Inset (or in-pavement) lighting on runways and taxiways is critical to an airport’s overall aircraft management strategy. Unlike elevated lights, inset lights are installed flush with the pavement. This placement minimizes damage due to the movement of aircraft and maintenance equipment, which are common hazards to elevated lights. However, their placement is also why inset lights generally require more maintenance than elevated lights. These flat, ground-level light fixtures are subject to dirt, jet fuel, de-icing fluid, and other contaminants that can collect on the lens and deteriorate the light output on both runways and taxiways.

As we turn the calendar on another year, we thought we’d look ahead at the trends our experts expect to see in 2025 as airports make swift investments in their airport runway systems to improve safety, efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

In the past, airport lighting systems were generally easy to operate. In many cases, it typically involved a small number of air traffic controllers flipping switches to turn individual incandescent bulbs on and off as needed. With a relatively low number of jets using the runways and taxiways, this system worked efficiently for decades.

When the Wright brothers successfully took wing in 1903, they focused solely on getting their “flying machine” off the ground and sustaining flight for as long as possible. They couldn’t have realized at the time that the technical revolution they had just given birth to was not just in aviation itself, but also in the innovations surrounding safe airport operations, especially during landings.

It can be said that pioneers in aviation watched the graceful flight of birds for inspiration in developing early prototypes of modern aircraft. For example, the long, sweeping wings of today’s gliders and airplanes are reminiscent of those on eagles and albatrosses that carry them for long distances with minimal effort. As much as we can attribute the rise of our industry to birds, our feathered friends can actually be a nuisance to safe runway operations.