Have you ever looked up, especially at night, and wondered what all those flashing little lights mean in the sky? A 7-year-old in our area has. So, her mom emailed us saying, “My 7-year-old daughter would like to know why some towers (like the one by J Reuben Long) have silver/white flashing lights and others have red. She would like to know why they are different colored."
Well, that’s quite an observant and inquisitive child! And there are absolutely reasons for why they are different colors. You may have noticed that some of them flash at different speeds, there’s an explanation for that, too.
Those lights are called beacons, and they help direct pilots to their destinations.
Airport Engineer Kenneth “Bud” Hawk, Jr. from Myrtle Beach International Airport deciphered the beacons for us, and said they are very important because they direct planes to the right airfield.
- Flashing white and green lights are for civilian land airports. (example-Myrtle Beach International Airport)
- Flashing white and yellow for a water airport. (example- seaplane dock)
- Flashing white, yellow, and green for a heliport. (example – a hospital)
- Two quick white flashes followed by a green flash identifies a military airport. ( example- military base)
The red lights typically serve more as warning lights, so pilots will know a building is there and about how tall it is.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement