TOWERSTOWERS
Unlit + Unmarked + Uncharted =
Undetected
Unlit + Unmarked + Uncharted =
Undetected
The Danger of Towers to
Our Aviation Community
Team
The Risk Is Real
Construction of meteorological and other towers in
rural areas throughout the United States is a concern
to many in the aviation industry. Often these towers
do not have lights or other marking devices, and they
are just under 200 feet tall—falling outside FAA
regulations governing tall structures. The dull color
and small footprint can make these uncharted towers
difficult to see. In addition, they can be erected in
hours, making these vertical obstacles a major safety
risk to helicopter emergency medical evacuation
services, aerial applicators, law enforcement, aerial
firefighting, predator control, pipeline patrols, aerial
wildlife surveys, military operations, and others.
The number of meteorological, cell phone, wind
energy, and other towers erected in agricultural
regions throughout the United States has increased
significantly during the past several years. Due to
the expected growth in the wind energy industry, the
increase is projected to continue. Remember, adhere
to 14 CFR 91.119 Minimum Safe Altitudes.
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Your Aviation Safety Web Site
HQ111375
Four Safety Tips Help You
Avoid Meteorological Towers
1. Towers can be erected in hours!
Ag operators and pipeline flyers returning to a field
after a few days or a few hours may find a tower that
wasn’t there earlier.
2. Towers may have a small footprint!
The small size may leave little ground disturbance
(footprint) to indicate the tower’s presence. At times,
however, the footprint may be easier to spot than the
tower itself!
3. The tower color may be difficult to see!
Many towers are just under 200 feet tall, dull gray,
and unlit, and they do not have markers to note any
support cables. Check the Internet to see if your
state maintains a tower registry, and check your
route as part of the preflight.
4. Ferry above 5 and stay alive!
Aerial application’s Professional Aerial Applicators’
Support System ® (PAASS) safety program slogan
reminds pilots to fly above 500 feet except when the
operation requires flying at a lower altitude.
Many towers are just below 200 feet in height, only a few inches in diameter, and unlit, making them very difficult to see from the air.
Tower
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