Obstruction lighting - aircraft warning lights low and medium intensity

Obstruction lights or aircraft warning lights are used to enhance the visibility of high-rise buildings, towers, wind turbines, telecom installations and bridges making them visible to low flying aircraft.

The type of illumination required is dependant on the height of the obstacle and these requirements are governed generally by Annex 14 of ICAO and also FAA standards. To ensure maximum visibility, these obstruction lights commonly employ one or more high intensity strobe or LED devices ensuring it can be seen by pilots from several miles from the obstruction. There are three classifications of obstruction lights, Low Medium, and High intensity.

LED Low Intensity Obstruction Lighting Range

ICAO Annex 14, specifies that Low Intensity Obstruction Lights should be used on obstacles up to 45 meters in height. Such obstacles could be telecommunications towers, chimneys, cranes, wind turbines and buildings.

Low Intensity Obstruction Lights are the simplest devices when referring to these in ICAO standards, and it indicates that they should have the following characteristics and uses:

Type A – an intensity of >10cd, red in colour, and steady burning these types of device can be used on its own.
Type B – an intensity >32cd, red in colour and steady burning, these can be used either on its own or in combination with a medium intensity obstacle lights Type B, Type AB or with high intensity obstacle lights Type AB
Type E – an intensity >32cd, red in colour and flashing, these can be used either alone or in combination with type B medium intensity obstacle lights. The Flashing rate should be adjusted to the same rate of other flashing beacons installed on the same structure.

LS810

Low Intensity Obstruction Light

LS810A

Low intensity LED obstruction light (Red) Group – A

LS810B

Low intensity LED obstruction light (Red) Group – B

LED Medium Intensity Obstruction Lighting Range

ICAO regulations for Medium Intensity Obstruction Lights suggest that these should be used on obstacles with an height between 45m and 150m, such as telecommunication towers, wind turbines, chimneys, cranes, buildings and other similar structures.

There are three types of beacons for Medium Intensity Obstruction Lights, each has different characteristics and uses:

Type A – a flashing light with an intensity of 20,000cd, when in day-mode or night mode. This style of light should be used alone.
Type B – a flashing light with an intensity of 2,000cd, when in night mode. This type of obstruction light should be used either alone or in combination with Low Intensity Obstacle Lights, Type B or Type E;
Type C – a steady red light with an intensity 2,000cd when operating in night-mode. This fixture should be used either alone or in combination with Medium Intensity Obstacle Lights, Type A or type C.

DUAL type beacons in the same light fixture, suitable to be used during the day (with white LEDs) and during the night (with red LEDs) are also available, these lights are:

Type AB (dual MIOL) a flashing white light with an intensity of 2,000cd, when in day-mode, and a flashing red light with an intensity of 2,000cd, when in night mode. This application should be used in combination with Low Intensity Obstacle Lights, Type B or Type E
Type AC (dual MIOL) a flashing white light with an intensity of 20,000cd; when in day mode, and a steady burning red light with an intensity of 2,000cd, when in night mode. This type of fixture should be used in combination with Medium Intensity Obstacle Lights, Type C.

LS864

Medium Intensity Obstruction Lights (MIOL) should be used to warn the presence of obstacles with an height between 45m and 150m

LS864A

Medium Intensity Obstruction Lights (MIOL) should be used to warn the presence of obstacles with an height between 45m and 150m

LS8645

Medium Intensity Obstruction Lights (MIOL) should be used to warn the presence of obstacles with an height between 45m and 150m

Low Intensity Obstruction Lighting Range

ICAO Annex 14, specifies that Low Intensity Obstruction Lights should be used on obstacles up to 45 meters in height. Such obstacles could be telecommunications towers, chimneys, cranes, wind turbines and buildings.

Low Intensity Obstruction Lights are the simplest devices when referring to these in ICAO standards, and it indicates that they should have the following characteristics and uses:

Type A – an intensity of >10cd, red in colour, and steady burning these types of device can be used on its own.

ZA760

Low Intensity Obstruction light (Neon)

ZA753

Low intensity obstruction light Group – A

Airfield Identification Beacon (AIB)

An Airport Identification Beacon flashes a two letter morse code signal in green light, and these would normally be provided at an airport to make it more easily identified from the air by the pilots especially where a number of aerodromes in the same vicinity operate at night and confusion could arise as to identity. ICAO or IATA Airport Letters can be used. Military aerodromes are normally equipped with a red identification beacon. (CAA)

AIB

Airfield Ident Beacon

Airfield obstruction light and identification beacon enquiry

Fill out the form below and a member of the atg team will respond within 48 hours.

"*" indicates required fields