Runway visual range

Runway visual range is how far pilots can see down a runway when they are landing or taking off from an airport. It helps them know if it’s safe to land their planes in bad weather like heavy fog or rain.

To measure the runway visual range, special machines called transmissometers are set up at the ends of the runway. These machines send out laser beams that bounce off reflectors on the other end of the runway. The transmissometers then measure how much of the laser beam was blocked by things like fog or rain in the air.

This measurement is called the runway visual range, and it’s given in feet. The bigger the number, the farther pilots can see down the runway. So, if the runway visual range is very low, it means pilots might not be able to see the runway as well during takeoff or landing, which could be dangerous.

Runway visual range is really important for air traffic controllers, too. They use this information to tell pilots whether it’s safe to land or takeoff, and to give them instructions about how to safely fly their planes in bad weather.