIsystemtotheservice,itmustbecertified.
bytheInspectorinFlightandonlandwhomustbedulyqualifiedforthispurposeby
theTelecommunicationsDirectorate-Divisionofenergyandelectromechanicalsystems,which
fill in the corresponding data in the CALIBRATION OF PAPI SYSTEMS report and
Iwouldsubscribetotherespectivecertificatethatisvalidforoneyear.

A copy of the certificate must be sent to the Operations Division of the Secretary.
Technical,withthecorrespondingrequestforpublicationoftherespectiveNOTAM.

After conducting an in-flight inspection of a visual aid of the PAPI type, whether it is
commissioning, restoration of operation, restriction, inoperability, or cancellation of
Itisnecessarytodisclosethisinformationthroughapublication'NOTAM'.

In this regard, the Energy and Electromechanical Systems Division must carry out the procedure.
corresponding to the appropriate authority specifying the novelty technically
reportingthesituationinthecorrespondingreport.

The alignment angles are verified monthly by qualified personnel from

airportorrespectiveregionalwiththeclinometerandwhentherearediscrepanciesnotgreater
a correction on land must be made for one minute of arc, in case the values of
discrepancies are greater or in case of frequent reports from the aircraft about
possible system descalibrations should request certification with the flight of
checkoftheEnergyandElectromechanicalSystemsDivision.

INSTALACIONESDESISTEMASPAPIAESCALANACIONAL.
Thetableattachedtothisdocumentindicatesthedifferentairportsatthenationallevel.
which have PAPI systems and the degrees of the approach angle, necessary for the
calibration;similarlyrelatestothebrandoftheinstalledequipmentforuseofthe
indicatedclinometer.

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         
    
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
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             
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 Index of Figures Table of Contents

Description Page Description Page.

Figure 1 What does the pilot see? Table 1 Three-stage regulator currents 11

Figura2Soluciónaproblemasfrecuentes11Tabla2Corrientesreguladorde5etapas11

Figure3Heightoftheunits Table 3 Adjustments of the elevation angle 15

Figure 4 Location of the points of 16 Table 4 Theoretical height values for 18

observation angle of 3°

Figure 5 Location of the points 17 Table 5 Approach angle of 2.5° 19

observation(cont.)

Figure6CalculationoftheTheoreticalValue(VT) 18 Table 6 Approach angle of 3.5° 19

Figure7Arrangementoftheunits 21 Table 7 Types of system inspection 21

Figure8AngularCoverage 24 Table 8 Trajectory Widths 22

Figure9CorrectlocationofthePAPI25Table9Tolerancesforcalibration 26
withobstacles.

List of photographs

Description Page.

LightPAPI–ADBPPL400 6

Thepoweroftheray 10

InstallationofthePAPIlightsinArauca 13

A747inflight 20

Paperairplane 26

Construction of PAPI base at Pto 28

Inárida

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