Aviation Red Obstacle Light for Aircraft Obstruction Marking

It is a light that provides a dedicated red visual signal for structures requiring obstruction marking. It may be installed as an individual unit or as part of a larger system with multiple lights and lighting levels, and may be steady-burning or flashing depending on the approved configuration.

Typical uses are buildings and rooftop structures, communication towers and telecommunications masts, utility and transmission structures, tall poles and elevated equipment, construction and mobile cranes, industrial installations and airport-adjacent structures, temporary or permanent obstacles, and replacement of existing obstruction lights. The final arrangement should follow the approved aviation obstruction-lighting assessment.

Low-intensity lights (ICAO Types A and B; FAA L-810) are steady red, about 10 cd for Type A and 32 cd for Type B and L-810, for the lower levels of a structure and low obstacles. Medium-intensity ICAO Type B / FAA L-864 lights are flashing red at about 2,000 cd for night marking, and ICAO Type C is steady red at about 2,000 cd for night marking of extensive objects. Intensity, number of levels and spacing come from the approved obstruction-lighting assessment, and medium and high-intensity values differ between ICAO and FAA, so confirm the standard used for the project.

No. A red light alone does not mark a tall structure by day: taller structures normally need flashing white lights for day and twilight, with red used at night. Provide enough lights per level so that at least one is visible from every direction.

The choice depends on the obstruction-light classification, structure type, aviation authority requirements, day and night operation, coordination with other obstruction lights and the existing control system. Where flashing is required, confirm the flash characteristics during product selection. Flashing lights on one structure should flash simultaneously, so a controller or synchronisation is needed across levels.

Typical mounting locations are tower tops, mast platforms, building rooftops, structural steelwork, crane structures, pole assemblies, equipment platforms and dedicated obstruction-light brackets. The mounting should maintain the required optical orientation and give secure mechanical support under the expected site conditions, and project-specific brackets or adapters can be considered.

Automatic control can include day/night switching, photocell operation, flash control, system enable and disable, fault indication, remote status monitoring and a coordinated operating state across multiple levels. Monitoring can cover light, power, controller, flashing and communication status, fault indication and remote alarm output, and can be coordinated with site SCADA, building-management or airport infrastructure where compatible.

Before installation confirm the approved obstruction-lighting layout, required intensity, light positions and mounting elevation, optical orientation, structure geometry, electrical supply, control and monitoring requirements, cable routing, surge and lightning protection, and maintenance access. Commissioning checks the mounting, optical orientation, electrical connections, supply voltage, steady or flashing operation, red light output, control functions, monitoring and alarm interfaces, and cable entries and sealing, and the results are recorded. Where required, perform photometric verification using suitable calibrated equipment.

Routine maintenance includes visual inspection, cleaning the optical surface, checking mounting hardware, cable entries and electrical connections, functional testing, verifying control operation and monitoring signals, and inspecting enclosure integrity. Servicing a tower- or mast-mounted light is work at height on a live supply, so isolate and lock out the supply, work under a permit-to-work and use approved fall protection. Intervals should be based on the installation environment, manufacturer recommendations and site procedures.

Typical conditions are a light not operating (check supply, protection and controller), reduced visibility (inspect and clean the lens), incorrect flashing (verify flash settings), intermittent operation (inspect cables and terminals), monitoring alarms, moisture inside the enclosure and light movement from loose mounting. A failed light needs to be repaired promptly and the authority notified of the outage as its rules require.

Yes. These lights can replace older or obsolete obstruction-lighting equipment. Retrofit selection should consider the existing light classification, mounting location, required intensity, operating mode, supply voltage, control system, monitoring interface, cable arrangement, structure geometry and current aviation requirements, and the replacement should maintain the required optical and operational characteristics of the approved arrangement.

References include ICAO Annex 14 Vol. I Chapter 6 (obstacle lighting) with Doc 9157 Part 4, FAA AC 70/7460-1 (obstruction marking and lighting) with AC 150/5345-43J (obstruction lighting equipment), and DGCA India CAR Section 4 with aviation authority NOC conditions. FAA changed its LED red obstruction-light specification so lights are visible to certain night-vision-goggle systems, so confirm the unit is certified to the current AC 150/5345-43J.

Provide the structure type, height and location, the applicable aviation authority, the required obstruction-light classification and intensity, the red-light requirement, steady or flashing operation, quantity of lights, mounting arrangement, available power supply, existing control system, monitoring requirements, environmental conditions, and whether it is a new installation or a replacement.