FF Said:
... hence the use of Nav lights to indicate either engines running or a signal to ground crew that start is imminent.
The ICAO Rules of the Air state that at night, aircraft on an apron should have their nav lights on at
all times. Therefore people in the surrounding area wouldn't associate the lights being on as a warning of imminent engine start!
Of course, ICAO do make the reasonable assumption that most aircraft have red beacons fitted.
Things are of course a little different at Chipping-cum-Sudbury Aerodrome and Joe Farmers' Strip, and I do like the idea of - say - flashing the nav lights a couple of times before starting.
Using HI WHITE strobes on the ground is cool. Just like having front fog lights on your car. Everyone NOT driving thinks it looks good. Everyone else who's driving thinks you're an inconsiderate boy-racing tosser. IMHO, of course!
For what its worth, from ICAO Annex 8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft):
Navigation Lights and Anti-collision Lights
The lights required must have the:
* Intensities
* Colours
* Fields of coverage and
* Other characteristics
such that they are easy to interpret by other pilots and ground personnel.
In the design of such lights due account shall be taken of the conditions under which they may reasonably be expected to perform these functions.
Lights are installed in aeroplanes so as to minimize the possibility that they will:
* adversely affect the satisfactory performance of the
* flight crews’ duties; or
* subject an outside observer to harmful dazzle.
In some cases it may be necessary to provide the pilot with the means to switch off or reduce the intensity of the flashing