Various Types Of Helipad Lighting

Posted by Brett Slansky | 6:47 AM | 0 comments »

By Jody Leach


Surface level helipads are those that are located at the ground level. Unlike other forms of helipads, they tend to use more space. There are various helipads in a typical heliport. Helipads are smooth, flat and are devoted for takeoff and landing of helicopters. Whereas they are located close to conventional airports, they have to be situated in the lesser used places. Helipad lighting is very crucial and many types of lights are used.

Beacon lights are used in case pilots have difficulty identifying the heliport. Heliport beacons are supposed to be provided in cases where long-range visual guidance is considered necessary. They should be located next to the heliport, ideally at locations that are elevated so that pilots are not dazzled at short range. The beacon light emits repeated series of white flashes that are equally spaced. The flashes are in the format of the letter H of Morse Code.

It is important that beacon lights show at all azimuth angles and have an intensity that is more than 2500 candelas. Brilliancy control settings should be at 3, 10 and 100 percent. There also is the use of floodlights for illuminating touchdown area and the area of lift off. Their location is such that there is no glare to pilots or personnel working close to the area. Horizontal luminance is meant to be averagely 10 lux. In addition, the floodlights illuminate obstacles. Those meant for obstacle illumination should have a luminance of 10cd/m2 on the lower side.

The final approach and takeoff area, FATO, should be very well lit as well. FATO lights are placed at the edge of the FATO. These lights are supposed to be white, steady and omnidirectional. The intensity should be a minimum of 100 candelas. The setting of brilliancy control is 10, 30 and 100 percent. These lights are placed on the edges of the area at uniform spacing.

The edges of the TLOF are lit with TLOF lights. TLOF stands for touchdown and lift-off area. These lights are steady, omnidirectional and have intensity that exceeds 30 candelas. Ideally, they are placed at the TLOF edges within a distance of 1.5m off the edge. For surface-level heliports, the lighting is placed uniformly at intervals that do not exceed 5m. The lights that are rectangular should be 12 and the circular ones 14.

The direction of approach is displayed using approaching lights. These are placed on a straight line on the preferred direction. They are supposed to be steady and omnidirectional. They should be flashing in case the helipad cannot be easily identified because of lots of light around.

To approach certain areas before proceeding to the TLOF, aiming point lights should be used. They are white and steady, with an intensity that exceeds 100 cd. Brilliancy control setting is 10, 30 and 100 percent.

For the display of the windsock and direction of the wind, windsock lights are used. Heliports are supposed to have at least one indicator of wind direction. The one to be used at night has to be illuminated.




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