Division 16 Monitoring, maintenance and serviceability of aerodrome lighting
9.136 General
(1) The aerodrome operator must frequently and regularly monitor and maintain all lights and lighting systems associated with the aerodrome day and night visual ground aids to ensure that they are correct and easily seen.
Note For aerodromes without scheduled air transport operations, weekly monitoring would be frequent and regular unless a specific reason gave rise to the need for sooner monitoring than weekly.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), aerodrome lights must be:
(a) monitored during the daily serviceability inspection; and
(b) switched on for the purpose of monitoring.
(3) T-VASIS, PAPI and approach lighting must be monitored in accordance with the frequencies and procedures set out in the aerodrome operator’s aerodrome manual.
(4) Grass areas around lights must be maintained to ensure that the lights:
(a) are not in any way obscured; and
(b) are free from dirt that could degrade a light’s colour and conspicuity.
(5) Damage to lights, including loss or degradation of lights, must be repaired as soon as possible.
9.137 Reporting of aerodrome lighting outage
(1) An aerodrome lighting system or facility experiencing a lighting outage (on outage) must be fixed as soon as possible after the outage is detected.
Note The specifications listed below are intended to define the maintenance performance level objectives. They are not intended to define whether the lighting system is operationally out of service. Nor are they meant to condone outage, but are intended to indicate when lighting outage must be notified to the NOTAM Office.
(2) The specifications in subsections (3), (4) and (5) must be used as triggers for NOTAM action to advise pilots of actual outage, unless the outage can be rectified before the next period of the light’s use.
(3) A light is deemed to be in a failed stated (unserviceable) if:
(a) the main beam is out of its specified alignment; or
(b) the main beam average intensity is less than 50% of the specified value; or
(c) for light units with the designed main beam average intensity above the specified value — the 50% value must be correlated to the design value; or
(d) a deterioration of the light signal is detectable to the human eye.
(4) A flashing light is deemed to be on outage if:
(a) the light ceases to flash; or
(b) the frequency or duration of flash is outside the specified range by a ratio equal to or greater than 2:1; or
Division Div 16 - Part 139 (Aerodromes) Manual of Standards 2019 - Monitoring, maintenance and serviceability of aerodrome lighting | Zoe
(c) within a 10 minute period — more than 20% of flashes fail to occur.
Note Flashing lights also include LAHSO lights, which have a slow flash rate.
(5) A lighting system is deemed to be on outage if:
(a) for a lighting system comprising less than 4 lights (for example, intermediate holding position lights or runway threshold identification lights) — any of the lights is unserviceable; and
(b) for a lighting system comprising 4 or 5 lights (for example wind direction indicator lights or runway guard lights) — 2 or more lights are unserviceable; and
(c) for a lighting system comprising 6 to 13 lights (for example threshold lights or LAHSO lights) — 3 or more lights, or 2 or more adjacent lights, are unserviceable; and
(d) for a precision approach CAT II or CAT III runway:
(i) more than 5% of the lights are unserviceable in any of the following elements:
(A) the inner 450 m of the approach lighting system;
(B) the runway centreline lights;
(C) the runway threshold lights;
(D) the runway edge lights; or
(ii) more than 10% of the lights are unserviceable in the touchdown zone lights; or
(iii) more than 15% of the lights are unserviceable in the approach lighting system beyond 450 m; or
(iv) in any case other than a barrette or a crossbar — 2 or more adjacent lights are unserviceable; or
(v) for a barrette or a crossbar — 3 or more adjacent lights are unserviceable; and
(e) in the case of a runway meant for take-off in visibility or RVR conditions less than 550 m:
(i) more than 5% of the lights are unserviceable in any of the following elements:
(A) centreline lights (if provided);
(B) runway edge lights; or
(ii) 2 or more adjacent lights are unserviceable; and
(f) in the case of a taxiway intended for use in visibility or RVR conditions less than 350 m, 2 or more adjacent taxiway centreline lights are unserviceable; and
(g) in the case of any other lighting system with more than 13 lights:
(i) more than 15% of the lights are unserviceable; or
(ii) 2 or more adjacent lights are unserviceable.
(6) In the calculation of a percentage of lights specified in a provision of subsection (5), any fractional number must be rounded up.
