Originally Posted by
riverrock83
Rather than the issue being Nimbys, is it not more a safety issue - as in - someone turning the lights off when someone else is on approach?
Licensed aerodromes are likely to have a much greater volume of traffic than unlicensed.
Two planes are approaching an airfield at night, the first guy turns it on (say by SMS), then the second guys turns it on as well. The first guy doesn't know about the second guy, so once he vacates, he then turns the lights off again - leaving the second guy in the dark...
Landing at night is likely controlled by other means (simply no permission granted to land between certain times).
I don't think there is a particular correlation of traffic at licensed vs unlicensed fields.
Also, PCL doesn't work like that. You can turn it on and you can adjust its level, but you can't turn it off with the PCL system - it goes off on a timer.
PCL is common in other countries (particularly the USA) and IFAIK there are no safety issues - beyond the general reduced safety of night time operations.
However, even if you are in a busy circuit you should key up the system. I was once doing a night landing away and was something like number 5 in the circuit with the field and ALS lit up like a Christmas tree- so didn't bother to key the PCL again. On final the Christmas tree turned into a black hole
Oops. Never have I gotten out 7 clicks on the mic faster!
I have no idea why this rule exists, I am pretty sure the CAA has lost the logic in the mists of time. But I also know my local field has PCL for the police and tried to get it available for all but failed.