Although the tower was decommissioned, it still had workable aviation obstruction lighting, which is extremely important for safety reasons considering its height and wouldn't be ignored if shut off. Think of if as the opposite of a flare - someone would notice it was disabled and come to fix it, per FAA laws.
shareHow often it is maintained/monitored might depend on it's proximity to common aviation paths/areas.
shareGreat point! The employees at the diner might notice and alert them, too.
shareHow often do they check it though? Could it be they only drive there to look if its blinking once a week or something?
shareThe antenna will send out a signal to the FCC if a light goes out.
shareCould you tell me how that works? If the lightbulb dies and the circuit stops it triggers something automatically? How soon will the FCC come after they get the signal?
Would this also be applicable to old towers built in the 50s/60s that this tower supposedly was?
Don't know all of the little particulars. I asked a pilot friend of mine and looked up some info online. Basically, everything seems to be automated for safety reasons. Certain buoys and lighthouses also work in the same way.
The tower might have been old, but the light would have been modern.
Agreed. There are people out there who will check cell and radio tower lights on a daily basis, even multiple times a day to make sure they are either powered on or strobing. No one wants a plane crash, even out in the quiet countryside. Had the girls disabled the top light early on, someone would have ordered a repair within a day or two.
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