Airport Operations: Signs, Markings, Lighting and Wake Turbulence

What you'll learn: how to read the airport and stay safe on it. Source: PHAK Ch. 14, AIM Ch. 2.

Signs

Sign	Look	Meaning
Mandatory instruction	Red with white letters	Runway holding position; don't cross without clearance
Location	Black with yellow letters	The taxiway or runway you're on
Direction	Yellow with black letters and arrow	Direction to other taxiways
Destination	Yellow with black letters	Direction to places like runways or the ramp

Runway hold-short: two solid and two dashed yellow lines. Stop on the solid side unless cleared.
Displaced threshold: arrows. You can take off or roll out there, but not land before the threshold.
Chevrons: unusable for taxi, takeoff or landing.

Runway edge: white (yellow in the last 2,000 ft on instrument runways)
Taxiway edge: blue
VASI/PAPI: on glidepath shows red over white (VASI) or 2 white + 2 red (PAPI)
Rotating beacon: white and green = civilian land airport; beacon on in daytime can mean below VFR minimums in Class B, C, D or E surface areas

Heavier, slower, clean aircraft make the strongest wake. Land beyond a large aircraft's touchdown point; take off before its rotation point.

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2 questions. Pick an answer to see why it's right or wrong.