Destination signs

What a destination sign is

A destination sign points the way to a named destination on the airfield — an apron, a cargo terminal, a fuel farm, a military ramp, a de-icing pad — rather than to a specific taxiway. It is one of the information signs, so it carries a black inscription on a yellow background, and it always includes an arrow indicating the direction to proceed.

Under ICAO Annex 14 Volume I (5.4.3.30) the inscription comprises an alpha, alphanumeric or numeric message identifying the destination, plus an arrow; EASA CS-ADR-DSN specifies the same. The FAA treats it as a black-on-yellow sign installed where the standard location and direction signs do not by themselves give adequate taxi guidance.

Destinations are abbreviated

Destinations are written as short, standard abbreviations so the message stays legible at taxi speed. Common examples include APRON, CARGO, FUEL, MIL (military), INTL (international) and CIV (civil). The illustration above shows a destination sign directing traffic left to the apron. Where a sign serves more than one destination in the same direction, the destinations are grouped and read together with their shared arrow.

Destination sign or direction sign?

The two are easy to confuse because both are black-on-yellow and both carry an arrow. The difference is what the message names:

• A direction sign names a taxiway (a letter or alphanumeric designation) and points to it.
• A destination sign names a place (apron, cargo, fuel) and points to it.

Draw them in Wingframe

Wingframe draws destination signs to ICAO, EASA and FAA geometry — the arrow shape and orientation, character heights, and the layout when several destinations share a sign. See what Wingframe can do.