Note For subsection (5), a lighting system means lights used to illuminate a particular aerodrome facility, for example:
(a) all of the lights used to mark a threshold; or
(b) all of the lights used to mark a runway end; or
(c) all of the runway edge lights on a runway; or
(d) all of the taxiway centreline lights on a length of taxiway between intersections.
9.138 Standards for apron lighting unserviceability
(1) An aircraft parking position lighting system is deemed to be unserviceable if:
(a) the average horizontal illuminance falls below 50% of the associated minimum lux rating in accordance with that shown in Table 9.116 (3); or
(b) the average horizontal illuminance exceeds the maximum uniformity ratio (average to minimum) of not more than 8:1; or
(c) the average vertical illuminance falls below 50% of the associated minimum lux rating in accordance with Table 9.116 (3), as applicable; or
(d) in low-visibility conditions:
(i) 2 or more adjacent aircraft parking position manoeuvring guidance lights are unserviceable; and
(ii) there is inadequate illumination available from the apron floodlighting; or
(e) the average illuminance in paragraph 9.116 (3) (a) is not restored within 60 seconds in the event of a power failure to the associated apron floodlighting.
(2) An apron lighting system is deemed to be unserviceable if:
(a) illumination of the apron outside the parking position falls below the minimum intensity specified in paragraph 9.116 (3) (c) (but subject to subsection 9.116 (4)); or
(b) in low-visibility conditions, the taxiway centreline lights, or the apron floodlighting system, does not provide illumination for the taxiway markings.
Note For apron floodlighting, the unserviceability standards take into account the reduction in illuminance on the apron edge taxiway, apron taxilane and aircraft parking position, or the presence of shadows, due to a lighting failure.
9.139 T-VASIS standards for unserviceability
(1) A T-VASIS light unit is deemed unserviceable if:
(a) 3 or more lamps in the electrical (day) circuit are unserviceable; or
(b) any of the lamps in the electrical (night) circuit is unserviceable.
(2) A T-VASIS is deemed unserviceable if:
(a) for bar units ― 3 or more light units, or 2 or more adjacent light units, are unserviceable;
(b) for fly-up units ― 2 or more light units are unserviceable;
(c) for fly-down units ― 1 or more light units are unserviceable.
Note For a T-VASIS, the outage standards take into account both the number of outage lamps within a light unit, and also the number of light units within the T-VASIS.
(3) An AT-VASIS is deemed unserviceable if:
(a) for bar units ― 2 or more light units are unserviceable; or
(b) subject to paragraph (d), for fly-up units ― any light unit is unserviceable; or
(c) subject to paragraph (d), for fly-down units ― any light unit is unserviceable; or
(d) a red filter has deteriorated such that it does not produce the correct colour light beam, is missing, or is damaged.
(4) For paragraph (3) (d):
(a) all the lamps within the affected light unit must be extinguished until the red filter is rectified; and
(b) the affected light unit must be considered to be an unserviceable light unit for paragraph (3) (b) or (3) (c).
9.140 PAPI unserviceability standards
Note For a PAPI, the unserviceability standards take into account both the number of lamps on outage within a light unit and also the number of light units within the PAPI.
(1) A single-sided PAPI is deemed to be unserviceable if:
(a) subject to paragraph (c), any lamp in a 2 or 1 lamp light unit is unserviceable; or
(b) 2 or more lamps in a 3 or more lamp light unit is unserviceable; or
(c) for a red filter — 1 or more of the following has occurred, namely, that the filter:
(i) has deteriorated to such a degree that it does not produce the correct colour light beam;
(ii) is missing;
(iii) is damaged.
(2) For paragraph (1) (c):
(a) all the lamps associated with the red filter must be extinguished until the red filter is rectified; and
(b) the affected lamp or lamps must be considered to be unserviceable lamps when applying paragraph (1) (a) above.
(3) A PAPI must be extinguished until the unserviceability in the system is rectified.
(4) A double-sided PAPI with 8 light units is deemed to be unserviceable if all light units in one wing bar are fully functioning, and any light units in the other wing bar are unserviceable.
