[BC] Proposed new tower regs.

[Jerry Mathis]

Well, I have referenced the Rules as listed on Harold's Web Site. There are a couple of years, around 2005-2006, where the word "TOP" does NOT appear in describing steady burning lights. Now whether this was an error either in the Rules, or in Harold's copy of the Rules, I don't know. But I just looked in Harold's web site. Here is a "Cut and Paste":
 
FCC 17.48
Revised as of October 1, 2005
Goto Year:2004 | 2006

Sec.  17.48   Notification of extinguishment or improper functioning of lights.

   The owner of any antenna structure which is registered with the Commission
   and has been assigned lighting specifications referenced in this part:

   (a) Shall report immediately by telephone or telegraph to the nearest Flight
   Service  Station  or office of the Federal Aviation Administration any
   observed or otherwise known extinguishment or improper functioning of any
 steady burning light or any flashing obstruction light, regardless of
   its position on the antenna structure, not corrected within 30 minutes. Such
   reports  shall  set  forth  the  condition of the light or lights, the
   circumstances which caused the failure, the probable date for restoration of
   service, the FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number, the height of the
   structure  (AGL  and  AMSL if known) and the name, title, address, and
   telephone number of the person making the report. Further notification by
   telephone or telegraph shall be given immediately upon resumption of normal
   operation of the light or lights.

Here's another:

FCC 17.48
Revised as of October 1, 2006
Goto Year:2005 | 2007

Sec.  17.48   Notification of extinguishment or improper functioning of lights.

   The owner of any antenna structure which is registered with the Commission
   and has been assigned lighting specifications referenced in this part:

   (a) Shall report immediately by telephone or telegraph to the nearest Flight
   Service  Station  or office of the Federal Aviation Administration any
   observed or otherwise known extinguishment or improper functioning of any
 steady burning light or any flashing obstruction light, regardless of
   its position on the antenna structure, not corrected within 30 minutes. Such
   reports  shall  set  forth  the  condition of the light or lights, the
   circumstances which caused the failure, the probable date for restoration of
   service, the FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number, the height of the
   structure  (AGL  and  AMSL if known) and the name, title, address, and
   telephone number of the person making the report. Further notification by
   telephone or telegraph shall be given immediately upon resumption of normal
   operation of the light or lights.

--
Jerry Mathis

 

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 8:46 PM, Ron Youvan <ka4inm at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
>Jerry Mathis wrote:

>> The FCC has been ADAMANT that stations report the extinguishment of ANY lights.
>>  I bet there are others who can confirm this.
>>  I too have been one who has reported the outage of a sidelight,
>> and been told they (FAA) aren't concerned about those.

>  I do not understand the statement: " The FCC has been ADAMANT that stations report the
>extinguishment of ANY lights."

>  I have been checking tower lights and reporting failures to the FAA since August 12th 1963 and I
>never hear any such thing.  In fact the FCC rules have always clearly stated the opposite.

>  This is CFR 47 17.48 dated "For Immediate Release DA: 00-580  March 16, 2000"
><
>The owner of any antenna structure which is registered with the Commission and has been
>assigned lighting specifications referenced in this part:

>(a) Shall report immediately by telephone or telegraph to the nearest Flight Service Station or
>     office of the Federal Aviation Administration any observed or otherwise known
>     extinguishment or improper functioning of any top steady burning light or any flashing
>     obstruction light, regardless of its position on the antenna structure, not corrected within 30
>     minutes. Such reports shall set forth the condition of the light or lights, the circumstances
>     which caused the failure, the probable date for restoration of service, the FCC Antenna
>     Structure Registration Number, the height of the structure, (AGL and AMSL if known) and
>     the name, title, address, and telephone number of the person making the report. Further
>     notification by telephone or telegraph shall be given immediately upon resumption of normal
>     operation of the light or lights.

>(b) An extinguishment or improper functioning of a steady burning side intermediate light or
>    lights, shall be corrected as soon as possible, but notification to the FAA of such
>    extinguishment or improper functioning is not required.
> >

>--
>Ron KA4INM