Aircraft Lights?

I think this link can help answer your questions, however, as far as your second question, I think it is in reference to FSPax, and I don't have that product as of now. My apologies

http://www.abacuspub.com/freepress/DontBeAfraidOfTheDark.pdf

Also, I don't have the "pilot controls aircraft lights" option enabled - could anyone tell me what it does?

I don't understand that option either, so I would like somebody to answer that.

You switch on the beacon light before engine start (because it tells the ground crew you're ready), and leave it on along with the nav lights throughout the flight. Strobes are I think used during the nigh and low visibilities.

If you fly a jet or something similar, then switch on the landing lights before takeoff and leave them on until you're above 10000ft. Same thing on descends: switch them on as soon as you go below 10000ft and leave them on until you clear the runway.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

There is a difference in what the FAA requires and Airline procedures.

The Nav lights are located on the wing tip and tail. Left is red, right is green and tail is white. The help other aircraft tell your orientation at night. They are required to be on sunset to sunrise.

LAND is the Landing light, used to land at night. Recommended below 10,000 feet for collision avoidance.

Strobe is a high intensity light usually one on each wing tip use for collision avoidance. Normally turned on just before takeoff.

Beacon is a small, red rotating or flashing beacon also used for collision avoidance. Normally turned on before engine start.

Airlines use NAV light any time electrical power in on the aircraft.

Pilot controlled lighting allows you to control the lights separately.
🙂

wow.. tyvm guys!

So, the BCN lights are basically left on the whole flight?

Usually the beacon is turned off once you are on the runway.

Switch off Beacon, switch on strobes.

SeanGa wrote:

wow.. tyvm guys!

So, the BCN lights are basically left on the whole flight?

YUP

Bartholomew your sig is freaking me out 😳

Wait...

crosscheck9 wrote:

SeanGa wrote:

wow.. tyvm guys!

So, the BCN lights are basically left on the whole flight?

YUP

Solotwo wrote:

Usually the beacon is turned off once you are on the runway.

Switch off Beacon, switch on strobes.

So which is it, whole flight or turned off on runway?

Normally you have both on during flight, they both aid other aircraft in seeing you. 🙂

So let me just get this right:
1. from taxiing to runway, you have your taxi light, beacon, navigation lights ON.
2. from runway to airborne, you switch OFF taxi light, beacon light is OFF, nav lights are still ON, but strobe light is switched ON, and landing light is ON.
3. during flight upto 10'000 all the above are the same except after 10'000 landing lights have to be OFF.
4. when descent, below 10'000 landing lights ON, taxi light OFF, nav lights ON, beacon OFF, strobe ON.
5. and then when you land and exit runway, LL OFF, taxi lights ON, strobe lights OFF, beacon lights ON, nav lights ON. and when you park, only nav lights are ON, the rest are off.

Am i right??

Almost. If you're simulating airline procedure:

1. yes
2.beacon stays on
3. yes
4. beacon still on
5. yes

kianok wrote:

Bartholomew your sig is freaking me out 😳

Sorry, Kianok, but it has to stay! 😉

By the way, I've read in a 747 manual that beacon stays on the entire flight.

On my flying lessons we leave the strobe on for the entire flight... is this something that varies from a/c to a/c and where you are flying?

Doyley wrote:

On my flying lessons we leave the strobe on for the entire flight... is this something that varies from a/c to a/c and where you are flying?

I'm not sure but I think smaller aircraft, i.e. a cessna, doesn't have NAV lights and so strobes need to saty on for traffic avoidance.

I think your right, I can only remember seeing and checking the strobes and landing lights.

All aircraft that fly at night have to have NAV lights. Strobe lights are optional and many small aircraft don't have them, they have the red rotating beacon. 🙂