FAA Advisory Circulars: call for comments
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is in the process of revising several
Advisory Circulars (AC) relating to airport lighting. Among the work that
is on-going is the consolidation of a number of the 150/5340 Advisory
Circulars into one master AC that will incorporate most of the Advisory
Circulars that deal with the installation of various lighting systems.
Included in this one document will be information that is currently contained
in Advisory Circulars pertaining to runway and taxiway centerline lighting,
touchdown zone lighting, signs and low visibility lighting systems. The
new document as currently envisioned will be much easier to use than the
current conglomeration of documents and will be greatly appreciated by
engineering organizations involved in airport lighting design. It will
still be several months before this new AC is ready for release.
AC 150/5345-42C Specification for Airport Light Bases, Transformer Housings, Junction Boxes and Accessories
FAA has also initiated a rework of AC 150/5345-42C Specification for Airport Light Bases, Transformer Housings, Junction Boxes and Accessories last issued with Change 1 in October of 1991. The work on this AC is being managed by the FAA Support Contractor team of Trios Associates and Integic who in turn have contracted with Visual Aids Services to do the AC rewrite. This revised AC is scheduled for release in mid 2004.
Visual Aids Services is requesting comments on the current AC and suggestions for change from both airport lighting design engineering firms and current certified manufacturers of bases. In particular comments are invited with regard to the following subjects:
- Is the L-869 junction box still used in airport lighting designs and
should it be maintained in the AC as a product available for use by
airport lighting design engineers?
- Is there still a need for the size A, 10 inch diameter type L-868
container? It was used at only a couple of airports in the last couple
of years for taxiway centerline lights and may not be worth supporting
any longer in the AC. The 12 inch L-868 has become the accepted standard
by most airports and designers.
- Should a new size nominally 8" diameter L-868 container be established
that would conform to the 8 inch diameter fixtures now being manufactured
primarily for the overseas market? The introduction of more compact
LED in-pavement lights should lend themselves to smaller containers
and a potential reduction in installation cost.
- Is there any need for continuing the requirement for a grooved flange
or spacer ring? The original purpose of this groove was to contain an
"O" ring that would help retard water entering the canister. The use
of the "O" ring was only marginally successful over time. Since in-pavement
fixtures today are sealed, and keeping water out of the canister is
no longer a requirement, the groove may no longer be required.
To take comments and views on the revision of AC 150/5345-42C a new topic
has been started on the site's bulletin
board [http://www.visualaids.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi]. The aim
is to keep the discussion topic going throughout the re-write of the AC.
Thus you can add your comments and suggestions there, or you can e-mail
ac-upgrade@visualaids.com
or fax them to Visual Aids Services on 860-688-1700.
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