Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Useful And Essential Facts About Helicopter Landing Lights

By Stephanie Howard


The pilot should be able to communicate with individuals on the ground so that operations on a helipad can run smoothly. Also, the pilot should receive instructions or directions from the ground in regard to taking off and landing. The instructions are relayed in form of lights. The messages pilots receive are different depending of the different kinds of lights. This is worth knowing about Helicopter landing lights.

One important lighting fixture that is installed on helipads is the light beacon HP-50/A. This light beacon is usually designed in the form of white flashing light that is used as a distance visual guidance. The beacon is used in situations where ambient light in the location is making it hard for the pilot to see the helipad. The FAA requires every helipad to have a minimum of one light beacon.

The installation of the light beacon should be done above or close to the helipad. Installing the beacon in an elevated location is more preferable. Light from the beacon should not cause glare to the pilot when they are nearing the helipad to land or to take off. The material used to make the lamp should have excellent impact resistance. Its level of transparency should be high as well as the level of transparency.

One more vital light fixture apart from the beacon light is an approach light. This is normally a white sequence flashing light. The light is employed as a guidance for approach when helicopters are landing at a helipad. The pilot relies on this light to instruct them on the direction of approach. These fixtures can be situated outside the circumference of the heliport in one-way or two-way installations. The lights should be five in every group.

Upright perimeter light is another very important lighting fixture in any helipad. This lamp is usually installed to be upright and to emit constant green upright light. The green light emitted is usually omni-directional during both day and night, with low visibility. The low visibility light is meant to show the pilot the perimeter of the land and take off area.

The pilot knows which side is safe to land with the help of perimeter lights. It is dangerous to the plane, building, and people around the heliport area if the pilot lands outside the perimeter lights. The area surrounding the perimeter is normally not lit, and as such, it has no visibility for the pilot to land there. These lamps ought to remain functional in harsh environments

Every light fixture on heliport should come with high service temperature to avoid malfunctioning when they are needed most. Low service temperature can also lead to the lamps to break down frequently, which makes helipad maintenance more expensive. The material of the lamps should also be of good flammability rating and good aging resistance.

The FAA is tasked with regulating the type of lighting fixtures which can be used at heliports all over the country. Usually, the heliport lights are left on the entire duration they are in use. It is therefore important to use lights which have low power usage, with long lifespans and efficient.




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