Difference recog.lights/strobes

[Brie]

Hello,

A few weeks ago i saw a mooney wich had a rotating beacon but also recognition lights and strobes. I was wondering what the difference is between those recog lights and strobes, and is there perhaps a different way of use. To me it lookes all the same.

Thx

[pistongone]

The rotating beacon is a legal requirement as i understand it. The strobes are not:confused: Even though most people suggest the strobes are a better anti-collision system. If you have strobes, a lot of airfields and POH's require they are not used untill lining up as the strobe effect can cause some people to have fits etc!Though what that type of person would be doing in such close proximity to dangerous machinery is mind boggling.

[oliversarmy]

"The rotating beacon is a legal requirement as i understand it."


Not sure about that, the Diamond Star I fly doesnt have rotating beacon only strobes which, according to the check list, are on from engine start.


OA

[Brie]

ok, but there are still the recog lights left? what about them? Do they replace the strobes????

grtz

[Mariner9]

In the UK (and presumably the rest of Europe), for most GA types, no lights, strobes, or beacons are required at all (for daytime flying that is)

The regs are all listed in the minimum equipment section of the ANO if you'd care to look it up.

[Rod1]

When I was taught to fly I was told to switch the strobe on before engine start or I was not insured if someone walked into the prop. The strobe caused some interference on the intercom so we would switch them off at the hold and back on again as we vacated the runway.

At my current Club it is verboten to have them switched on until you reach the hold, and you must switch them off as you vacate the runway.

It is a funny old world.

Rod1

[Wrong Stuff]

On a Mooney the factory fitting on the later models was to have strobes on the end of the wings which (surprise! surprise!) flash. They're each visible through 180 degrees from directly in front of the aircraft to pretty much directly behind.

In addition, the recognition lights are very near the end of each wing. These don't flash, they're a steady beam which shines forward only. They're intended to make the aircraft seem more noticeable from in front - eg to an aircraft waiting to line up when you're on finals.

If you really want to light up like a christmas tree, you can also turn on the landing lights and/or the taxiing lights, both of which are half way along each wing.

Mooneys are very well thought out pilot's aircraft and the lights are just one example of this. The interior lights are just as well designed too. In addition to a light in the baggage compartment, the pilot and each passenger has a reading light with dim and bright settings. The pilot has an additional switch to centrally extinguish all the passenger lights. Like most other aircraft, the panel and the internal instrument lights are on separate dimmer switches.

When night flying, one of the nicest features is that there's a separate light on a dimmer switch embedded in the bottom of the yoke, which makes map reading and plog keeping much easier without ruining your night vision and without having to mess about with a torch on a string round your neck. All of this means the only loose battery-powered light you need are your emergency backup ones as everything else is catered for.