When should tower lights be checked?

Checking tower lights 30 minutes after sunset is crucial for ensuring visibility and safety. This practice is essential for compliance with regulations that require towers to be illuminated during the hours of darkness. The timing ensures that any potential issues with the lights can be identified early, which is particularly important as this is when visibility of the tower is critical for aircraft and other nearby entities. Proper illumination helps prevent accidents and ensures that the tower meets safety standards that protect both air traffic and nearby residents.

Other options might suggest checking at sunrise, which is less effective since the primary concern is ensuring visibility during nighttime; checking once every hour might be excessive and impractical; while checking at the start of each broadcast does not ensure that the lights are functioning during the entire period when they are needed.