FAA Wants Directions to Your Tower

By Bob Vaillancourt
Vice Chairman, SBE Chapter 36

Recently there was a request for broadcasters to assist the FAA with lighted towers. In particular, the FAA asked that broadcasters have on file information regarding the station's tower coordinates in reference to the closest navigational aid in case of total tower light failure. This information could easily be passed on to the nearest flight service facility, which in turn would be passed on to aircraft in the vicinity and sent out as an advisory to other pilots who may need to transit the area or who may be in the process of preflight planning.

This request is simple, needs to be done once, and does not require conversions to true north, magnetic north or searches in the tower registration database. There has been a lot of discussion about this subject and over-engineering of this request as to true north, versus magnetic north, headings etc. This is not what is being asked. What they are asking is that you try to identify your tower according to current navigational aids which can be found on any aircraft sectional map or VFR terminal area chart for the area your tower is located. With a simple, low cost plotter you will be able to determine in about ten minutes or less, the tower's location to the nearest omni bearing station (VOR/VORTAC) station as well as measure the distance in nautical miles from that station. Try to get more than one bearing and distance measurement to make it simple for air traffic controllers to pass on this information.

Here is a hypothetical example:

KKKK Tower is located:

     14 NM on the 030 degree radial of the Mission Bay Vortac

     52 NM on the 130 degree radial of the Oceanside Vortac

     63 NM on the 225 degree radial of the Julian VOR

Simple--no conversions, calculations, or hassles. In most cases, the information can be obtained from one simple VFR map. The map and plotters can be purchased at any local aviation store. I agree that we have all gone to great lengths to have our towers registered. As a pilot, I appreciate your station reporting a tower light failure to the FAA facility as mandated by the FCC. Passing on this additional information will give the FAA valuable data regarding your tower which will not require additional time, possible lookup errors, etc., to inbound aircraft that are unaware of a problem.

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Web site contents ©1999 Society of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 36 San Diego. For more information, to become a member or a sponsor, or to make suggestions or comments, e-mail sbe36@broadcast.net. Write to P.O. Box 710702, San Diego, California 92171-0702.  

Edited by Gary Stigall. Posted 1-Jul-99.