Taxiway signs

Taxiway signs add a great deal of realism and information to an airport. Through them you will be able to navigate the airport easier even with a sometimes complicated taxi clearance.

Users interested in helping to improve the scenery are extremely welcome to add signs using the WorldEditor (WED). Prior to November 2013 FlightGear signs was not part of the airport layout and was instead added through the scenery object database.

Explanation of signs

There are many types of signs on airfields. The following table explains the used syntax.

Taxiway Signs

	Black lettering on a yellow background: direction sign: Gives directions to other installations: "Runways 27 and 33 are to your right".	OBJECT_SIGN {@Y}27-33{^r}
	Yellow lettering on a black background: location sign: Indicates the taxiway you are on.	OBJECT_SIGN {@L}A
	Holding position sign: Hold here. From your position on the taxiway at midfield, the threshold for Runway 15 is to your left and the threshold for Runway 33 is to your right. This sign is located next to the yellow holding position markings painted on the taxiway pavement.	OBJECT_SIGN {@R}15-33
	ILS holding position sign: ATC may hold you at this sign when the instrument landing system is being used at the airport. Aircraft taxiing beyond this point may interfere with the ILS signal to approaching aircraft.	OBJECT_SIGN {@R}ILS
	Holding position sign for approach areas: Hold here unless cleared to cross. Taxiing past this sign may interfere with arriving or departing aircraft to Runway 15.	OBJECT_SIGN {@R}15-APCH
	Runway boundary sign: This sign faces the runway and is visible to pilots exiting the runway. Taxi past this sign (dash past the dashed lines) to be sure you are clear of the runway.	OBJECT_SIGN {safety}
	ILS critical area boundary sign: Seen when exiting the runway, this sign marks the boundary of the ILS critical area. When ILS approaches are in use, be sure your aircraft has passed beyond this sign before stopping on the taxiway.	OBJECT_SIGN {critical}
	End of taxiway: Seen when a taxiway ends and a left/right turn has to be performed instead.	OBJECT_SIGN {hazard}
	No entry sign: Do not enter this area. Aircraft are prohibited. This sign would be found at the entrance to a one-way taxiway or at the intersection of a road intended for vehicles. Note that this sign needs the red color (@R) prefix in FlightGear!	OBJECT_SIGN {no-entry}

Placing signs

Signs should be placed using the WorldEditor (WED) so that they are included in the apt.dat file. Note that unless you create custom scenery it may take some time before they get added to the scenery, as the it have to be rebuilt to add changes to an airport layout.

Prior to that the FlightGear World Scenery 2.0 was made available through TerraSync in November 2013 signs was added as individual scenery models by hand, using an ASCII format based on an FAA specification to describe the content of the signs. With the newer apt.dat version 8.50 format signs are part of the airport layout, and signs no longer need or should be placed by hand as if they would be regular scenery objects.

Related content

• FGSignMaker - Obsolete since November 2013
• Sign Specification Proposal
• Howto:Modeling Ground Signs with Blender
• Legacy Signs

External links

• AOPA Airport and Taxiway Signage