4.0 Obstacles - Marking and Lighting

  4.1 Fixed obstacles identified as a hazard to helicopters by the helicopter pilot / operator, or the Aviation Inspection Body should be readily visible from the air. If a paint scheme is necessary to enhance identification by day, alternate black and white, black and yellow, or red and white bands are recommended, not less than 0.25 metres wide. The colour should be chosen to contrast with the background to the maximum extent. Paint colours should conform with the references at paragraph 2.9 above.

  4.2 Omnidirectional red lights of at least 10 candelas intensity should be fitted at suitable locations to provide the helicopter pilot with visual information on the proximity and height of objects which are higher than the landing area and which are close to it or to the LOS boundary. Objects which are more than 15 metres higher than the landing area should be fitted with intermediate red lights of the same intensity spaced at 10 metre intervals down to the level of the landing area (except where such lights would be obscured by other objects).

  4.3 An omnidirectional red light of intensity 25 to 200 candelas should be fitted to the highest point of the vessel. Where this is not practicable the light should be fitted as near to the extremity as possible.

  4.4 Red lights should be arranged so that the location of the objects which they delineate are visible from all directions above the landing area.

  4.5 The emergency power supply of the vessel should include all forms of obstruction lighting. Any failures or outages should be reported immediately to the helicopter pilot/operator. The lighting should be fed from an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) system capable of providing the required load for at least 15 minutes. This can be a stand alone supply or be an additional loading requirement for the vessel's emergency power supplies.