razorseal

I know its kind of an 'odd' question, but do you guys use the nav lights at all times? (i believe they go on once the APU is running?) engine start is with the beacon, and pretakeoff is strobe?

also when is the logo light used? When on the ground and stuff? or is that something that goes on/off with the landing lights at 10,000 feet?

FlyerJosh

There's some deviations, but the following is pretty standard for the majority of the industry:

Nav Lights - anytime the aircraft is powered (APU or Ground Power)
Rotating Beacon - anytime that engines are running (or about to start)
Taxi lights - any time that the aircraft is moving on the surface (day or night)
Landing lights - cleared for takeoff through climb check or 10000'. Back on when cleared to land.
Recognition lights (might also be taxi lights) - on below 10000' or 18000'
Wing Inspection/Logo lights - on at night below 10000' or 18000'.

Jakob

Hey Josh (others?)!
Are the strobes in your list? What are they called? Recognition lights? I've seen it quite a few times that pilots forgot to turn the strobes off. Are they not included in checklists? And are they turned off when in cruise? My experience is no. And the landing lights, I live right in the approach to a runway at HAM and the landing lights are sometimes on before the aircraft even establish on the localizer. Some other times the landing lights are turned on very late. And the taxi lights are usually turned on after the landing lights. Are there different procedures for different airlines? I have the impression that Germanwings aircraft put on the landing lights extremly late.

Sorry for all those questions and please excuse my ignorance. This is just a thing I've wondered about a bit. Thanks in advance.

Blue skies
-Jakob

cbire880

Those are probably recognition lights. Recogs are steady or slowly flashing lights that are pointed forward instead of down at the ground like a landing light. They are designed for usage prior to the extension of landing gear since the landing lights are generally on the gear themselves. They are on the wing tips on a King Air and usually on the wing root on bigger jets.

Stobes are usually considered part of the anti-collision light system("beacon"). They can be turned off whenever they become a distraction for safety reasons. This usually means on the ground or in the clouds.

Jakob

Thanks a lot! Yeah, your probably right about the recognition lights. I didn't know they existed... And I also didn't know the strobes were considered part of the beacon. Thanks! Leaving the strobes on at the gate or parking position is not intended though. I once spoke to a pilot about it and he said he had just forgotten it. (That was during my internship here... I was instructed to tell the pilot he had left the strobes one...)

Thanks again for the answer!

All the best
Jakob

FlyerJosh

Jacob-

Forgot about the strobes. For most companies, they are turned on when you enter the runway (cleared for takeoff or taxi into position and hold), and then off again clearing after landing. They remain on during flight unless they become a distraction such as in clouds at night.

The application of lights are covered in either checklists or flows, however the checklist item might simply say "lights" as opposed to each individual switch.

carlwag

Here is where the MD-80 beats all of those other planes - the wingtip strobes automatically come on when the airplane lifts off the ground, and shut off when the airplane touches down. How great is that? I don't know why all airplanes don't have that feature.
At my airline we are now allowed to leave the nav lights off during daylight hours. I seem to be about the only one that does so.

FlyerJosh

The Jetstream 41 does the same thing with the strobes, IIRC.

razorseal

cool little feature

razorseal

any specific reason the wing/logo lights stay on until 10,000 feet? just more lights for collision avodiance?