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I saw this beacon at an old airport; how and in what situations was it used?

Beacon at Ljunbyhed, ESTL

Ralph J
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juni-j
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    Please provide attribution for your image. – CGCampbell Nov 01 '15 at 15:53
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    What airport was this seen at? Are there other pictures? Airport beacons are typically White/Green Rotating units and do not have a red light on top. This may however predate modern convention. – Dave Nov 02 '15 at 02:21
  • I took this pic myself at Ljungbyhed, Sweden(ESTL). More pics on request ;) – juni-j Nov 02 '15 at 20:31

1 Answers1

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It's the airfield identification beacon.

An aerodrome beacon or rotating beacon is a beacon installed at an airport or aerodrome to indicate its location to aircraft pilots at night.

An aerodrome beacon is mounted on top of a towering structure, often a control tower, above other buildings of the airport. It produces flashes not unlike that of a lighthouse.

Airport and heliport beacons are designed in such a way to make them most effective from one to ten degrees above the horizon; however, they can be seen well above and below this peak spread. The beacon may be an omnidirectional flashing xenon strobe, or it may be an aerobeacon rotating at a constant speed which produces the visual effect of flashes at regular intervals. Flashes may be of just a single color, or of two alternating colors.

Simon
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  • Flyer's version of a lighthouse... except it indicates the port, not a hazard to avoid. I've seen these from above, when in a friend's private plane after dark; they definitely do catch your eye and help you plan your approach. – keshlam Nov 01 '15 at 03:09