Thursday, December 26, 2013

Fundamentals About FAA Obstruction Lights

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By Marcia Marks


FAA obstruction lights are available in various forms like aircraft warning lights and beacons. These lights are important as they alert pilots of every tall structure that occupies airspace to prevent crashing. The structures include bridges, antennas, cranes, towers, and buildings. FAA and ICAO are some of the groups charged with the duty of setting standards of obstruction lights.

FAA and ICAO provide help on selection and installation of obstruction lighting accessories. They set standards that obstruction light must meet like Night Vision Goggles abbreviated as NVGs and Night Vision Imaging Systems shortened as NVIS. It is recommended that before purchasing any accessory buyers must make sure that the products meet the existing ICAO and FAA rules and standards. Consumers are advised to insist on original or genuine accessories and refuse counterfeits.

Aircraft warning illumination make all soaring structures noticeable to pilots and are usually utilized at night even though they can be utilized during daytime. The lamps have to be sufficiently bright to be visible while far. The lamps are normally in two common shades red and white xenon. The lights either flicker at predetermined intervals or are always on. The lamps where initially applied interchangeably but the recent regulations dictate that red lamps be used exclusively at night.

Red light is easily seen by pilots unlike white xenon flashers. There are several modes of obstruction light such as medium intensity, low intensity, and high intensity lamps. Medium intensity white lamps are installed on every structure that is over 200 feet up to 500 feet. It is a must that if medium white lamps are used on structures over 500 feet then they must be painted.

High intensity white xenon flashers are installed on structures above 500 feet. They offer high visibility both at nighttime and day. High intensity flashers flash forty times per minute at different intensities. The intensity decreases as nightfall approaches. They flickering intensity at sunset is 20000 candelas and 270000 candelas at daytime. The intensity decreases to 2000 candelas during nighttime.

Development in lighting technology has resulted in invention of led obstruction light. The latest types are energy saving and are made to fit nearly everywhere around the world. The led lamps are a perfect substitute for incandescent lamps. They are free of maintenance, durable, and reliable. They are available in a wider scope, which consist of photocells, flashers, and relays so as to meet varied needs.

Warning light has its limitations. They are part of light pollution besides killing birds. White strobes usually merge with the domestic lighting system within the neighborhood hence confusing pilots. The mix up that they create contributes greatly to aircraft accidents at nighttime. White strobes are expensive to maintain since they need frequent repainting which comes at an additional cost.

FAA obstruction lights are crucial part of safety measures, which owners of tall structures should observe to prevent accidents. The lamps are manufactured by many companies. Every firm tries to vary its accessories so as to distinguish themselves. It may not be quite easy for consumers to choose which make to purchase and it is at this point that the internet comes in. All the needed information is accessible on their blogs over the internet.




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