Correct Use of Lights

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TonyW
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Joined: 03 Jan 2016, 17:22

Correct Use of Lights

Post by TonyW »

Hi,

Is there a best practice in the use of lights on the Comanche, e.g. the external lights such as landing lights, strobe lights etc?

Also for night flying when should I use the red light and when should I use the white light, or is this just down to personal preference?

Regards,

Tony

speedy70
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

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TonyW
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by TonyW »

Hi Chris,

That more or less is what I've been doing, although sometimes I leave the landing lights on all the time (as I always use my car lights, even in day time), but I'll stop using them, except where indicated by the document you linked to. I'm going to read through this document carefully as it seems to explain all I need to know about aircraft lighting, as it's an area I'm not too familiar with.

Regards,

Tony

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Orlaam
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by Orlaam »

In the US, the rules aren't as specific as people think. Refer to the AIM page 206, or section 4-3-23: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publica ... -12-17.pdf

Typically, nav/position lights and beacon are always on. For commercial carriers, nav lights are on when power is applied to the aircraft, even if it's ground power and they're sitting at the gate. Beacon, as in the case for GA, comes on for engine start. Anti-collision lights are usually tied to the beacon in certain aircraft. Anti-collision lights are on the fuselage and sometimes a white strobe is on the tail as part of this beacon/anti-collision system.

For taxi, it is encouraged that taxi, nav, beacon and anti-collision lights are on. For commercial carriers, logo lights on at night.

For takeoff and landing (runway ops), it is encouraged all lights be on unless a specific hazard exists that the PIC determines to negate a specific lighting systems, such as strobes in low visibility.

Landing lights are encouraged below 10,000 feet, especially within 10 nm of an airport or low vis or high traffic areas. Nothing prohibits the use of landing lights in a GA during flight. Most pilots aren't going to use them for operation outside an airport, such as at cruise at 7,000 feet heading to a destination. However, if you're in a high traffic area, (LAX, ORD, DC), you would probably want them on below 10,000 no matter what phase of flight. GA pilots also aren't going to leave them on simply due to bulb life, but safety comes before bulb costs. Commercial carriers often use landing lights up to 18,000.

Also, for commercial ops, wing lights are on, day or night, sometimes up to 10,000/18,000 or during approach/takeoff. Commercial carriers are obviously big on visibility, so the more lights the better, even if the wing light are considered ice/wing inspection tools.

For GA, I would likely err on the side of caution and use lights as much as possible, but I have seen pilots turn off a lot of lights shortly after departure, so in many ways it's personal preference with few exceptions. And unless you are flying for company that has a policy on light usage, you can do whatever.
Chris J.

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bobsk8
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by bobsk8 »

Orlaam wrote:In the US, the rules aren't as specific as people think. Refer to the AIM page 206, or section 4-3-23: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publica ... -12-17.pdf

Typically, nav/position lights and beacon are always on. For commercial carriers, nav lights are on when power is applied to the aircraft, even if it's ground power and they're sitting at the gate. Beacon, as in the case for GA, comes on for engine start. Anti-collision lights are usually tied to the beacon in certain aircraft. Anti-collision lights are on the fuselage and sometimes a white strobe is on the tail as part of this beacon/anti-collision system.

For taxi, it is encouraged that taxi, nav, beacon and anti-collision lights are on. For commercial carriers, logo lights on at night.

For takeoff and landing (runway ops), it is encouraged all lights be on unless a specific hazard exists that the PIC determines to negate a specific lighting systems, such as strobes in low visibility.

Landing lights are encouraged below 10,000 feet, especially within 10 nm of an airport or low vis or high traffic areas. Nothing prohibits the use of landing lights in a GA during flight. Most pilots aren't going to use them for operation outside an airport, such as at cruise at 7,000 feet heading to a destination. However, if you're in a high traffic area, (LAX, ORD, DC), you would probably want them on below 10,000 no matter what phase of flight. GA pilots also aren't going to leave them on simply due to bulb life, but safety comes before bulb costs. Commercial carriers often use landing lights up to 18,000.

Also, for commercial ops, wing lights are on, day or night, sometimes up to 10,000/18,000 or during approach/takeoff. Commercial carriers are obviously big on visibility, so the more lights the better, even if the wing light are considered ice/wing inspection tools.

For GA, I would likely err on the side of caution and use lights as much as possible, but I have seen pilots turn off a lot of lights shortly after departure, so in many ways it's personal preference with few exceptions. And unless you are flying for company that has a policy on light usage, you can do whatever.
The owner of the FBO and I had disagreements on landing lights being left on due to bulb life, but when I flew, they were always on. My life was worth more than the cost of a lamp.
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Orlaam
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by Orlaam »

bobsk8 wrote:
The owner of the FBO and I had disagreements on landing lights being left on due to bulb life, but when I flew, they were always on. My life was worth more than the cost of a lamp.
Can't argue with that! :wink:
Chris J.

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William Hughes
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by William Hughes »

Generally, I leave them on, but there are times I turn them off:
- on the ground idling with a generator - saves the battery for when you need it later
- IMC conditions where it might be a distraction
- IMC conditions with the pitot tube heat on, every nav system on, and the generator on the edge of what it can do
- I once had a rotating beacon make so much interference for a while that I had to turn it off to use the radio

I am pretty sure with the advent of alternator systems and larger generators, and certainly now with LED lights, there is way less of an issue than there used to be.

William

TonyW
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by TonyW »

Thanks for the detailed replies. I am not in USA but assume that rules in Europe are much the same. As I tend to drive my car with lights on in the daytime to aid visibility I'll continue to use the landing lights below 7,000 ft, as from the replies it doesn't seem to be prohibited. Going back to the car someone once told me that using lights in the day wears out the bulb, but as you say safety is worth more than the price of a lightt bulb!

Regards,

Tony

n421nj
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by n421nj »

In the sim you can do whatever u want. In real life you only need landing lights if you’re flying for hire. That being said I turn them on just before take off and turn them off after clearing the active and taxing back.
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seaniam81
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Re: Correct Use of Lights

Post by seaniam81 »

For me, flying IRL, beacon on with the master, off with the master. Nav lights come on once I'm about to move. Strobes come on when entering the runway and stay on until coming off the runway. And landing light depends on what plane I'm flying. The 150 I fly, landing light comes on when entering the runway and then comes off after leaving the airport zone. Then comes back on if I'm in a high traffic area. Also comes back on when approaching the airport zone and then comes off when leaving the runway. The 172 I fly has a fancy LED landing light so it stays on from the time I take off to the time I land.

The point is I want to be seen. So all lights on as much as possible.

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