TheFly

I sometimes see some of the older 737s (-300/400/500) with flashing or pulsating landing lights. Anyone know why?

Smokey23

Our "classics" have them (SWA). Somebody convinced somebody in MX that it would extend bulb life. Heard it hasn't worked out that way.

ArcticDog

Alaska is equipping all their 737's with pulse lights. It's for greater visibility and improves bulb life. I believe Southwest, Westjet, and Horizon Q400's have them installed as well.

TheFly

Ok..just looked a little odd. Thank you!

yamahas3

I'm genuinely surprised that thats the case. I would've thought that incandescent light bulbs would be cycle limited rather than time limited.

Then again, I'm a pilot, not a light bulb engineer.

Love To Fly

They're old and shorting out.

JetFueler

They don't completely turn off, it's more of a dimmer. Looks pretty cool on the 737s with the belly lights extended.

Personally think it looks better from the cabin of my G650... Oh wait that was a dream.

N9373M

The $25 landing light on my Mooney has a MTBF of 12 hours.

F9 A319

I've always wondered, do the landing lights stop pulsating at a certain height on landing or do they pulse whenever they're on?

flyandive

The manufacture claims they reduce bird strikes by 10% I think. They are simply for better visibility.
In the Q400s they are tied to the taxi light switch. The landing lights are on or off dependent on their own switch position. With the taxi switch in the center then the taxi light is off, with the taxi light in the "on" position then the taxi light comes on with the gear. With the taxi light in the "pulse" position then the nose gear light is steady on but the landing lights flash alternating left wing and right wing, like the wig wags at a hold short bar.

If I remember our procedure was to have the switch in "pulse" during the day for takeoffs and landings. At night we would have it in "pulse" until completion of the landing check then we would turn it to "on." For takeoff we would have it in "on" until the gear was up then we would switch it to "pulse."

http://preciseflight.com/products/pulselite