Abstract

A unitary optical guidance system and apparatus directs operators of vehicles such as airplanes, watercraft, trucks, and automobiles along a path or to a predetermined location (e.g., parking an aircraft at a terminal gate or landing an aircraft on a runway) with a high degree of accuracy. The apparatus projects one or a plurality of different colored rays of light in separate and substantially parallel colored light lanes. Light from the apparatus generally is directed at an incident angle with respect to the operator of an approaching vehicle such that upon proximity of the vehicle to a predetermined location, one of the colored lanes of light will be seen by the operator. Where multiples lanes of light are projected, the initial lane color may be traversed until a final lane color is encountered indicating that a desired or predetermined location has been reached. A directional indicia media having one type of indicia to indicate a lateral approach position of a vehicle and a second type of indicia to indicate the distance of the vehicle from a predetermined location may be utilized with one or more lanes of light.