Aircraft marking

Transcription

This video is brought to you with funding from the Nebraska Aviation Trades Association and University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension. With a growing interest in wind energy for electrical production in the United States, areas such as the many areas including the Great Plains are being studied for potential wind farm locations. A key point of research, in these endeavors, is determining the wind speed, direction, and duration at a specific location. Wind energy companies use Meteorological Evaluation Towers, called MET Towers, to collect these data to determine the economic feasibility of a wind farm location. MET Towers are the most common means for evaluating wind speeds and direction in a specific location. They are typically tall, tubular steel towers with a small radius of 6 to 12 inches and average heights ranging from 100 -- 199 feet. Due to the height and thin nature of these towers, the tower visibility becomes a key safety issue. Proper marking significantly improves the visibility of MET towers for low flying aircraft, especially those used for agriculture. The Federal Aviation Administration, known as the FAA, has made recommendations for all MET towers in rural areas that are less than 200 feet above ground level. These recommendations were made in recognition of the threat tall towers can pose to aviation safety. These guidelines are strongly recommended for all MET Tower owners to follow. When these guide lines are not followed, MET Tower visibility is easily reduced to unnoticeable levels. This image shows an unmarked MET Tower from the view of a low flying aircraft pilot. Now, we will show the same shot but circle the MET tower to help you identify its location. Under these circumstances, the importance of proper MET Tower marking is understood. In June of 2011, the FAA with the Department of Transportation released Policy Statement 14 CFR Part 77. This statement included the recommended FAA guidelines for MET Tower marking. These recommendations include information regarding painting of MET Towers along with marking guy wires with high visibility sleeves and marking balls. These regulations will improve safety for all low flying aerial applicators, life flight crews and patients, aerial fire suppression, aerial utility patrols, aerial law surveillance and other types of low altitude aviation. FAA guidelines recommend for MET Towers to be painted with seven alternating bands of aviation orange and white. Each band should measure 1/7th the height of the tower, and both ends of the tower should be painted with bands of aviation orange, as shown in this video. For wire visibility, it is recommended that both sleeves and spherical marker balls be used. The FAA recommends one high visibility sleeve on each guy wire anchor point that will reach a height well above the crop or vegetation canopy, and another sleeve installed on each of the outer guy wires. The FAA recommends a total of 8 high visibility spherical marker (or cable) balls of aviation orange color attached to the guy wires. Four marker balls should be attached to guy wires at the top of the tower no further than 15 feet from the top wire connection to the tower, and 4 marker balls at or below the midpoint of the structure on the outer guy wires. Once the MET tower has been painted and the spherical marker balls and sleeves fixed to the guy wires, the tower is ready to be raised once again. It should be noted that the FAA concludes that it would not be practical to recommend lights for the type MET Towers addressed in this video. A properly marked MET Tower increases the level visibility of the tower to low flying aircraft, effectively improving safety for all agriculture pilots. Another key component in providing maximum aviation safety is registering MET towers with the state department of aeronautics. While it is unfeasible for the FAA to maintain a national database of MET towers with heights less than 200 feet, it is highly recommended for aviation safety that MET Tower companies or land owners register MET Tower locations. In the state of Nebraska, law requires this. For MET Towers located in Nebraska, •please register at the following web address: www.aero.state.ne.us/windtowers • registration may be mailed to: Nebraska Department of Aeronautics 3431 Aviation Road, Suite 150 Lincoln, NE 68524 Thank you for your interest and for your properly marked MET Towers. Properly marked MET towers as per FAA guidance does save lives. This informational video comes to you from the Nebraska Aviation Trades Association and University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension.