How do a heliport's windsock and obstacle lights fit together?
Both keep the pilot informed at night, on one supply and one watch, without confusing each other or the heliport lights.
A pilot arriving at night needs two things besides the landing-area lights: which way and how hard the wind is blowing, and where the obstacles are. The wind direction indicator, the windsock, answers the first and is lit so it can be read in the dark. Obstacle lights, normally steady red, answer the second by marking objects near the approach and take-off paths.
Integration means treating the two as one small system. Put the windsock where it shows the wind over the FATO, clear of rotor downwash and nearby obstacles, with its mast kept out of the approach and transitional surfaces. Feed both from the same supply, switch them from the same photocell or controller and monitor both, so a dead lamp is caught. Keep each one distinct: the windsock glow is steady and even, and red stays for obstacle lights, so neither is mistaken for the other or for the heliport lights.
Tells the pilot the wind. Steady, even glow on the cone, not red and not flashing.
Tell the pilot where hazards are. Normally steady red, placed on the highest points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1Why does a heliport need a lit windsock?
The pilot needs the wind direction and strength to approach, hover and land safely. A heliport used at night has its wind direction indicator lit so it can still be read in the dark. ICAO Annex 14 Volume II sets this out, and national rules may add detail.
Q2Where should the windsock go?
Where it shows the wind over the FATO, clear of rotor downwash and of turbulence from nearby buildings, and visible from a helicopter in flight, in the hover or on the ground. Its mast should stay out of the approach and transitional surfaces. Where the landing area sees disturbed air, an extra indicator may be needed.
Q3What do obstacle lights do at a heliport?
They mark objects near the approach and take-off paths, and around the site, so a pilot can see them at night. Lower objects normally carry steady red low-intensity lights, and taller ones use higher classes, with lights at the highest points. The obstacle assessment decides which objects need lights.
Q4Why integrate the two instead of treating them separately?
They serve the same pilot at the same time of night. Sharing one supply, one photocell or controller and one monitoring system means both come on together, a failure of either is noticed, and maintenance is simpler. It also keeps their roles clear, the windsock for wind and the red lights for hazards.
Q5Can the windsock light be mistaken for an obstacle light?
It can if it is red, flashing or too bright. The windsock glow should be steady and even, red should stay for obstacle lights, and brightness should be set so the windsock reads clearly without glare. This matters more with night vision goggles, where bright sources bloom.
Q6Which standards apply?
ICAO Annex 14 Volume II covers heliport wind direction indicators and obstacle limitation and marking, and Volume I Chapter 6 gives the obstacle-light characteristics that heliport guidance draws on. National heliport rules, such as FAA AC 150/5390-2 where used, add detail. Requirements differ, so confirm against the standard in force and the site obstacle assessment.
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