Aircraft safety lighting switches off

In late 2015, the proposal for the 91-megawatt wind farm was referred to the aircraft regulatory body.

Read also:

CASA's recommendation in early 2016 was for the installation of low-intensity aviation lighting as the turbines exceeded the threshold of 150 metres.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development provides guidance on developments that affect aviation operations, including penetrating operational airspace and navigational procedures.

In June this year, seven months after the wind farm was operational, CASA agreed to relax the rules, given the infringement into operational airspace past 150 metres was minimal (10 metres).

"Global Power Generation Australia Pty Ltd asked for CASA to review the three-year-old CASA recommendation for lighting," a spokesperson for CASA said.

"CASA was asked to review the need for lighting taking into consideration developments elsewhere in the country where the lighting recommendation had been relaxed provided other mitigators were in place to warn pilots of the wind farm.

"CASA agreed to relax the requirement for the lighting at Crookwell 2 and gave no objection to the existing lights being turned off.

Analysis by the Crookwell Gazette found that wind farms across Australia aviation lights were able to be turned off.

In the Upper Lachlan Shire, on November 1, 2010 Cullerin Wind Farm, owned by Origin Energy, switched off turbine aviation lighting after guidelines set out by CASA were withdrawn.

Currently under construction is Collector Wind Farm, which is also not required by CASA to have aviation hazard lighting on their turbines.

The wind farm comprises 55 turbines that impede into aircraft flying space.

However, it was deemed to be low risk.

Agricultural aerial spraying is common around turbines in the Upper Lachlan Shire.

Pilot Jake Bush from Heli-Ag Aviation says turbines are no different from any other obstacle.

"The turbines are well-marked on aviation maps and it's very rare for any aircraft working below turbine height during daytime hours," he said.

"The turbines are well marked on aviation maps and it is very rare for aircraft to be working below turbine height during daylight hours."

Have your say in the form below.