Obstruction lighting of onshore Wind Turbines in the UK
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Obstruction lighting of onshore Wind Turbines in the UK
Whilst I appreciate that the UK is well behind some other countries in the provision of wind turbine power, new wind farms are increasingly appearing at many locations around the country.
Onshore, they are often located on high ground, are mostly unlit, with the turbine blades sometimes extending to over 400 feet agl. Whilst not generally being a hazard to the average aircraft, they can pose a safety threat to low flying military aircraft and those police helicopters that operate low level at night.
Article 133 of the ANO requires that onshore turbines must only be lit if their height is 150 metres (492 feet) or more agl. There are different rules offshore and if they are close to licensed aerodromes.
CAP764 states that:
I am wondering whether anyone has any experience of requesting the power companies to light the turbines on a voluntary basis when Article 133 is not applicable.
Also, does anyone know if any approach has been made to the CAA to lower the height set in Article 133?
Onshore, they are often located on high ground, are mostly unlit, with the turbine blades sometimes extending to over 400 feet agl. Whilst not generally being a hazard to the average aircraft, they can pose a safety threat to low flying military aircraft and those police helicopters that operate low level at night.
Article 133 of the ANO requires that onshore turbines must only be lit if their height is 150 metres (492 feet) or more agl. There are different rules offshore and if they are close to licensed aerodromes.
CAP764 states that:
It is unusual for the CAA, in isolation, to make a case for aviation warning lighting unless Article 133 demands such lighting.
Also, does anyone know if any approach has been made to the CAA to lower the height set in Article 133?
I have always thought that the 150 metres was a misprint that should have read 150 feet. Almost worse than the turbines - given that they are easy to spot by day - are the 200 to 250 foot high masts that get put up months in advance of the turbines with no notice or lights. We mark the one's we know about on our Ops Room map and pass them on to the local Air Ambulance but it's not the one you know about that will be the problem.
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I agree absolutely with Fortyodd.
The real hazard is something like those thin wire-supported met masts. They are temporary and often put up without telling the aviation world. They are also very difficult to see at night (with FLIR) or even during the day sometimes.
Sometimes even when you know they are there, it is difficult to see them.
The real hazard is something like those thin wire-supported met masts. They are temporary and often put up without telling the aviation world. They are also very difficult to see at night (with FLIR) or even during the day sometimes.
Sometimes even when you know they are there, it is difficult to see them.
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very similar looking are the masts that are used for police and emergency service comms. Thin looking and probably about 300ft.
Bet the Green party would love to see all wind farms lighting up the night sky!!!
MADY
Bet the Green party would love to see all wind farms lighting up the night sky!!!
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Well of course it is thanks to the "green" lobby (as ironic a name as ever there was) that so much our most beautiful and hitherto unspoiled wilderness has been so appallingly desecrated with these hideous and useless industrial excrescences. You can't put an extension on your house lest it destroy the ambiance of the area, yet you can concrete over acres of moorland and cover the entire skyline with hundreds of these obscenities. Sick.
A mere dozen nuclear plants at the pre-exixting sites and we could regain the ecology and landscape of Britain, but no, it must be destroyed in the name of "renewable" energy that doesn't work more than 60%of the time...
Simply insane.
A mere dozen nuclear plants at the pre-exixting sites and we could regain the ecology and landscape of Britain, but no, it must be destroyed in the name of "renewable" energy that doesn't work more than 60%of the time...
Simply insane.
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There are many threads dealing with planning issues, green issues, interference to radars etc, but I can find little regarding the safety issues of having unlit turbines (and masts) at night.
On this thread, please, I am only interested in comments regarding night lighting matters.
Thanks
On this thread, please, I am only interested in comments regarding night lighting matters.
Thanks
I wonder if reflective material with a retroreflective lens (like Scotchlight) wrapped around a turbine mast would reflect a aircraft strobe/collision warning light to an adequate effect?
Mickjoebill
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Speechless Two -
I noticed that it had been removed. Excellent work, 
That particular one was in a very nasty low level get out of the crap route. Now about the other one 4 miles west.........
I have spent the last two years noting the locations of most of these nasty things that are relevant to my particular interests but have noted of late that a few that were really in a dodgy place and which gave me a fright on occasion, have been removed.
I wonder if there is a way we can access a list of locations of all of these things?
Best Wishes
This unlit mast was there for two years with planning permission and remained for another two years thereafter without permission. That was the length of time it took me to go through the formal complaints procedure and get Aberdeenshire Council off its backside and enforce its removal.
That particular one was in a very nasty low level get out of the crap route. Now about the other one 4 miles west.........I have spent the last two years noting the locations of most of these nasty things that are relevant to my particular interests but have noted of late that a few that were really in a dodgy place and which gave me a fright on occasion, have been removed.
I wonder if there is a way we can access a list of locations of all of these things?
