Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Floatin' on th' Black Pig, Yarr!
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lots of mythology out there, chaps.
1) Bird Scaring...this came about after a European manufacturer, working with a now defunct airline, came out with a forward pointing twin strobe light based on the high intensity strobes used on the North Sea and MOD aircraft technology but using a single flash tube. As the aircraft aceelerates down the runway, or lands, the system increases the flash rate in order to convince bird that the aircraft is approaching faster than it really is. The trials results were somewhat mixed as some trials supported the theory and others didn't.
2) The light units are 115V with a step down to 28V for the sealed beam units, the power varies from aircraft to aircraft and can run from 100 watts for a turn off light up through the standard sizes of General Electric sealed beam units.
3) There are very few gas discharge lights in service on aircraft as the manufacturers are wary of such "unproven" technology.
4) The original reason for flashing landing lights was for recognition purposes on approach, as requested by the tower for visual identification. Whether this is commonly used I don't know.