Analysis of Runway Marking Configurations For Bright Daylight Contact Fog Operations

Four experiments were conducted to determine the feasibility of utilizing runway marking to provide guidance for visual transition for landing and for monitoring of runway distance to go. The experiments were done in a visual landing simulator modified to present the field and brightness contrast relationships characteristic of a bright daylight contact fog with a visual range of approximately 1,200 feet. The results suggest that it is feasible to provide visual support under the specified visibility conditions with patterns compatible with the standard narrow gauge touchdown lighting configuration. In addition, it appears possible that these systems can be designed without marking elements in the critical centerline wear area of the landing zone and in "double ended" versions providing distance to go information. Future work will attempt to extend the distance indicating code to a configuration adequate for 12, 000 feet, as well a s for the 7, 000 -foot runway used in these experiments.