Over 2 whole years?

Y'all fly your aircraft, I, for one, willl run my lights the way I like...

 

Something that bugs me...Often times in ORD, ground control will bring aircraft to 32L/T10 via A-A9-T, or M2-M-T...If they are bringing aircraft to the runway from both directions, once in awhile you'll be sitting there head-to-head with another aircraft who's got his landing lights lighting up your Cockpit brighter than the sun midday. It doesn't get worse than that - I'll take the strobes over the pure-wattage of a 777 nose-gear light any day of the week and twice on tuesday!

 

Okay... I'll admit...

I like to be lit up like a christmas tree at night- particularly when flying into either an uncontrolled airport where there might not be somebody on the radio, or when flying into an airport that is busy enough that it has an operating control tower.

Here's my policy for night:

Engines running - Beacon and Nav lights (if no beacon, then nav lights only). I'll flash the strobe for 3 seconds before starting in a GA piston so everybody in the area knows which aircraft is starting up... I fully believe that anti-collision strobes (not beacon) when taxing or sitting on the ground at night is a safety of flight distraction for both myself and other aircraft, but that's just me... only exception is crossing runways.

Taxiing- Logo lights, nav lights, taxi lights and beacon. Turn the taxi light off when stopped/giving way and when it might interfere with another aircraft's (or the marshaller's) night vision- but only as long as I can safely operate/taxi without hitting something/running off the pavement.

Crossing runways- Logo, taxi, beacon, strobes & nav.

Taxi into position and hold. Logo, taxi beacon, strobes & nav.

Cleared for takeoff. All lights on- logo, taxi/takoff/landing, beacon, wing inspection, strobes and nav. Landing light off with the after takeoff check, where it switches to pulse light. Logo and wing inspection stay on through 10000'.

Seems like my practice is pretty much in line with the majority of operators out there... sooooooo... if you're in line behind me- you know I'm going to turn the lights on as I cross the hold short line. And since you're equipped with this knowledge, it's probably a good time for you to avert your eyes!

And for the record I do look both ways when crossing the runway ("Clear left, clear right, clear to cross runway 31R")... but I can think of at least 4 different airports that I fly to regularly that you can't see one end of the runway from the other, in particular my home airport where there is a very large hump in the middle.

With as many runway incursions as there are (and major accidents as there have been - LAX and Tenerife both come to immediate mind), why not turn on your strobes?

Along the same lines, when I back taxi down a runway during the day or night, I never do it on the centerline... especially during the day it's easier to see an aircraft on the runway that is off the middle of the runway, then taxiing down the centerline stripe. (As an added bonus, I have 1/2 the distance to get out of the way if I ever have to take to the dirt...)

 

Just turn up your cockpit lights. Night vision is overrated.

 

Use your Rosen visor.

 

Yeah, problem is, they're so greasy from us FO's that you can't get a decent grip on 'em!

 

Use your sani-wipes.

God, do I have to think of everything?

 

I use the Sani-wipes...but the above mentioned situation doesn't happen often enough to warrant the extra time to clean that visor as well before all night-time takeoffs!

 

This reminds me, does anyone know if the windshield has UV protection? Or am I going to get skin cancer in 30 years?

 

Plus if you have the lights turned down, you can't do the sudoku or USAToday crossword puzzle...