What feature distinguishes the airport rotating beacon's function?

The airport rotating beacon serves a critical purpose in aviation safety, particularly in enhancing visibility for pilots during their approach and landing phases. The feature that distinguishes the airport rotating beacon's function is that it projects a beam of light in two directions. This design enables the beacon to create a broad and far-reaching signal that can be seen from various angles as aircraft approach the airfield. The dual projection maximizes the beacon's effectiveness, ensuring that it provides vital directional guidance to pilots, regardless of their position relative to the airport.

While infrared lighting is beneficial in specific applications, it is not a characteristic of standard airport rotating beacons, which operate primarily in the visible light spectrum. The notion of being used exclusively during nighttime is misleading, as rotating beacons can also serve during twilight and adverse weather conditions when visibility is poor, making them vital tools at all hours. Lastly, the indication of aircraft parking locations is not a function of the rotating beacon; instead, these locations are typically marked by other types of signage and lighting on the airport grounds.