Not being one who usually posts to threads of this nature, I'll make an exception on this occassion and just to ask, how many of you fly with landing lights on (as well as strobes if you've got them), in these "claggy" conditions?
I went up yesterday for a quick bimble around 1300 hrs mainly to give the old girl an airing and was soon in the poor viz that appears to have been affecting a large area of England.
On went the landing light without a seconds thought!
I suspect many will put landing lights it on in these conditions when in the circuit and or joining but what about en route as well?
OK, so the typical landing light will only last around 50hrs if you're lucky and those on a tight budget may want to prolong it's life by utilising it very rarely but is it worth it when it could save your skin one day.
Only when the AAIB have published the full report into yesterday's tragic incident, will we know all the facts and it may well be that one of the aircraft involved was not equipped with landing lights but surely if you've got them, it makes sense to use them!