What join were you given from the West?
I was given a downwind join for runway 21, nothing unusual about it. Only that I didn't see Main Road until I was right above it, which is when I became "visual" with Biggin's flood lit Southern Apron and positioned accordingly onto an estimated downwind for 21. (still of course couldn't see much of the runway lights). Had the runway edge lights been omni-directional (as where I flew in NZ) I would have been able to place myself for a normal downwind join as I would have been able to see the runway shape from quite a bit further out.
You could request an overhead join at 2,400ft QNH then descend on the deadside for standard circuit join.
- I thought about it after I realised how late I became "visual" with the field. I also considered taking up a 2mile DME arc until I became visual with the lights. I even considered doing the ILS (but then remembered that I'd be charged £50 for it...). But at uncontrolled airfields / aerodromes without VOR / DME / NDB / *proper* lighted beacon, it seems unnecessarily complex to just "see" where the runway is, don't you think? [have I just got too used to omni-directional pilot activated runway lighting with absolutely nobody around? perhaps...]
bi-directional high intensity lenses
Apologies - I assume that they are bi-directional, I meant that they were only useful from a particular angle. You say that there is a low intensity component which is omnidirectional but I am not sure I saw one. Jellyrog - you may have flown there more often than me at night, have you noticed one? When coming back from the East, I just track the VOR until I am overhead and then I can position myself accordingly by having seen the runway from above.
LIs on full blast for circling guidance
That sounds good! It'd make it easier for us few flying VFR at night.
The requirement is so that on final, a slight misalignment of the approach will produce a slightly mis-matched intensity.
Oh now... that makes a hell of a lot of sense! But then again - the military as chevvron stated seems to have the best of both worlds, visible in the circuit as well as mis-matched intensities! Clever thinking there.
I suggested drilling a hole in the side of the fitting but I think they thought I was taking the proverbial.
Haha good one!
I guess that this was done in order to stop the possibility of having two vehicles / planes following the greens towards one another?
TOO - I also remember my instructor telling me the same thing when I learnt at Southend airport, although there, it was very easy to orientate oneself due to the fact that it really was "the dark bits amongst the lit" whilst at Biggin, at least from the West there are quite a few unlit bits that could very well hide a runway! haha! [although I was told a story about a student who flew a "perfect" approach, the instructor asked "do you have your features in sight?", the student replied that he did, the instructor then asked "is your DI and compass aligned?", student adjusted it a little but continued the approach, a moment later the controller asked "do you have the field in sight?", and the student replied "affirm" and continued down to 500ft when the instructor applied full throttle... He was perfectly aligned... With Southend Pier!]
I'll give CAP168 a go in a mo!
Thanks TOO, Chevvron & jollyrog - really appreciate the pointers and explanations! I think they will be invaluable in the future!