Surface level heliports are those for helicopters and are located on the ground. They are characterized by usage of large space. The typical heliport has various helipads. These are the areas that are smooth and flat and are devoted to landing and taking off of helicopters. They are normally located near conventional airports but are in lesser-used areas. Helipad lighting is very important and consists of various forms of lights.
Identification of the helipad is very important, which is why beacon lights are used. Provision of the beacons is important in the event that long-range visual guidance is thought to be important. These lights have to be placed in elevated areas so that there is no chance of the pilot getting dazzled at short range. Repeated series of white flashes are emitted by the beacon light. These flashes are spaced at equal intervals. They are in the form if letter H, with the Morse code used.
Beacon lights show at all angles of azimuth, with the intensity being greater than 2500 Cd. The brilliancy control setting should be 3, 10 and 100 percent. Floodlights in helipads are for the illumination of touch down and the area of lift off. These lights are so located as to avoid glare to pilots or the personnel working around the area. The horizontal luminance should be averagely 10 lux. Floodlights also help in illumination of obstacles. Floodlights for obstacles should have a luminance of at least 10cd/m2.
FATO lights are supposed to be placed at the edges of the FATO (final approach and take-off area). The lights should be steady, white, omnidirectional with an intensity of 100 cd and more. The brilliancy control setting ought to be 10, 30 and 100 percent. They normally are placed along the edges of the FATO 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.
It is always important to display the preferred direction from where the helicopter should approach. This is made possible through the use of approaching lights. They are placed in a straight line along the preferred direction. They are steady, omnidirectional and white or flashing. When identification of the helipad is made difficult because of other lights in the surroundings, flashing lights come in handy. The system should not be less than 210m in the event that approach light system for non precision FATO is offered.
Aiming point lights are used to approach a specific point prior to proceeding to TLOF. They are supposed to be white, steady, omnidirectional and with intensity more than 100 candelas. Just like the other lighting systems, the brilliancy control setting should be 100, 30 and 10 percent.
Windsock lights help in displaying the windsock and thus enabling the pilot to see the wind direction. At least one direction indicator is required for every heliport. The windsock light used at night needs to be illuminated so that it is easily seen.
Identification of the helipad is very important, which is why beacon lights are used. Provision of the beacons is important in the event that long-range visual guidance is thought to be important. These lights have to be placed in elevated areas so that there is no chance of the pilot getting dazzled at short range. Repeated series of white flashes are emitted by the beacon light. These flashes are spaced at equal intervals. They are in the form if letter H, with the Morse code used.
Beacon lights show at all angles of azimuth, with the intensity being greater than 2500 Cd. The brilliancy control setting should be 3, 10 and 100 percent. Floodlights in helipads are for the illumination of touch down and the area of lift off. These lights are so located as to avoid glare to pilots or the personnel working around the area. The horizontal luminance should be averagely 10 lux. Floodlights also help in illumination of obstacles. Floodlights for obstacles should have a luminance of at least 10cd/m2.
FATO lights are supposed to be placed at the edges of the FATO (final approach and take-off area). The lights should be steady, white, omnidirectional with an intensity of 100 cd and more. The brilliancy control setting ought to be 10, 30 and 100 percent. They normally are placed along the edges of the FATO 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.
It is always important to display the preferred direction from where the helicopter should approach. This is made possible through the use of approaching lights. They are placed in a straight line along the preferred direction. They are steady, omnidirectional and white or flashing. When identification of the helipad is made difficult because of other lights in the surroundings, flashing lights come in handy. The system should not be less than 210m in the event that approach light system for non precision FATO is offered.
Aiming point lights are used to approach a specific point prior to proceeding to TLOF. They are supposed to be white, steady, omnidirectional and with intensity more than 100 candelas. Just like the other lighting systems, the brilliancy control setting should be 100, 30 and 10 percent.
Windsock lights help in displaying the windsock and thus enabling the pilot to see the wind direction. At least one direction indicator is required for every heliport. The windsock light used at night needs to be illuminated so that it is easily seen.
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