You mean like not staring at other aircraft's strobe lights when they're on?

I mean, seriously how in the hell can you be blinded by another aircraft's strobe lights unless you're looking directly AT them?

When I was on the police department, people would complain about those bright white lights we shined into their car to make sure they weren't readying a firearm for our approach during a traffic stop. They'd turn around and stare right into the "takedown lights" -as they were called- and say "I can't see with your lights!"

"Then don't look at them."

 

Anybody who gets bothered by strobes on while crossing a runway is either a drama queen, overly sensitive to light, or just plane (har har) contradictory. It's ok to put on your landing lights and wing lights but not your strobes?

Sorry, but i'm going to stick to my safety practices, and if you don't have the sense to look away from me when I'm crossing a runway with my strobes (you can't figure out when I'm about to? Maybe it's because I'm hard to see?), then that's your own fault. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

And if you can't see the airport signs, then you need to go to an AME to get your vision rechecked, because you probably can't hold a medical. Sitting in the back with all the lights on in the cabin during taxi, I can still see the signs. Now, I MIGHT be able to buy your argument if you just said taxiway and runway pavement markings, seeing as you (should) only have your taxi light on at this point. However, even then I have a hard time believing that, and my night vision isn't particularly godly, and you should be using the lighted signs too. Of course, by your argument, looking both ways is more effective than turning on your lights (oh wait, that'd blind you too), so I guess all those runway incursion studies where multiple airplanes being cleared for the same runway are a myth.

I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill, and that these procedures are in place for a reason. You can yell at me all you want when I cross the runway, but I'm making a decision based off of safety, something that is protected (and encouraged) at my airline, and the regs support my decision as well (strobes must always be on EXCEPT when the PIC determines them to be a hazard to operations). Sorry, but that's the way it is, and that's the way it's going to be, and I know I'm not alone out there in my dedication to this practice.

Maybe you should wear your Oakley's at night too?

 

This is by far the funniest phrase I've heard this week.

I also meant to ask, what do you do about landing planes with their strobes on? Do they kill your night vision too?

 

When I'm landing at night, and a plane is taxiing on the parallel taxiway with their taxi lights on, I just close my eyes

 

............or does a squad car that passes with it's overhead strobes (FAR brighter than aircraft strobes) flashing force you to the side of the road for ten minutes to regain your vision?

Come on, guys...use some common sense.

 

Crossing a runway, strobes on. End of story. Sometimes I'll wait until T/O clearance to put them on on the departure RWY if it's night and there's a good reason to not put them on. If you don't like looking at them, don't look at them.

I don't blind anyone, but I like my lights when they make sense. And crossing an active runway with the strobes on makes sense.

 

I've been blinded...we all have. Anytime the aircraft ahead of you pulls onto the runway, the lights come on. It looks like the general APC consensus says this is the safe and prudent thing to do. Well that aircraft pulling into position is usually directly in my field of vision, and those strobes clicking on certainly do blind me (and everyone else here) very temporarily.

Ya'll are so harsh...!

 

And then there was the lowly GA single engine aircraft just trying to take off the other night from ATL. Unfortunately, he had neither strobes nor a beacon. I think 5 different RJ pilots jumped on him over the radio about NOT having his strobes on as he sat in position to take off! He just kept repeating "our aircraft doesn't have any!"

By the way, our operating manual states specifically that "strobe lights must be turned ON when crossing an active runway with an aircraft in position for takeoff." Specifically, it mentions "active runway" and "with an aircraft in position." So there's another variation. However, I agree that safety comes first and our strobes always go on when crossing any runway.

 

everyone on here is throwing the term blinded around like they weren't able to function and had to ask atc if they could hold their position because they cant see. i can honestly say the only time i have been "bugged" by someones strobes was when i was flying ga. i have been flying in the airlines for over 2 years now and have never felt blinded or even felt that my capacity to see was dimineshed.

 

I don't think anybody is denying the fact that if you look right into it it can't hurt your night vision, but rather that we look away pretty quickly. I know even I, who couldn't love watching airplanes more, look at a departing A/C like you mention for a second, but after that, I turn my attention to final to try and see where the next plane is. Bad for your night vision, yes, but easy to look away, and there's much worse things to gripe about, in my opinion. For whatever that's worth.