Which item marks the beginning of the touchdown zone on the runway and is listed among instrument approach references?

• A. Touchdown zone markings
• B. Threshold lights
• C. Visual glideslope indicator
• D. Runway end identifier lights

Answer: (A)

Touchdown zone markings are the first set of runway markings that indicate where landing should ideally begin on a precision approach. They are placed in pairs along the runway starting about 500 feet from the threshold and continuing out to about 3,000 feet from the threshold, providing distance cues to pilots during instrument approaches. Because these markings describe the specific area designated for the touchdown, they appear on instrument approach references and charts to guide pilots during landing.

Threshold lights and threshold markings mark the beginning of the usable runway, not the start of the touchdown zone. A visual glideslope indicator gives a pilot a visual cue for descent path but isn’t a marking that designates the touchdown zone. Runway end identifier lights mark the far end of the runway, not the beginning of the touchdown zone.