What is the rotating light on the control tower for?
The rotating beacon on top of the Missoula Control Tower is installed to indicate the airport’s location to aircraft pilots at night. It produces flashes not unlike that of a lighthouse. Airport 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 at MSO rotates at a constant speed which produces the visual effect of flashes at regular intervals. The light at MSO consists of a greenish-blue on one side, and white on the other side. This green-white-green-white flash tells the pilot MSO is a lighted land airport, as opposed to a seaport, which is yellow-white, or a military airport, which is white-white-green. During VFR weather conditions, the beacon operates dusk to dawn, but during IFR conditions, the beacon stays on constantly regardless of light conditions.
The rotating beacon on top of the Missoula Control Tower is installed to indicate the airport’s location to aircraft pilots at night. It produces flashes not unlike that of a lighthouse. Airport 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 at MSO rotates at a constant speed that produces the visual effect of flashes at regular intervals. The light at MSO consists of a greenish-blue on one side, and white on the other side. This green-white-green-white flash tells the pilot MSO is a lighted land airport, as opposed to a seaport, which is yellow-white, or a military airport, which is white-white-green. During VFR weather conditions, the beacon operates dusk to dawn, but during IFR conditions, the beacon stays on constantly regardless of light conditions.
