Emergency Exit Lights

[I'm gone!]

Gday all,


It was asked of me today, by someone of greater than average intelligence and common sense, why the standard colour for Emerg. Exit lights and signage in aeroplanes is red when the Aussie standard for buildings is green??

I still haven't been able to come up with a reasonable answer. I proposed that perhaps red light penetrated smoke better or that perhaps the standard for Emerg. Exit lighting in the USA was red.

Anyone able to offer a reasonable answer:confused:

Cheers,
I'm gone!

[lame]

Not too sure about buildings, however the only green coloured exit signs I have seen in buildings, are (as far as I know) just that, signs lighting the "normal" exit path from the building, NOT "emergency" exits. :confused:

Of course with an Aircraft, the "normal" exits (like say the front door) are also "emergency" exits in an emergency situation, and as such definitely always have red signage.

This regulation is so strict in the USA, that we had a run in with an FAA Inspector a few years ago at JFK, because he thought our Australian registered Aircraft had the wrong shade of red exit signs. :rolleyes: