Doper Pilots - FAA Rules on Towers?

I am doing a design involving the placement of 50-60 ft towers near a flightline. I have heard that any tower (over x feet, I assume) within 500 ft of a flightline needs an obstruction light on top (i.e., strobe or such). How can I find out the exact policy on this?

Thanks,

  • Jinx

The answer is to be found in a big book called the FAR/AIM (Federal Aviation Regulations).

I can say for sure that your 50-60 foot towers would not require lighting in Ireland, unless they were on the approach path to an aerodrome. In this jurisdiction obstacles are only lit if they are >=300’ agl. I can’t speak for the US though.

Here’s the people to talk with:

At the worst, they’ll refer you to the FAA Regional office, or even the Operations department of the airport you are placing towers by. You will get an answer of some type, though. The FAA’s pretty uptight about construction near airports.

Over 500 feet needs a strobe during the day. Almost learned this the hard way flying along the river next to hills.

200’ appears to be the point where you need a light but you can read the whole list.

**2-2-3. Obstruction Lights

a. Obstructions are marked/lighted to warn airmen of their presence during daytime and nighttime conditions. They may be marked/lighted in any of the following combinations:

  1. Aviation Red Obstruction Lights. Flashing aviation red beacons (20 to 40 flashes per minute) and steady burning aviation red lights during nighttime operation. Aviation orange and white paint is used for daytime marking.

  2. Medium Intensity Flashing White Obstruction Lights. Medium intensity flashing white obstruction lights may be used during daytime and twilight with automatically selected reduced intensity for nighttime operation. When this system is used on structures 500 feet (153m) AGL or less in height, other methods of marking and lighting the structure may be omitted. Aviation orange and white paint is always required for daytime marking on structures exceeding 500 feet (153m) AGL. This system is not normally installed on structures less than 200 feet (61m) AGL.

  3. High Intensity White Obstruction Lights. Flashing high intensity white lights during daytime with reduced intensity for twilight and nighttime operation. When this type system is used, the marking of structures with red obstruction lights and aviation orange and white paint may be omitted.

  4. Dual Lighting. A combination of flashing aviation red beacons and steady burning aviation red lights for nighttime operation and flashing high intensity white lights for daytime operation. Aviation orange and white paint may be omitted. **

Magiver’s info is correct, at least for obstructions not immediately near airfeilds.

There are a whole host of additional rules that control maximum height & lighting requirements for obstructions on or near (within a couple miles) of an airport.

Googling “TERPS” & “clearance plane” will get you some basic vocabulary. But like IRS rules, this isn’t something for a non-expert to try to read from the book & derive the correct answers on their own.

Best bet to get it right is to talk to the folks KCB615 suggested. They can direct you to the guy / gal who does that all day long in your area. The Feds have no concern for what it’'ll cost your employer to remove or rebuild something that isn’t according to Hoyle. So best for you to get it right the first time.