Monday, May 20, 2019

Useful Information Regarding Helicopter Landing Lights

By Stephanie Howard


For operations at a heliport to move smoothly and safely, there must be a way for pilots to communicate with people on the ground. Pilots also need to receive directions/instructions from the heliport regarding how to land and take off. The instructions are conveyed in the form of lights. Different lights pass different kinds of messages to pilots regarding how to land and take off from a helipad. Here are facts regarding Helicopter landing lights.

The light beacon HP-50/A is one of the crucial lighting fixtures that are set up on helipads. This light beacon is normally made in the form of while flashing light that acts as a distance visual guidance. This beacon is utilized when the ambient light in the area is making it difficult for the pilot to have a good view of the helipad. The FAA requires all helipads to have at least one light beacon.

Light beacons ought to be installed above the helipad or on it. It is more convenient to install the beacon in a raised location. Also, it is vital to make sure that the pilot is not affected by the glare from the beacon light as they approach the helipad. The lamp ought to be made from material that has excellent impact resistance. The materials should also have a high 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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