Obstacle Marking and Lighting (Annex 14 Chapter 6)

General (ICAO)

ICAO Annex 14 Vol I, Chapter 6 (Visual Aids for Denoting Obstacles) regulates the marking and lighting of obstacles in the vicinity of aerodromes and along approach/departure surfaces.

Purpose: Improves obstacle conspicuity for pilots by day and night and reduces CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) risk.

Marking of obstacles (§6.2)

Colours:

• Red or red-orange for fixed objects and chimneys.
• Red and white, or orange and white, in alternating stripes or squares for towers, masts and similar structures.
• Checkerboard pattern in red/white for wider objects (storage, large buildings).

Bounds:

• Stripe height: each stripe should correspond to about 1/7 of the object height, minimum 0.5 m.
• Where colour marking is not practicable (transparent or moving structures), marker flags or markers are used.

Lighting of obstacles (§6.3)

Three lighting types depending on obstacle height (Annex 14 Vol I §6.3.7):

1. Low-intensity obstacle lights

• Type A/B: red steady or flashing light, intensity approx. 10 cd (A) or 32 cd (B).
• Use: obstacles up to ~45 m above ground, or supplementing larger structures.

2. Medium-intensity obstacle lights

• Type A: white flashing, 20 000 cd (day), 2 000 cd (twilight), 2 000 cd (night); 20–60 flashes/min.
• Type B: red flashing, 2 000 cd; 20–60 flashes/min.
• Type C: red steady, 2 000 cd.
• Use: obstacles 45 m to 150 m above ground.

3. High-intensity obstacle lights

• Type A: white flashing, 200 000 cd (day), 20 000 cd (twilight), 2 000 cd (night).
• Type B: white flashing for obstacles > 150 m above ground.
• Use: very tall structures such as broadcast towers and wind turbines (above 150 m).

Configuration on tall objects: Three rows of lights — at the top, middle third and lower third of the structure. For very tall objects additional intermediate levels.

Marking of power lines and antenna cables (§6.2.5)

Spheres (markers):

• Balls ≥ 60 cm diameter attached to power lines, antenna stays and similar cables.
• Colour: red, white or red-orange, alternating when several balls.
• Spacing: ≤ 40 m (same-height markers) or ≤ 30 m on lower cables.

Wind turbines (§6.2.4)

• Rotor blades white or light grey (against spinning effect) with red bands at the tip.
• Tower paint red/white alternating, middle third of the tower typically marked red.
• Lighting: red steady or flashing light at the tower top and nacelle; for heights > 150 m additional white high-intensity flashing light.

Europe (EASA / EU)

Application via Regulation (EU) 139/2014 (Part-ADR) and CS-ADR-DSN Subpart Q (Visual aids for denoting obstacles). Identical with Annex 14 §6.

Germany (national)

EU law applies. Additionally:

• Allgemeine Verwaltungsvorschrift zur Kennzeichnung von Luftfahrthindernissen (AVV Kennzeichnung) of BMDV regulates national details.
• Structures with heights from 100 m AGL are generally subject to marking obligations (with urban-area exceptions).
• Wind turbines with total height ≥ 100 m: marking; from 150 m: lighting required.
• "Demand-based night marking" (BNK) — modern installations switch their obstacle lights on only when air traffic is detected nearby via transponder or radar, to reduce light pollution (introduced by §46 LuftVG).
• The owner/operator of the obstacle is responsible for marking; oversight is by the state aviation authority.