If your tower’s obstruction lighting is required and something goes out, the goal is simple: restore the lighting and close the loop cleanly. The best outcomes come from a repeatable workflow that starts with good documentation and ends with confirmed resolution.
If you’re not sure what a NOTAM is, start here:
What Is a NOTAM (and Why Tower Owners Should Care)?
Need help building a consistent outage/NOTAM workflow? Book a Call.
First: confirm who is responsible (owner vs. operator vs. vendor)
Before “filing” anything, confirm who is responsible for origination and cancellation/closure within your organization’s process. FAA policy emphasizes that the party originating the NOTAM is responsible for accuracy and cancellation/closure actions.
What you need before you file (gather this first)
Structure details (ASR-first, plus ASN for FAA workflows)
- FCC ASR number (primary identifier)
- Site/tower name (owner naming or internal naming convention)
- Location (address and/or coordinates)
- Height (as documented)
- FAA Aeronautical Study Number (ASN) (often needed for OE/AAA E-file actions)
Why both? ASR is the most common operational identifier for tower owners/operators. But the FAA OE/AAA E-file NOTAM workflow in the Desk Reference Guide is driven by ASN.
Outage details
- What’s out (top beacon, side markers, multiple levels, controller behavior)
- When it was first detected (date/time + timezone)
- Whether it’s continuous or intermittent
- What triggered detection (alarm/monitoring vs. visual confirmation)
Repair plan
- Who is dispatched
- Estimated time to restore (if known)
- Any access constraints (site access, climb requirements, weather delays)
Contact + recordkeeping
- Primary point of contact
- Incident log entry (single source of truth for updates)
Want a predictable process for monitoring + documentation + response? We can help.
Filing the NOTAM: Two Common Paths
Path A: Your internal / vendor workflow (general)
Use your established reporting workflow (owner-managed, vendor-managed, or LumenServe-managed). Keep the incident record current and ensure administrative closeout is confirmed, not assumed.
Path B: FAA OE/AAA “NOTAM E-Notification” via E-file (when required)
If your FAA determination requires NOTAM notification via OE/AAA, the FAA Desk Reference Guide indicates this is completed through a registered E-file account.
High-level steps:
- Use the OE/AAA portal and select Temporary Structure Notification (under “Off Airport Construction”)
- Enter the Aeronautical Study Number (ASN) and confirm case details
- Add the supplemental notice (“Add 7460-2”), then select “Request a NOTAM”
- Provide required fields (start date; completion date or duration; removal date; time of arrival; onsite contact + phone)
- Save and submit
Important: The guide notes the removal date cannot be in the future.
You may also need to notify the airport and/or air traffic control tower depending on your FAA determination letter.
Clearing / Canceling: What “Done” Means
This is where issues often occur. The lights may be restored, but the administrative closure is incomplete.
- Verify restoration (don’t assume)
- Confirm lighting is operating correctly via monitoring, visual check, or technician confirmation
- Document proof of restoration
- Record restoration time, what was fixed, and how it was verified
- Close/cancel through the same workflow used to initiate
- Use the same system (vendor, internal process, or OE/AAA E-file path)
- Confirm closure and log it
- Ensure the cancellation/closure is explicitly confirmed and documented
Want LumenServe to help operationalize this into a repeatable workflow? Book a Call.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not consistently recording detection time
- Vague outage descriptions
- No single accountable owner for closure
- Assuming restoration automatically equals closure
- Incomplete documentation
Frequently Asked Questions About Filing a NOTAM
Quick answers to the questions owners ask us most.
Who is responsible for filing and canceling a tower light NOTAM?
The party that originates the NOTAM is responsible for its accuracy and for canceling or closing it. For a tower, that responsibility sits with the structure owner or the owner’s designated vendor, so confirm who owns origination and closure before an outage happens.
When does a tower light outage have to be reported?
Under 47 CFR 17.48, a top steady-burning or any flashing obstruction light that is out and not restored within 30 minutes must be reported so a NOTAM can be issued. Treat any qualifying outage as time-sensitive.
What information do I need to file a NOTAM?
At a minimum, the FCC ASR number, and the FAA Aeronautical Study Number (ASN) for the OE/AAA E-file path, plus the structure name and location, what is out and when it was detected, and a point of contact. Gather these before you file.
Does fixing the light automatically clear the NOTAM?
No. Restoration is step one and closing the loop is step two. Verify the lighting is operating, document the restoration, cancel or close the NOTAM through the same workflow used to originate it, and confirm the closure.
What is the difference between the ASR number and the ASN?
The FCC ASR (Antenna Structure Registration) number is the everyday tower identifier. The FAA Aeronautical Study Number (ASN) drives the FAA OE/AAA E-file NOTAM workflow, so owners often need both.
New to NOTAMs? Start with what is a NOTAM. For the broader response when a light fails, see what to do when a tower light goes out; for the underlying rules, FAA tower lighting requirements; and for the cost of getting it wrong, FCC tower lighting fines.