(5) For subsection (4), the PAPI may remain in use if a NOTAM sets out:
(a) the number of unserviceable light units; and
(b) which side of the runway is affected.
(6) A double-sided PAPI with 8 light units is deemed to be unserviceable if one or more light units in each wing bar is unserviceable.
(7) An unserviceable double-sided PAPI must be extinguished until the unserviceability is rectified.
9.141 Interleaved circuitry
A lighting system serviced by interleaved circuitry is deemed to be unserviceable if any 1 of the circuits fails.
9.142 Movement area guidance signs
For a movement area guidance sign (MAGS):
(a) the sign must be legible at all times; and
(b) any lamp unserviceability in a sign must be fixed as soon as possible.
Note 1 No specific standard is specified for a critical number of unserviceable lamps in an illuminated MAGS. The key requirement is the legibility of the sign inscription at all times.
Note 2 The failure of MAGS illumination is not subject to notification by NOTAM.
9.143 Other lighting on the aerodrome
(1) This section applies only to lights that are not otherwise provided as visual aids to aircraft under the other provisions of this MOS.
(2) The following requirements must be complied with:
(a) an aerodrome operator must notify CASA in writing as soon as possible after becoming aware that a person is installing or proposing to install, or is using or is proposing to use, any installation, equipment or laser, outside the aerodrome boundary, that has or may have lighting or lighting intensity greater than that specified in Figure 9.144 (2);
(b) CASA must:
(i) consider whether the notification identifies a risk to the safety of aviation; and
(ii) if necessary, issue directions for action to mitigate the risk.
Note For directions, see regulation 94 of CAR, and regulation 11.245 of CASR.
(3) An aerodrome operator must immediately notify CASA in writing if the operator proposes to install or use any installation, equipment or laser, inside the aerodrome boundary, that has or may have lighting or lighting intensity greater than that specified in Figure 9.144 (2).
(4) An aerodrome operator must not proceed with the installation or use of any installation, equipment or laser mentioned in subsection (3) until CASA has assessed, and approved in writing, the proposed lighting intensity of the installation, equipment or laser.
(5) An aerodrome operator must immediately notify CASA in writing of any proposals to install or use any installation, equipment or laser within the aerodrome boundary which will have any of the following kinds of lighting:
(a) multiple light colours emitting from a single source;
(b) rapid changes in light colour;
(c) flashing lights.
Note Coloured lights, flashing lights or lasers may cause a hazard to aircraft operations irrespective of their intensity.
(6) An aerodrome operator must not proceed with any proposal mentioned in subsection (5) until CASA has assessed, and approved in writing, the lighting intensity proposed for the installation, equipment or laser.
(7) Subsections (3), (5) and (6) do not apply to the following:
(a) visual aids required for aircraft operations;
(b) signalling equipment;
(c) visual aids required for road safety.
(8) An aerodrome operator must immediately notify CASA in writing of any proposals for equipment or lighting installation within the aerodrome boundary which would reflect sunlight, including solar panels, mirrors or reflective building cladding.
(9) An aerodrome operator must not proceed with any proposal mentioned in subsection (8) unless CASA has determined, in writing, that it will not cause a hazard to aircraft operations.
(10) CASA may direct the aerodrome operator, in writing, that an installation, equipment, laser or reflective source within the aerodrome boundary must be modified, shielded, or extinguished to ensure aviation safety.
Note Certain lights might cause confusion, distraction or glare to pilots in the air. Ground lights may cause confusion or distraction by reason of their colour, position, pattern or intensity of light emission above the horizontal plane. Under regulation 94 of the CAR, CASA may issue notices about dangerous lights and it is an offence to fail to comply with any directions in a notice.
9.144 Lights — requirements for zones
(1) This section does not apply to the lights mentioned in paragraphs 9.143 (7) (a), (b) and (c).
(2) Lights installed at an aerodrome must comply with the zone requirements as shown in Figure 9.144 (2).
Shows zone requirements for lighting.
Figure 9.144 (2) Zone requirements for lighting (shows matters)
Note In many cases the polar diagrams published by manufacturers do not show sufficient detail in the sector near the horizontal and further information may need to be requested.
Note: For installations where the light fitting does not meet the zone requirements, a screen may be used to limit light emission to zero above the horizontal.