Segmented circle lights Has anyone ever seen this?

Question

I have been in General Aviation for nearly 15 years. I do maintenance of my facility and assist at two others. I have been told by an inspector that our segmented circles need lights. Really? We use Glowing wonder wind cones. Prior to me being at these airports it was said the had the wind cones with the flood lights above the cone shining down. Even with this type of lighting it would not illuminate the segmented circle 50 feet from the wind cone pole, and the pattern segments at nearly 80 feet to their furthest edge. Adding flood lighting to the wind cone pole under the cone would pose the threat of added ground clutter, washing the visibility of the orange cone out, be blinding to aircraft landing or taking off on the RW adjacent to the segmented circle at Midfield 250 feet of center line. Adding lighting on the ground would require multiple lights on breakable fixtures and pose the same problems as mounting on the pole.

 So, are any of you aware of an airport with segmented circle lights?
 Also do you see that lighting of a segmented circle may cause more problems than solutions?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Any public use airport without an operating control tower (such as one that is closed at night) that is open for AIR CARRIER operations (meaning FAR Part 121, 125 or 135) must have at least one lighted windsock and a lighted segmented circle showing the traffic pattern. It can be outlined by lights, or it can be lit with floodlights. The markings should be clearly discernible from an altitude of 2,000 feet AGL. The typical setup is an array of floodlights with glare shields mounted on short posts  and pointed at the ground around the perimeter of the circle. 

FAR 139.323 — Traffic and wind direction indicators.

In a manner authorized by the Administrator, each airport certificate holder must provide and maintain the following on its airport:

(a) A wind cone that visually provides surface wind direction information to pilots. For each runway available for air carrier use, a supplemental wind cone must be installed at the end of the runway or at least at one point visible to the pilot while on final approach and prior to takeoff. If the airport is open for air carrier operations at night, the wind direction indicators, including the required supplemental indicators, must be lighted.

(b) For airports serving any air carrier operation when there is no control tower operating, a segmented circle, a landing strip indicator and a traffic pattern indicator must be installed around a wind cone for each runway with a right-hand traffic pattern.

(c) FAA Advisory Circulars contain methods and procedures for the installation, lighting, and maintenance of traffic and wind indicators that are acceptable to the Administrator.

Tracy L · Answer

I know lots of airports without segmented circles, I have seen them lighted and unlighted as well at airports that do have them.  Here is one that has the circle lighted http://www.sequimvalleyairport.com/technical-data/
One with no segmented circle 
http://www.wilsonnc.org/departments/publicservices/transportation/wiac/faainformation/
One with a segmented circle but not lighted,  the sock is lighted however, 
http://www.flyjacksoncounty.com/jca19a.html
The FAA advisory for them doesn't say lighted or not
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/23243
And then http://www.risingup.com/fars/info/part139-323-FAR.shtml
For air carrier airports!

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/23243
Since you don't say what country you are in your rules may be different.

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Segmented circle lights Has anyone ever seen this?

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