Abstract: A new and improved device for measurement and visual indication of both wind direction and wind speed. The device is suitable for use as a visual aircraft landing aid located at or near an airport to provide both wind direction and wind speed information to pilots desiring to land at the airport. A cylindrical lamp housing having a wind vane mounted on its top is rotatably mounted on a support post having a high intensity lamp mounted on its top and centered in the lamp housing. A lens is mounted on the interior surface of the cylindrical sides of the lamp housing at a location directly below the wind vane. The lens projects light emitted from the lamp to a concentric ring-shaped light scattering target positioned on the ground surrounding the device. When the wind vane is moved by the wind, the lamp housing and lens rotates and moves the lamp image to a new location on the target to visually indicate the wind direction.

Abstract: Generally speaking, according to the inventive concept, the lamp enclosure is made of an optically transparent material which allows the beacon to be observed by a pilot throughout the entire traffic pattern. The beacons are placed in pairs at opposite ends of a runway so that it becomes possible to dispense with the conventional runway lights presently used to delineate the runway. In order to fill in the dark zone which surrounds the convergence produced when a lens is used to intensify the brightness of the colored zones, the invention uses an apertured mirror positioned opposite the lens. This permits the pilot to see the beacons through all parts of a traffic pattern as well as in the intensified colored zone guidance region.