rotating beacon

ATC_MacGyver MacGyver with the bears.

i'm looking for the height requirement regulation of a rotating beacon? looking for the actual book name.

as far as i remember it is 25 ft above the tower cab floor. but that might be a navy reg....

ATC_MacGyver MacGyver with the bears.

or if anyone knew where i could find an online copy of the 5150 AAA i could probably find it in there.

otterstrom Trusted Member of NATCA

must be. im having a hard time thinking of many civilian airports where thats the case. who knows...

SnowAviation Senior Member Escondido, CA

I'd say that it's a military reg if at all, at non-towered airports...well, no tower.

I've seen lots of civilian towers with the beacon on top of the cab itself. My guess is that the height would be governed by local and state regulations on the height of towers and a limit on the height to reduce the possibility of it becoming a Hazard to Navigation if built too high.

pigbenis Rookie

our beacon is on top of some scaffolding across the airfield, lower than the tower floor. not sure on the rule, not my problem. not like airports are up to code(all the time) anyway.

ATC_MacGyver MacGyver with the bears.

i found it in an faa advisory circular. dont have the number w/ me. but it's in there.

MikeATC Retired FAA, NATCA Member Nashville TN

Considering that I've seen rotating beacons as low as 8 ft off the ground to as high as 120 ft (on water towers) I seriously wonder if there is an actual published height requirement. I've worked at two airports where the beacon was the same height as the control tower and would shine into the windows (TVC installed a shield on the south side of the beacon because of this problem).

atcpookie Junior Member FAA Headquarters, Washington, DC

Here ya go man hope this AC helps. There is also referances to other document if you want to look them up. I just don't have the time to disscuss them all. I've all ready been through them so many times. As you can see there is no real height requirement but more of a viewable degrees from the horizon requirement.

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/m...0_5345_12e.doc

have fun.

ATC_MacGyver MacGyver with the bears.

yeah. it wasnt in an AC. i guess i made that up. the places i found it are in the 5150-AAA (navy) and the UFC (uniformed facility code... also military.) i havent found it as an faa requirement.

vvatc Rookie KBDR

I want to say I remember it from an old Navy AC rate training manual.

That question was just on the CPO AC rating exam a few days ago, btw.