PAPI & VASI
• VASI and PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator) lights are
both airport visual aids used to assist pilots in maintaining the
correct approach path during landing.
• Similar to VASI, PAPI uses light units of red and white colors to
indicate glide paths
PAPI
• Provide a definite white and red light projection pattern along the desired descent
path to the touchdown point
• To reduce Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) and landing distance over and under
runs by assisting the pilot in establishing a stabilized descent.
• If the aircraft is approaching on the correct glide path, the four light PAPI system will
show two red lights and two white lights; too steep of an approach increases the
number of white lights, while too shallow of an angle increases the number of red
lights.
• A series of 4 horizontal lights will show 2 red, 2 white when you're flying on the
established glide path (typically 3 degrees). The more red lights you see, the lower
you are on glide path. If you're slightly low on glide path, you'll see 3 red and 1 white
(2.8 degrees).
PAPI
PAPI & VASI
• The VASI is a system of lights so arranged to provide visual descent guidance information during the
approach to a runway. These lights are visible from 3-5 miles during the day and up to 20 miles or more at
night.
• VASI are light systems to assist pilots with visual guidance during an aircraft landing by indicating the
pilot’s right angle of approach. They are located on the side of the runway and can be used both during
the day and at night. The VASI is especially effective during approaches over water or featureless terrain
where other sources of visual reference are lacking or misleading, and at night. It provides optimum
descent guidance for landing and minimizes the possibility of undershooting or overshooting the
designated touchdown area.
• Fact of VASI :
• 1) VASI may have 2 bars (rows) of lights.
• 2) A 2-bar system has one near and one far bar. Each bar can contain 2 light units.
• 3) If both bars show white lights, you are too high for your landing.
• 4) If both bars show red, you are too low.
• 5) If the far bar is red and the near bar is white you are just right (be on the glide path).
• A precision approach path indicator (PAPI) is a visual aidthat provides guidance information
to help a pilot acquire and maintain the correct approach (in the vertical plane) to an
airport or an aerodrome. It is generally located on the left-hand side of the runway
approximately 300 meters beyond the landing threshold of the runway.
• Fact of PAPI:
PAPI works in a similar manner to the VASI. The difference is PAPI only has one row of
lights.
• 1) This one row contains 4 light units.
• 2) If all four lights show white, you are too high for your landing.
• 3) If all four lights show red, you are too low.
• 4) If two lights show red and two lights show white you are just right (be on the glide path).
