Taxi Light Usage
01-23-2017 | 09:03 AM
#41
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: DOWNGRADE COMPLETE: Thanks Gary. Thanks SWAPA.
Dear Delta Brethren, I've been flying out of ATL for the past few months. This week I was holding short of 26L on the north side of the runway awaiting my turn for takeoff. A DAL 757 opposite me is cleared for takeoff and immediately turns on their taxi light directly in our eyes. It felt like a laser event to us. I flashed my taxi light thinking maybe they didn't see the 767 across the runway but they left the lights on. The next plane to go was another DL 757 and guess what he also blinded us. The sun was not quite up so the lights were pretty intense. Next up an Endeavor RJ, they turned on their runway lights but left off their taxi light. When it was our turn we did not turn on our taxi light directly into the eyes of a MD90 but waited until we were lined up to go. Is it in your ops manual to turn on your taxi light no matter if someone is facing you or not? My F/O begged me to turn on ALL our lights the next time a DL plane lines up across from us. Thank you for your consideration.
01-23-2017 | 09:26 AM
#42
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I think it's because DL 757s do not have a "taxi light" option per se on the nose gear...it is an aircraft option... they just have "nose" and "wing" landing light switches. Turning on the nose landing light switch illuminates those lights installed on the nose gear which are designated "landing lights", and are two very bright and powerful bulbs.
AA 757s on the other hand have an extra "taxi light" on the nose gear, along with the nose gear landing lights. The taxi light is a lot dimmer and that's what we use on the ground. The nose "landing light" switch only comes on when cleared for takeoff, along with the the wing landing lights.
DL bubbas am I correct?
AA 757s on the other hand have an extra "taxi light" on the nose gear, along with the nose gear landing lights. The taxi light is a lot dimmer and that's what we use on the ground. The nose "landing light" switch only comes on when cleared for takeoff, along with the the wing landing lights.
DL bubbas am I correct?
01-23-2017 | 09:31 AM
#43
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Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Sitting SC at the Five Towns
I think it's because DL 757s do not have a "taxi light" option per se on the nose gear...it is an aircraft option... they just have "nose" and "wing" landing light switches. Turning on the nose landing light switch illuminates those lights installed on the nose gear which are designated "landing lights", and are two very bright and powerful bulbs.
AA 757s on the other hand have an extra "taxi light" on the nose gear, along with the nose gear landing lights. The taxi light is a lot dimmer and that's what we use on the ground. The nose "landing light" switch only comes on when cleared for takeoff, along with the the wing landing lights.
DL bubbas am I correct?
AA 757s on the other hand have an extra "taxi light" on the nose gear, along with the nose gear landing lights. The taxi light is a lot dimmer and that's what we use on the ground. The nose "landing light" switch only comes on when cleared for takeoff, along with the the wing landing lights.
DL bubbas am I correct?
01-23-2017 | 09:57 AM
#44
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Joined: Apr 2008
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From: 767A
The NW 757s, with a few exceptions, do not have a dedicated taxi light. And most NW captains I've JSed with use the nose light (not the taxi light) when they're on DL metal. Old habits die hard.
01-23-2017 | 01:53 PM
#45
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It's not rocket science.
I'm an FO, not a CA, at AA, but spent many years as a CA during my Regional days. Line up and wait meant I'd turn on my nose taxi light. However, if I saw another aircraft opposite me, or nearly so, I'd use DISCRETION (what the heck is that?!) and courtesy and turn it off again until I was pointed away from the aircraft in front of us. Then, nose taxi light back on again.
Cleared for takeoff, all lights on and away we went. Pretty damn simple. Even a Caveman could do it.
I've noticed SO many CA's - although not all of them - at my carrier that don't seem to care at all that they're blinding the pilots opposite to them. Not sure where that attitude comes from. Have some courtesy for your fellow pilots.
I'm an FO, not a CA, at AA, but spent many years as a CA during my Regional days. Line up and wait meant I'd turn on my nose taxi light. However, if I saw another aircraft opposite me, or nearly so, I'd use DISCRETION (what the heck is that?!) and courtesy and turn it off again until I was pointed away from the aircraft in front of us. Then, nose taxi light back on again.
Cleared for takeoff, all lights on and away we went. Pretty damn simple. Even a Caveman could do it.
I've noticed SO many CA's - although not all of them - at my carrier that don't seem to care at all that they're blinding the pilots opposite to them. Not sure where that attitude comes from. Have some courtesy for your fellow pilots.
01-23-2017 | 03:16 PM
#46
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Joined: Mar 2015
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From: ir.delta.com
Do you flash your left or right landing light when making turns on the taxiways too? 
Contributing to the postmortem assault of the equine.
This thread is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to long.
Lights are turned on for safety, not eye safety, but don't cross my path safety, both in the air and on the ground.
Contributing to the postmortem assault of the equine.
This thread is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to long.
Lights are turned on for safety, not eye safety, but don't cross my path safety, both in the air and on the ground.
01-23-2017 | 05:11 PM
#47
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01-23-2017 | 06:55 PM
#48
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Yea, so that happened ONE time to a Metro holding in position at an intersection at night and the controller forgot about it. There have been rules created to prevent that from happening again. With that said, blinding the guys pointed at you while you're rolling into position is NOT even in the same universe. Turn it on. Ooops, there's a plane in front of me. Turn it off for the 3 to 5 seconds it takes to get the plane lined up on the centerline, then turn the light back on. Simple and courteous.
01-23-2017 | 11:56 PM
#50
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Ok. How many times has a jet hit another aircraft that was sitting on the runway waiting to take off at night? Yes, there have been jets that have flown over others sitting in position, but as far as I know, it's happened only one time.
Anyway, getting back to REALITY here for a moment, there is NO safety issue with turning off your nose light for a moment if you see another jet in front of you. it's just polite. And by the way, MOST pilots do this, thankfully. However, for YOU, I'll turn on ALL my lights right into your face. You know. For safety. 🤔
(When I'm a captain again, lol)
Anyway, getting back to REALITY here for a moment, there is NO safety issue with turning off your nose light for a moment if you see another jet in front of you. it's just polite. And by the way, MOST pilots do this, thankfully. However, for YOU, I'll turn on ALL my lights right into your face. You know. For safety. 🤔
(When I'm a captain again, lol)
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