Basics Concerning FAA Obstruction Lights

By Marcia Marks


FAA obstruction lights come in many forms such as aircraft warning light and beacons. The lights are essential since they alert pilots of soaring structures, which occupy airspace to avoid crashing. The structures include cranes, bridges, towers, buildings, and antennas. FAA and ICAO are examples of groups whose duty is to set standards of obstruction lights.

FAA and ICAO offer help on installation and selection of all obstruction lighting accessories. They set standards that the accessories must comply with like NVGs and NVIS meaning Night Vision Imaging Systems. It is recommended that prior to buying accessories consumers should make sure that the lamps meet the present ICAO and FAA standards. Consumers are usually advised to ensure they buy original accessories and keep away from fakes.

Aircraft warning illumination make structures visible to pilots and are normally used at night though they still can be used in daytime. The illuminations are supposed to be of adequate brightness to be visible from far. The lights are normally in two colors white xenon and red. The white xenon and red lamps are either constantly lit or flash at regular intervals. The lights were initially used interchangeably but the new rules demand that red lamps be used at night.

Red lamps are easily noticed by pilots in contrary to white xenon lights. There are many modes of obstruction lamps such as low, high, and medium intensity lamps. Medium intensity pasty lights are placed on each structure beyond 200 feet to a maximum of 500 feet. It is mandatory that if medium pasty lamps are placed on structures exceeding 500 feet then the structure has to be painted.

High intensity pasty xenon flashers are placed on structures exceeding 500 feet. They provide better visibility at daytime and night. High intensity pasty flashers flicker 40 times per minute and at varying intensities. The intensity reduces as nightfall approaches. They flashing intensity during daytime and at sunset is 270000 and 20000 candelas respectively. At night the intensity decreases to two thousand candelas.

Progress in lighting technology has seen the discovery of led obstruction lamps. The current types are electricity saving and are suitable nearly everywhere within the world. The led obstruction lamps are a perfect replacement for incandescent bulbs. They are durable, free of maintenance, and reliable. They come in a broader scope consisting of flashers, photocells, and relays to satisfy the varying needs.

Beacons and warning illuminations have limitations. They form part of light pollution as well as killing birds. White flashers usually merge with domestic lighting systems in the neighborhood thus confusing pilots. The confusion they create plays a great role in airplane accidents at nighttime. White strobes are very expensive to maintain because they require frequent repainting that come at an additional cost.

FAA obstruction lights are very important part of safety observance, which owners of soaring structures have to follow to prevent accidents. The lamps are made by many companies. Each firm attempts to vary its products so as to make a distinction of themselves. It is not easy for buyers to select from the various brands when shopping for these products and that is when the internet becomes useful. All the necessary details are available over their blogs on the internet.




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