Aircraft Obstruction Light Rules

Ever since the tragedy of the helicopter crashing into an unlit tower in North Carolina in 1989, there have been dramatic changes in regard to monitoring rules for aircraft obstruction lights.

Disregarding Obstruction Light Rules Can Result In Hefty Fines
The recent tragedy in Texas where a military helicopter crashed into a television broadcast tower highlights the serious implications of not implementing a monitoring system and abiding by the aircraft obstruction light rules. The tower's lights were not operational at the time of the collision.

Examples of FCC Aircraft Obstruction Light Rules:

• The owner of any antenna structure, which is registered with the commission, shall make an observation of the antenna structure's lights at least once every 24 hours, either visually or by observing an automatic properly maintained indicator.
• The owner shall provide and properly maintain an automatic alarm system designed to detect any failure of such lights.
• The owner shall report immediately (or within 30 minutes of light failure) to the nearest Flight Service Station or FAA office.

Not abiding by these rules will result in heavy fines and liabilities upon the tower owner.

You Need Automatic Monitoring to Cost-Effectively Obey Aircraft Obstruction Light Rules
Avoiding heavy fines and liabilities for violating aircraft obstruction light rules requires a high-quality monitoring solution. Such a solution allows you to:

• Maintain a 24/7 continuous watch on your tower no matter where you are located.
• Drastically reduce notification time from 30 minutes to 30 seconds.

Effective Solutions For Tower Monitoring
The AlphaMax and NetDog G2 are two high-quality tower monitoring solutions that provide effective results against constant policing by the FCC.

AlphaMax:
The AlphaMax monitors your tower lights and reports outages to up to 4 paging devices. The AlphaMax also has the ability to remotely activate site equipment and can be equipped with a backup battery supply that lasts up to two days.

Netdog G2:
The NetDog G2 is perfectly suited for smaller remote sites that require constant monitoring. The NetDog provides dial-up alarm reporting, LAN connectivity, and a convenient web browser interface. It also provides 2 analog inputs and allows for easy wiring with screw-down connectors.

Download the SCADA White Paper

Related Topics:
Tower Light Regulations