ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Visual approach slope indicator

A visual approach slope indicator is a tool that helps pilots land their planes safely. Imagine you're playing a game with your friends, and you have to hit the target. You throw your ball and your friend tells you if you're getting close or not. The visual approach slope indicator works a bit like that, but for planes.

The visual approach slope indicator is a row of lights on the ground that helps pilots see if they're coming in at the right angle to land their plane safely. The lights make a kind of imaginary pathway in the sky that the plane needs to follow as it gets closer to the runway.

At the beginning of the runway, the lights are all red. This tells the pilot that their plane is too high and needs to descend. As they get closer, the lights start to change color. They'll turn from red to white if the plane is coming in at the right angle. This means the pilot is lined up with the runway and is about to land safely.

If the pilot sees all white lights, they're coming in too low, and need to climb a bit before landing. If they see all red lights, they're coming in too high, and need to descend a bit before landing.

The visual approach slope indicator is important because it helps pilots land their planes safely. It's like having a friend tell you if you're getting close to the target or not. It's a tool that helps pilots make sure they're following the correct path to land their plane safely.