Obstruction Lighting Is A Crucial Component Of Avoiding Aviation Collisions

By Cornelia White


Aviation obstruction lighting initially made an appearance on large structures of assorted kinds in the 1930s. Because of the advent of regular night time flights, it soon came to be a total necessity. In an effort to protect essential equipment, ground personnel and the lives of pilots, warning programs were put in place. Subsequently, enforcement regulations, effective methods and strict rules will continue to be created to assure the protection of everyone concerned.

In essence, obstruction lighting simply consists of warning lights to prevent collisions between aircraft and a variety of objects on the ground. For example, radio, television and cell phone towers are made to be more visible through the use of devices that emit high-intensity light. While these lighting systems are most notable when used at night, they are also used on many tall structures during the daytime as well.

While people on the ground may normally not give it much thought, there are a multitude of hazardous objects that pilots must contend with on a daily basis. In addition to communications towers, there are various other objects that need to be avoided including overly tall buildings, industrial chimney smokestacks and wind turbines. Even some smaller structures require lights when near airports where airplanes fly very low.

Most of the standards for usage are established by the International Civil Aviation Organization. For the most part, their policies are recognized in most countries around the world. By having a system of uniform regulations, it is much easier to prevent dangerous collisions, enforce compliance and protect public safety. By adopting the same sets of rules internationally, the possibility of confusion is greatly reduced.

Over the years, many different light systems have been developed. The type of system used can vary widely depending on each separate application. Some obstructions may only require one single beacon lamp. It may be necessary for larger hazards to be equipped with a number of lights placed in specific configurations. In many cases, a pilot will be able to determine the actual type, as well as the height, of a potentially dangerous object.

These warning beacon systems can be powered by a wide variety of light sources. In recent years, LED technology has been applied extensively throughout the aviation warning field. However, some arrangements still rely on lamps such as common incandescent, metal halide or high pressure sodium. In any case, they are all specially designed to ensure adequate longevity, sufficient reliability and high intensity.

Typically, these beacons will likely be mainly red or white. The coloration is usually determined by a mix of factors that will involve structure type, particular location and overall height. A white-colored light would possibly not be advised in certain urban areas, because it can merge with commercial and domestic background sources. Still, they are frequently used widely in many rural environments.

It is a requirement for tall structures to have obstruction lighting that complies to standard regulations. The standards are necessary to ensure safe flying conditions, ease of navigation and basic public safety. The systems are absolutely critical in preventing severe property damage, potential life threatening injuries and heavy economic losses.




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