Qantas VH-TJJ departing CB 17.12.12 - Lights??

[Toucan Screamer]

Hi all,

just a quick one... Was watching the pushback and departure of Qantas 734 VH-TJJ yesterday afternoon from CB at approx. 1700...

Prior to pushback (tug connected) no position lights on...

Pushing back no anticol / beacon while engines starting...

Taxi lights and wing lights came on prior to commencement of taxi...

Strobes on entering runway and departing, however still no anticol or position navigation lighting...

Just wondering what the possible reasons may have been for this??

My understanding is that position lights are to make ground crew etc aware aircraft is 'active' & anticol to come on to alert all that engines are about to be started...

Thoughts?

Cheers

2CAN

[The The]

Position (navigation) lights are not required during daylight unless poor visibility.

Anti-collision lights should normally be on whenever aircraft is/about moving, under own power or being towed/pushed.

There are MEL's for inoperative anti-collision lights. Notify ATC, Ground crew etc.

The 734's have separate position and strobe switches meaning you can have the strobes on but not the position lights. The 738's have a combined position and strobe switch so whenever strobes are on, position lights are also on.

[ejectx3]

Or they forgot, but the gingerbeer would alert you usually

[woollcott]

I'm so old, I remember when VH-TJJ was a DC9.............

[Aye Ess]

Indeed,Woolcott.....I remember TJJ as a DC9. It was the one involved in the attempted hijacking between Coolangatta and Brisbane.

[captwawa]

short leg Cooly to Brissy. Bet there was no silly amounts of traffic holding back then, otherwise it would have been quicker to drive.

[Aye Ess]

Yes,Captwawa. I used to fly the DC9 and that was a short leg...50nm,but Proserpine to Mackay was 49nm.....also goes quick in a jet. Pilot briefing for the approach and landing along with the destination ATIS is done before start up. The DC9 being steam driven had no automation,so,crews had to be ahead of the game before start up.