Best Wishes
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Fitting lights to wind turbines is cheaper when they are first erected.It is quite a significant added extra at a later date. In order to achieve this you need to be in at the planning stage.The best way to do this is to make sure you are on your local councils list of interested parties that require consultation.That way you should be notified when a planned site is submitted for approval.As for the heights, personally I think that all wind turbines should be lit.An additional issue with wind turbines is even when they are lit, the bit with the light on isn't the highest point.
I wonder if there is a way we can access a list of locations of all of these things?
Perhaps this would work for moving maps, where a "local knowledge" overlay could be displayed or removed with a push of a button?
Obviously well ring fenced from the flight critical data!
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Mickjoebill -
I'd say that it was flight critical if you are forced down due to bad weather. You are right of course though and I do have an overlay of those that are important to me - that I know of.
Best Wishes
Obviously well ring fenced from the flight critical data!
Best Wishes
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Onshore, they are often located on high ground, are mostly unlit
Is there much onshore above 125m tip height in the UK?
A mere dozen nuclear plants at the pre-exixting sites and we could regain the ecology and landscape of Britain
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Aircraft Warning Lights as per ICAO Annex 14
There are various specification laid down by ICAO Annex 14 and complied by FAA relating to type of Aircraft Warning Aviation Obstruction lights to be installed. We have laid a short summary for these specification on our website www.luxsolar.it Have a look at the site or write to me for guiding you on this specification.
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lts and lots of wind turbines where I live and fly
in the midwest states of America there are thousands of acres of turbines and more growing every day. FAA requires structures over 200' AGL to be lighted. Many of these wind turbines are lit with nice red lights... regrettably, for the plethora of EMS helicopters, many of these lights particular wavelengths are invisible to pilots with Night Vision Goggles... skud running in the midwest is a very brave/foolhardy endeavor.
Many of these wind turbines are lit with nice red lights... regrettably, for the plethora of EMS helicopters, many of these lights particular wavelengths are invisible to pilots with Night Vision Goggles
These turbines are a REAL NUISANCE... There are two of them right near the village were I live in the UK East Anglia, keeping me awake whole nights when southwest winds blow because of the rotor racket (can't sleep with windows shut even in winter...) and when I want a break from them and retreat to my farm in Normandy (France) I have five in front and five at the rear which, if they are too far away to be heard are flashing strobe lights every three seconds.... driving me mad.... One needs his rest from rotors...
Safe flying all. Al
Safe flying all. Al
Last edited by alicopter; 24th Oct 2012 at 14:16.
Tip Lights
Mils have had tip lights on there MRB's for donkeys, surely it would be possible to put light on the blade tips. I agree that to retro fit would cost a bomb but when they are making them not that costly.
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There are 3000+ unlit turbines in the UK. The principal driver of lighting on turbines is the MoD, because (in line with ICAO) lights are not required on anything <150m agl. MoD didn't start requesting lights on turbines until 2008. If you ask them now why they never asked for lights before that they will tell you there was an "administrative error" and that all the requests from the Low Flying Ops Squadron to Defence Estates for lighting, on all the applications before that, were mislaid/forgotten/not received/ignored.
MoD have now approved an infra-red light which is being requested by them on most turbines. However they ask for all kinds of different types of light on different turbines, so we will now have a bewildering mix of different lights of different intensities, flashing/steady, red/white, IR/non-IR, on all turbines/on some turbines. And lots of cases of lights on new turbines right next door to lots of unlit turbines. Confusing at best, unsafe at worst.
I agree that unlit met masts (or any mast) are much more of an issue than turbines. The new director aviation at RenewableUK (trade body for the wind farm industry) recently issued guidance advising their members to inform MoD, the GAAC and local airfields etc of any new met mast, and asked them to notify MoD and others of any and all existing met masts.
Eventually this will filter through to planning authorities being advised that there should be a standard planning condition on any consent for a turbine or met mast requiring the developer to inform MoD. The easiest way for that to happen would be for MoD to write to all planning authorities requesting it. Don't hold your breath.
NS
MoD have now approved an infra-red light which is being requested by them on most turbines. However they ask for all kinds of different types of light on different turbines, so we will now have a bewildering mix of different lights of different intensities, flashing/steady, red/white, IR/non-IR, on all turbines/on some turbines. And lots of cases of lights on new turbines right next door to lots of unlit turbines. Confusing at best, unsafe at worst.
I agree that unlit met masts (or any mast) are much more of an issue than turbines. The new director aviation at RenewableUK (trade body for the wind farm industry) recently issued guidance advising their members to inform MoD, the GAAC and local airfields etc of any new met mast, and asked them to notify MoD and others of any and all existing met masts.
Eventually this will filter through to planning authorities being advised that there should be a standard planning condition on any consent for a turbine or met mast requiring the developer to inform MoD. The easiest way for that to happen would be for MoD to write to all planning authorities requesting it. Don't hold your breath.
NS
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Mils have had tip lights on there MRB's for donkeys, surely it would be possible to put light on the blade tips. I agree that to retro fit would cost a bomb but when they are making them not that costly.
