Q1: Light A/C Landing Lights. On or off?

[GoneWest]

Decided on a series of questions - feel free to jump in with your own question, using the next number.

Light Aircraft Landing Lights - On or Off?

AOPA (USA) recommends use of landing light when 10 miles from airfield (inbound or outbound).

There is a valid argument for collision avoidance in daylight - there is also an argument for burning out landing lights in daylight hours, which then forces cancellation of flight during darkness hours (when maintenance have gone home).

Does it make any difference to the collision avoidance argument if the airfield has an operating ATC tower, or not??

[essouira]

I was taught to fly including "landing lights on" in my pre-landing ("downwind") checks. Since I have been instructing, it has been company policy at each airfield where I have worked NOT to use landing lights. This seems pretty general in the UK except at night.

[Another_CFI]

Where I instruct it is policy to have landing lights ON for landing whether by day or night.

[Field In Sight]

I do the same ie. on my downwind checks.

However, if it is slightly hazy or if their are lots of aircraft in the vicinity I switch every light I can find on. I am after all paying for the wear and tear of the light bulb filaments.:)

[FormationFlyer]

I will generally switch them on - even in daylight for added visibility.

If you think this is odd and a/c are easy to see then ask motorcyclists why they do the same....

I hasten to add that a landing light is not required by the ANO for flight at night (schedule 4 or 5 if I recall). Therefore if you can safely taxy without the L/L there is no other reason why it needs to be serviceable - I actually prefer landing with the L/L off anyway!!!

[sennadog]

I always use landing lights from the moment I first contact ATC at the airfield I'm going into as well as during take off in order to make myself more visible to other flyers, such as birds on the RWY.

Additionally, if I'm close to another aircraft I will flash them a few times to help him see me and if the Vis is below par then I will also put them on to aid sighting. Personally, I like to be lit up like a Christmas Tree!:D

[goatgruff]

Aditionally, it helps us in atc a great deal.;)

[foxmoth]

Poor viz. - definitely ON.:D :eek: :)

[Keef]

If in doubt (about anything) turn them on.

I work on "ten miles out" or closer, they should be ON. Inbound or oubound.

If the filaments go, shucks. I'd still rather be seen sooner rather than later.

In busy airspace (eg MiG alley) I have them on enroute too.

[Hooligan Bill]

goatgruff is right, it is a great aid to ATC, especially as many light aircraft types can be difficult to spot until fairly close to the airfield, especially in hazy or grey sky conditions.

[DB6]

Turn them on as you enter the runway before takeoff and off again when you vacate after landing. There is no question that they make aircraft easier to see and one could argue that repeated switching on and off is more likely to burn out the filament than leaving them on all the time.

[A and C]

I tend to use the lights only if there is a good reason for doing so such as lots of other aircraft in the area , poor vis , to aid identification by ATC or if there is a bird hazzard.

To use them all the time will encourage people to just look out for the light and not the aircraft and as we know some aircraft dont have electrical systems to power lights or radio so keeping a good look out is the only real protection you have.

[Cloud Chaser]

Departure: 1000ft checks: Landing Light OFF
Arrival: Downwind/Pre-landing checks: Landing Light ON

This applies day or night, sun or rain.
B747's and A340's use them every landing without fail, and nobody could claim a C152/PA28 etc is easier to see then an airliner.
Teach safety first, cost of a new bulb second.

[DB6]

A&C: What? I have read and reread your post but I can't figure it out. It is not physically possible to lookout for a light and not an aircraft. Are you sure that is what you meant?
To others who have posted: Why bother turning them off? It's not as if the electricity bill will go up. It's interesting because I used to think the same way (subconscious ground-bound advertising?) but since I now have to teach leaving them on I can't think of any reason to turn them off in daylight (airliners may be different with retractable lights and passengers to disturb).

[A and C]

My worry is that people just take a quick glance up the aproach before turning on to the runway expecting to see a bright light and not looking for the much harder to see head on aircraft that may not be fitted with lights.

In my opinion the standard of look out in GA has been falling over the last few years and this trend must be stopped.

[DB6]

A and C, I see what you're getting at. I suppose it depends what you're used to. There are enough places where people don't use landing lights that I'd have thought it wasn't so much of a problem, but then if you happen to be peering up Heathrow's approach you wouldn't expect to see anything but a queue of lights I guess.

[juggernaut]

On the subject of landing lights, a club I visited recently leaves the landing light ON at shut down and found it significantly extends the life of the bulb, if you think about it the vibration at shut down when the light is rapidly cooling (if its switched off) this means the brittle filament gives up the ghost early in its career, leaving it on causes it to remain hot and bendy therefore extending its life. Why not give it a try.

[A and C]

I think that you have an interesting point about extending the life of the landing lamps but I hope this will not extend to taxing around at night with them on.

It seems to have become the fashon to distroy the night vision of all around by leaving all the lights on at night untill the aircraft parked on the ramp.

[fibod]

Leave them on. Anything that improves the chances of being spotted is good news and good airmanship.

If you want to save a few quid by turning them off, may I recommend a better way of saving money: turn the engine off before departure. It saves a fortune in fuel costs.

[A and C]

So you recomend using the lights all the time ? have you ever been face to face with a full set of lights at night on the ground ?, Have you ever flown in cloud at night with the lights on ?

Try it some time and see what happens to your night vision.

[fibod]

:cool: Cool it A&C. The original question referred to daytime. I have experienced those problems during my several 1000 night hours.:p

[tomahawk1673]

Strobes or Beacon or both?

[gearupgone]

ON in the air. I have flown in very busy GA enviroments, and anything that can possibly help another aircraft see me will help.
The best are pulsating lights - they are becomming very popular here in Canada.
By the way, when I flew for an airline, standard procedure was lights ON below 10 000 feet - ALWAYS.
Having been involved in 2 near midairs over Africa - Lights for me please. As for burning out fillaments - so long as they are mounted with the filament vertical (never horrizontal), they seem to go on forever.

[compressor stall]

Rarely use them for landing as the landing gear extension speed is 120kias and not usually below that during the day until turning final.

Never use them on take-off or landing at dusk on bush strips as the wildlife just stands there mesmorised by the light. Without it they tend to move away from the unknown noise.

[martinidoc]

On when entering RW for T/O (Bird strike + Visibility although I accept there is conflicting evidence over the birdstrike issue), On approaching or working in circuit. We no longer switch on and off during circuit work in an attempt to extend bulb life. On when at low level or in poor vis.