Do we really need a "signals visible from the ground"

[John Brady]

The Rule 60 of the Rules of the Air presently requires an aerodrome to display signals visible from the ground. They comprise:

1. A black ball suspended from a mast
2. A red and yellow chequered flag or board
3. Two red balls one above the other suspended from a mast
4. Two black numerals on a black background
5. A black letter C against a yellow background
6. A rectangular green flag flying from a mast

Of course you know what these mean...........

The Standard European Rules of the Air proposes to do away with all except number 5. The CAA wants to know if you agree? Kindly tell us by completing the poll by the deadline of 23 October and we will tell them. Thanks,
John Brady

[mikehallam]

John,

Just to clarify. Does/did those requirements apply to "an airfield ?
Because any place used to land or take off is in Law an airfield.

As for all those bells & whistles, in that case I've broken every single one of them for a full 1/4 Century's operation at my strip ?

mike hallam.

[David Broom]

I have never seen the early implementation of a "stealth sign" specified in number 4 so obviously it has worked really well.

[Ian Melville]

Not sure about 4 either

Apart from 5 I don't think I have ever seen any of the others since I was a you lad in the ATC. These days the information they convey will have been obtained by other means, PPR(phone or F2F) and Radio etc

There are far too many 'symbols' and a cull could not be a bad idea. At least it would give pilots a fighting chance of remembering the meaning.