Airport markings and signs: Do helicopter pilots really need to know them? The short answer is yes. Test your knowledge with this FAA quiz to find out why. By Erik Feldmanis How many of you are comfortable with your knowledge of airport markings and signage? “Wait! What? I’m a helicopter pilot. I don’t need to know any of that. I don’t use runways! I always get an intersection or present-position takeoff clearance, usually preceded by, ‘Remain ____ of runway ____.’ ” One factor that can lead to this attitude is your area of operations, which dictates how often you utilize an airport and how familiar you may or may not be with the complexity of its environment. Perhaps you rarely operate in and out of a large airport, and even if you do, air traffic controllers always keep you clear of fixed-wing operations. That may be the case, but what if one day you actually have to taxi, hover, or land on a runway—especially if you have to execute an instrument approach, for example, using an instrument landing system close to minimums? You’re going to get instructions to proceed from the runway to the ramp. What if the ramp is on the other side of the airport? Runway incursions are increasing at an alarming rate. Many recent incursions involved large fixed-wing aircraft with professional pilots and crews. There are certainly numerous identifiable causes for this, but that’s for another time. One thing’s for certain—these aircraft went where they weren’t supposed to go! How knowledgeable are you about the meaning of airport markings and signage? Let’s see how well you know your signs. The illustrated test at the top of this page (which can also be found on the FAA website) is just one training aid the FAA developed to gauge one’s knowledge of airport terminology. While the test doesn’t show all the markings and signs you might see at an airport, it covers most of them. Take the test to see how well you do—and don’t just look at the answers at the bottom! Truly test yourself. How Did You Do? So, how well did you do? I’ve been training, testing, and checking helicopter pilots and crews in a large, fully automated helicopter for over 12 years, and this is by far their weakest knowledge area. I didn’t see this same trend in fixed-wing aircraft. Why? Two reasons. First, helicopter pilots usually don’t get full complex taxi instructions like fixed-wing pilots do, and second, helicopter training typically focuses more on the aircraft and its systems. Even during IFR training, the focus is on automation. Regardless of the environment you operate in—missions can change, job opportunities can change, equipment can change—it’s important to stay sharp and review areas where many pilots experience missteps. Perhaps this might be one of those areas for you, and if it is, by taking this test and identifying any potential weaknesses in your understanding of airport markings and signage, you have just become a safer pilot. Nicely done! Erik Feldmanis, US Army (retired), is a CFI who holds ATP multi-engine airplane and helicopter ratings. He has written numerous articles for aviation magazines, including the US Army’s Aviation Digest and the Airborne Public Safety Association’s Air Beat.
