Whats with the dual PAPI's ?

7

777

New Member
Greetings,

I was at the airliner.net website and seen dual PAPI systems on either side of the runway on a lot of photos, and it seems as this is only overseas. Does anyone have any information about this ? The only thing I can come up with is that it serves as a backup if the other one fails, or for possibly more precision when following the glideslope...don't quite know. I do know that they can't be relied on for obstacle clearance. Thanks.
 
You are probably seeing a variation of a VASI system and they are usually found everywhere. They can have lights on either side of the runway.

It's in the AIM Chapter 2.
 
Pretty sure one is for the glideslope for lower cockpit airplanes (GA aircraft), and the other is for the glideslope for the higher cockpit airplanes (B-747). I've never seen one runway with two PAPI's on either side, usually they are both on the same side, and then its referred to as the three-bar VASI.

Not positive on this, just a guess.

-ColM
 
flytothesky I believe you are correct about the variation of the VASI system...here is a picture of what I am referring to..just type it in the browser it should work. I looked in the AIM CH 2 and it doesn't go into too much detail about the variation of PAPI systems..it only says its arranged in a single row of lights on one side of the runway...but when you look at the picture it has a single row of lights on both sides....I think its a cool pic.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0047556/M/
 
I'm going to assume that the dual-PAPI system you've shown here is airport specific for Hong Kong Kai Tak, due to the strange instrument approach procedure they have there.
 
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