Flashing Landing Light

[CrazyB]

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I noticed the other night in the Soham area. The a plane was coming into land with one of his landing lights flashing into either Mildenhall or lakenheath. Could not tell what plane it was as it was dark but i think it was a fighter jet.

[Neeps]

So the question is.....


Nikki

[Kim Il Jong]

In the rotary world this means 1 of two things:

1. I have a radio failure - request permission to land.(rarely if ever used in anger)

2. Hello Eddie Stobart, I'm lower and faster than you!!(used frequently at LL):ok:

[Blacksheep]

In the dark depths of the avionics engineering world, it signifes a loose or missing screw on the back of the sealed beam unit.

Some civil aircraft have flashers wired into the landing light circuits. Rhythmic flashing of the landing lights is said to warn birds of a possible mid-air collision. Perhaps the military are trying the same tactics.

Practical experience indicates that although birds may be alerted to impending doom, they don't seem to be very good at working out the collision avoidance algorithms.

[ICT_SLB]

What you probaly saw was an aircraft fitted with "Pulse Lights" - as stated above basically a method of flashing each landing light on & off in turn.

One of the main users of pulse lights are "flight inspection" aircraft that check the correct alignment and modulation of ILS beams. Most modern FI aircraft can do this by using the output from a very accurate onboard inertial platform but an older method relies on a ground observer viewing the aircraft as it flies down the beam through a tracking theodolite when a distinctive light system on the aircraft is very useful.

[red 5]

Flashing landing lights are a common sight at most civil airports now, a good deal of executive jets have them fitted as an optional extra, basically for scaring birds away. Also the life of the lamps themselves are supposed to be three times longer as they dont generate the same amount of heat as a lamp shining continuously, looks most odd when you see an aircraft miles out on the approach with it's landing lights going on and off alternately.

[Wycombe]

I've seen lots of airliners and biz-jets in the US that have alternately flashing landing lights - nothing unusual

[miles offtarget]

I understood that it was illegal to use flashing landing lights in UK airspace ? I flew a biz-jet recently and when ordering the spec on a new aircraft, I was informed that it was permitted on the N reg but not on the G, and was not to be used here.

...then again, don't suppose that matters to USAF .

Cheers,

MoT

[Fly Better!]

ANother option for biz jets these days is to start flashing the recognition lights on getting a TCAS advisory.

Didn't the JP use a flashing landing light if the gear wasnt locked down or something similar?

[aluminium persuader]

There was a Calibrator at EGUN the other day. Can't say I've noticed the flashing lights bit, but then I'm mostly kept in a dark room!
:\

[Zoom]

Yes, Kim, I seem to remember that the same (your 1) applied to fixed wing once - fly past tower S&L waggling wings by day or flashing landing light by night.

[CrazyB]

Cheers Guys, Im not really in modern aircraft but as i drive Freight Trains we normally stop around Soham and Ely area, normally you can watch the fuel tankers and the F15s flying about. It was only that it was dark and this plane caught my eye that i noticed it.

Its funny what you see, i don't know if anyone can remember the fighter jet about year and half ago that completed a redish pink circle in the air , not far from Lakenheath. It could been seen for miles.

Anyway a interesting site you have, I have a friend who is a Captain for a local airline who put me in touch with the site. I hope you don't mind if i put anymore daft question on here. Ive got a couple to ask :ok: which i will put on another thread.

[Mach2]

ANother option for biz jets these days is to start flashing the recognition lights on getting a TCAS advisory.
Didn't the JP use a flashing landing light if the gear wasnt locked down or something similar?

The U/C warning light on the JP was separate from the landing light, much smaller and dimmer, especially on the Mk 5. You had to keep your landing light off until after the (mandatory) check of '3 Greens' with ATC on finals, so they could check that you weren't telling porkies