Taxi channels guide aircraft to takeoff or landing positions at airports, using lights to mark the path. They help manage traffic and prevent congestion, and are found at airports of all sizes, including water airports and private airstrips.
Taxi channels are the paths used by aircraft to bring the aircraft to takeoff position or to approach an airline terminal. Channels of this type are common with water airports, as well as other types of runways. The taxi channel itself is often defined by the use of a series of lights that make it easy for the pilot to identify the course of the road at night and in various types of weather.
The main function of a taxi channel is to make sure that an aircraft can move into the correct position for successful takeoff. Channels are especially important at busy airports, as pathways help guide numerous aircraft into position safely, allowing each one to move in turn and avoiding congestion on the runway. From this perspective, the canals function as a means of managing traffic so that flights can be ready to depart on time, without fear of accidents on the ground.
In addition to helping aircraft out of an airport, a taxi channel is also useful once the aircraft lands. Following the designated channel, it is possible for the vessel to reach the right gate without incident. This allows passengers to disembark safely at the terminal gate, while protecting them from cold, rain or any other unfavorable weather conditions.
The key to the success of any taxi channel is the use of channel lights. These ground lights are arranged on each side of the taxi channel, effectively marking the way for any pilot using the channel. At most airports, these lights are set to constantly flash successively when a craft is designated to use the lane.
Taxi channel routes are found at airports of almost any type and size. Effective on the ground, the channels also help keep landing and takeoff at water airports orderly and relatively safe for all concerned. Along with major airports, taxi channels are also found at private airstrips, local airports that cater to smaller planes, and even airstrips associated with flight schools. While there is some difference of opinion as to when channels were first developed as a standard part of the airport configuration, most historians agree that the concept of the channel, as well as the use of lights to define the path, was common in the mid-20th century.
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