Whiteplains UNICOM #9: The Saga of the Beacon

The mission of the Whiteplains Pilots’ Association includes a commitment to aviation safety. One of the possibilities that has been under discussion for many years is the installation of an airport beacon to facilitate visual recognition at night. This UNICOM will discuss the background (thanks to Nancy Van Wormer for the history lesson) and then go on to discuss what we are currently doing.

Ray Elam, former hangar owner and pilot, was an active member of the Pilots’ Association. He often flew at night and found it difficult to locate SC99 in the dark especially when arriving from the north. Before his untimely death in April 2003, he proposed that a beacon be erected at Whiteplains on his hangar (which is now owned by James and Joann Kiesler). After Ray's death, Lloyd Krueger donated the present tower and, under the direction of Lee Van Wormer, the tower was erected. An aircraft wingtip strobe was placed at the top of the tower; it operated for some months before failing.

The next opportunity to revisit the beacon issue came in 2005 when the State Division of Aeronautics offered us (at no cost) a surplus beacon in need of refurbishment. After some engineering analysis, we concluded that we could restore it to operating condition for a few hundred dollars but (at over 100 pounds) it was too heavy for the present tower’s structure. It was also much too bright (two 1000 watt bulbs), creating the potential for light pollution for residents and nearby neighbors.

Later, a search of available commercial devices revealed a six-pound airport identification strobe designed for private airports. It flashes alternating green and white, just like a rotating beacon, has a clear night visibility of 15 miles, and consumes only 250 watts.

In the Fall of 2005 the members of the Pilots’ Association voted to endorse the acquisition of a beacon. The plan was that the beacon would be pilot-controlled, would only operate for ten minutes at a time, and then only when a pilot manually turns it on with five clicks of the mike.

In the Spring of 2006, the Board of Directors voted to scrap the plan for a beacon, feeling that it was of limited usefulness and therefore not needed. Given the vocal support from a number of pilots who offered to donate money toward the $895 installation, the Board reversed its decision a few months later, agreeing to support the installation if the pilots would make donations equal to the purchase price.

At the August meeting of the Pilots’ Association, Vice-president Ray Hill showed a photo of the proposed beacon and renewed the Pilot’s Association support of purchasing and installing it. That evening, $130.00 cash was raised by auctioning items donated by Ray, along with $35.00 in cash pledges. Another Pilot’s Association meeting is scheduled for September 18 where discussion of the beacon will be on the agenda; hopefully, we will have a good turnout.

All pilots, particularly those who fly at night, can support this community effort with a donation to the beacon project. Ray Hill is coordinating the fund-raising effort.



Ken Plesser, President
Whiteplains Plantation Association


Lee Van Wormer, President
Ray Hill, Vice-president/Secretary
Whiteplains Pilots’ Association