Aviation Obstruction Lights for Towers, Chimneys and High-Rises Before Fog Season

From November, winter fog and smog roll over North India's cities, and visibility around towers, chimneys and high-rises can drop sharply even in daytime. For a pilot flying low on an approach, or a helicopter on an emergency run, a tall structure that is not lit is invisible until it is too late. Aviation obstruction lights mark the top and corners of tall structures with a steady red light, and a photocell switches them on whenever it gets dark, including on smoggy afternoons. This guide covers KT India's aviation light range, which model suits which structure, how to install and maintain them, and how to get your building ready before the fog season.

Mount the light on a rigid bracket at the highest corner, with the installer clipped to a proper anchor.

Choose the right light for the job

Single or double, bulb or LED?

For a typical residential or office tower, an AVIL LD LED light on each top corner gives a steady red mark with very low power use and long lamp life. Where the light is hard to reach, such as at the top of a telecom tower, chimney or mast, choose the AVIL HD D double light: two lamps on one base mean the structure stays marked even if one fails, and a maintenance climb can wait for the next planned visit. On exposed industrial roofs and dusty or coastal sites, the IP65 AVIL HD S keeps rain and dust out. For a quick, low-cost replacement on smaller structures, the AVIN does the job. Use red for aviation obstruction marking; green and amber versions are for other signalling uses.

A double light at the top of a tower keeps it marked even if one lamp fails.

How to install aviation lights, step by step

1. Check what your structure needs. Tall buildings and towers, especially near airports, get their obstruction lighting conditions with the height clearance from the Airports Authority of India. Follow those conditions for the number and position of lights.
2. Mark the highest points. Place lights at the highest point and at the top corners so the full outline of the structure can be seen from every direction. Very tall structures also need lights at intermediate levels.
3. Use a rigid, galvanised bracket. Bolt the light to a steel bracket or plate so it stays upright in strong wind, with the dome clear of parapets, antennas and water tanks.
4. Wire it through conduit. Run the 220 to 250 V supply in weatherproof conduit to a sealed junction box, with a dedicated MCB at the floor panel so the lights don't trip with other loads.
5. Add the photocell. Fit the photocell switch on a pole or wall facing open sky, away from the glow of the aviation light itself and from street lights, so it reads real daylight.
6. Work at height safely. Installers must wear a full-body harness clipped to a proper anchor, and work in daylight and good weather.

Maintain them before the fog arrives

Walk the roof in October and test every light by covering the photocell. Replace failed lamps, clean the domes of dust and bird droppings, check that cable glands and junction boxes are sealed, and tighten any bracket that has worked loose. Ask your night security staff to look up at the lights on every round and report any that are dark. A building with one dark corner is not properly marked.

The photocell switches the lights on at dusk and on dark, smoggy afternoons, with nobody needing to remember.

Build a kit for your structure

• Residential or office high-rise: an AVIL LD Red on each top corner and on the lift machine room or water tank, plus one photocell switch.
• Telecom tower, mast or transmission structure: an AVIL HD D double light at the top, more at intermediate levels as required, and a photocell.
• Factory chimney, cooling tower or silo: AVIL HD S or HD D lights around the top, spaced so they can be seen from every side, with a photocell.
• Hospital with a helipad, or building near an airport: heavy-duty lights at every corner and the highest point, per the AAI clearance, with a spare light kept on site.

Related guides from KT India

• For the fog-season visibility kit: reflective jackets, tape and triangles, read Fog-Season Visibility: Reflective Jackets, Conspicuity Tape and Warning Triangles for Fleets and Night Crews.
• For sizing, mounting and reading industrial windsocks, read Industrial Windsocks: How to Choose the Size, Stand and Lighting, and Install and Read Them.
• For the core road safety kit every facility should stock, read Essential Road Safety Products Every Indian Facility Manager Should Stock.

Frequently asked questions

Does my building need aviation lights?
Tall buildings and towers, especially those near airports or flight paths, usually do. The height clearance from the Airports Authority of India specifies the obstruction lighting required.

Should aviation lights stay on all day?
No. Use a photocell switch so they come on automatically at dusk and whenever smog or fog makes it dark, and switch off in daylight.

Why choose a double aviation light?
The AVIL HD D has two lamps on one base. If one fails, the other keeps the structure marked until the next maintenance visit, which matters on towers and chimneys that are hard to climb.

What voltage do KT India aviation lights need?
All the models in this guide work on single-phase 220 to 250 V AC.

Light up your structure before the fog season. Browse the full range of aviation obstruction lights, or use Enquiry Now on any product page for bulk and dealer pricing.