Friday, December 2, 2016

Vital Ideas Regarding Lighting For Heliport

By Paul Wood


Airport transport is one of the reliable transport modes as it is not only fast but also convenient as you get maximum comfort, an experience that will linger in your mind forever. However, such an area requires utmost illumination not only for security reasons but also for safety reasons too. Incidences, where airplanes crash as a result of exceeding the runway due to its unclear nature, are disappointing accidents that are costly, painful and could be avoided by proper lighting. However, installing such light is not done commonly as that of your home. Uniformity has to be achieved on the various platforms such as the rooftops. Learn more on lighting for Heliport installation.

Approach lighting can be used by helicopter pilots during the night or dark hours as a guide to its touchdown. Set ups of regular intervals of 30 meters for three rows of light that are 90 meters away from the takeoff area and 18 meters long crossbar as the last approach perimeter should be made. All these adjustments should be made to facilitate safe landing of helicopter pilots. Held at a right angle to the approach lights, the crossbars holds the light. These lights are spaced by 4.5 meters.

Installing more light bulbs beyond the cross bar is an important idea too and a space of 30 meters left. Such light bulbs can be flashy or not but ought to be of a different color to indicate that the endpoint is close. Also, a 210m in length is appropriate if the approach installation for a non-precision final approach and takeoff.

Lighting for the FATO (Final Approach and Take-Off) area must be done at the edges covering all the FATO area if it a ground level heliport. Rectangular or squarely constructed one should have at least four lights at the spacing of 50 meters making sure each corner has a light. Lighting for other shapes of FATO should be made at 5-meter intervals and the minimum number of light bulbs to be 10. The light should also be white in color and all directions.

Pointing lights are usually a vital tool for a safe landing. They differ from the runway light in the sense that they move up and down to show the pilot the specific section on the ground he or she should direct the plane for safe landing. They are usually installed to achieve a wedge shape usually a minimum of 6 bulbs white in color.

Another of necessary illumination to be installed in heliports is floodlights and perimeter bulbs. These two are placed in the touchdown and liftoff areas. If the Final Approach and Takeoff lights were installed prior, luminescent panel light bulbs could be used, spaced by 3 meters intervals for the elevated lights and 5 meters for ground level lights. The bulbs, green, ought be placed four bulbs on each side. Floodlights in case they are used should be positioned on 10 meters intervals on the ground, on the edges, or at most 1.5 meters away from the touchdown.

Taxiway and Apron installation are very vital without them then the airport installation is not complete. The conventional installation is blue and Omni-directional. Such lightings are usually powered y a 240v low voltage transformer.

The ICAO contains the heliport installation codes and rules. The brightness must be adjustable. Depending on the weather, the lights can be adjusted to suit the condition. To also ensure safety in heliports, the lighting should also be done professionally.




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