Lights
Alright, here I go with some of my FAA knowledge for low flying aircraft..I.e. Cessnas, pipers, helicopters. The FAA requires that any building, or object(rollercoaster) have a beacon on it, strobe for objects over 300 ft, (i think) and red beacons for things 200something or less..anyone care to clarify???
Im not sure about that casue we have the Statosphere Tower here in Vegas and it uses a blinking red light. The tower is 1,149 ft tall. Other buildings in town over 200 ft. also use blinking red lights. The only time I've seen a flashing beacon like on Millennium force is on the Stratosphere Tower when it gets really foggy or we get really low cloud cover.
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Adventuredome Ride Op
MGM Grand Adventures Ride Op
Future CP Ride Op
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Adventuredome Ride Op
MGM Grand Adventures Ride Op
Future CP Ride Op
Well, here is another theory,
You said that the Statosphere Tower uses a red beacon, and that only in foggy weather it uses a strobe.. right? Well, you probably would not be able to see a red beacon in low visibility..but you would be able to see a strobe. Now this is only a theory for the Tower, I am still researching why MF and other rides have different lights.
You said that the Statosphere Tower uses a red beacon, and that only in foggy weather it uses a strobe.. right? Well, you probably would not be able to see a red beacon in low visibility..but you would be able to see a strobe. Now this is only a theory for the Tower, I am still researching why MF and other rides have different lights.
I'm fairly certain that the FAA's rules changed at some point in the recent past. However, like most federal agencies that have rules (these are not "laws" exactly), they probably grandfather the rules in for older installations. Notice how anything built in the last few years (wireless, DTV, Power Tower, new buildings) is using a white strobe, while older structures (FM towers, Space Spiral, etc.) use red beacons.
That's just a theory, based on what little overlapping knowledge I have with regards to the FCC.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Futuristic bow-wow... do the dog catcher!
That's just a theory, based on what little overlapping knowledge I have with regards to the FCC.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Futuristic bow-wow... do the dog catcher!
The other thing is that the white strobes are cheaper to maintain than the red lights. They cost more to replace, but don't have to be replaced as often. And when you're a broadcaster who has to hire a tower climber every time your light needs changed, you go with the cheaper option.
FCC doesn't have any tower lighting rules, that's an FAA thing. In fact, if you have a tower and your light fails, you are required to notify the FAA that your light is out.
I think the general rule is that lighting is required on structures taller than 200' *or* within some particular angle from a runway approach. There are exceptions for nearby structures; for instance, a 230-foot tower located between Power Tower and Millennium Force would not require obstruction lighting because of its proximity to the taller structures.
FAA rules can be screwy. I read a story once of a broadcaster who was ordered to paint the supporting structure for his antenna in alternating orange and white stripes, per the applicable FAR. He refused and fought it for months, arguing that the owner of the structure, not to mention the local population, would be very upset if he did that. His antenna was located on top of the Empire State Building.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
FCC doesn't have any tower lighting rules, that's an FAA thing. In fact, if you have a tower and your light fails, you are required to notify the FAA that your light is out.
I think the general rule is that lighting is required on structures taller than 200' *or* within some particular angle from a runway approach. There are exceptions for nearby structures; for instance, a 230-foot tower located between Power Tower and Millennium Force would not require obstruction lighting because of its proximity to the taller structures.
FAA rules can be screwy. I read a story once of a broadcaster who was ordered to paint the supporting structure for his antenna in alternating orange and white stripes, per the applicable FAR. He refused and fought it for months, arguing that the owner of the structure, not to mention the local population, would be very upset if he did that. His antenna was located on top of the Empire State Building.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
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