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Check Airman
1st Sep 2019, 23:42
Hey all, today, I noticed a relatively dim, flashing blue light in the strobe housing on a sharklet equipped A320. I have a vague memory of it signalling the end of the service life is near, but I couldn't find it written anywhere.

Does anyone know what it means? The light worked normally by the way.

hans brinker
2nd Sep 2019, 05:40
Hey all, today, I noticed a relatively dim, flashing blue light in the strobe housing on a sharklet equipped A320. I have a vague memory of it signalling the end of the service life is near, but I couldn't find it written anywhere.

Does anyone know what it means? The light worked normally by the way.

It is SEP.

lurkio
2nd Sep 2019, 07:26
Apparently it means that it has a certain amount of time before it has to be swapped out. I cannot remember if it is 750 hours or 950. That from an engineer who I trust implicitly.

Found it in the latest FCOM. SYS Lights - Exterior lights in the controls and indicators section.

A blue light below each strobe light allows to monitor the strobe light wear (LED technology). When STROBE sw is
OFF or BEACON sw is ON, this light flashes in blue if the strobe light replacement should be planned.

There is also one on the nav lights as well

blue light below each navigation light allows to monitor the navigation light wear (LED technology). When the NAV
& LOGO sw is ON, this light flashes in blue if the navigation light replacement should be planned.

Doesn't mention a time limit and I don't have a maintenance manual to look it up in.

Nightstop
2nd Sep 2019, 07:31
A blue light below each LED NAV and Strobe light monitors the wear of the light. When this light flashes blue, the light replacement should be planned.

sonicbum
2nd Sep 2019, 07:49
Just to add that the FCOM mentions it "as installed".

lurkio
2nd Sep 2019, 07:54
If he can see it then it must be installed - no? The little triangle asterixy thing didn't copy when I extracted the FCOM bits above.

sonicbum
2nd Sep 2019, 07:59
If he can see it then it must be installed - no? The little triangle asterixy thing didn't copy when I extracted the FCOM bits above.

Yep, but other people might be interested as well, hence my note.

Check Airman
2nd Sep 2019, 15:02
Thanks guys. The people who butchered our manuals don't think we need to know that.

Weapons Grade
2nd Sep 2019, 16:42
According to the mechanics in my airline, it is an End of Life (EOL) indication (blue flashing LED), which signifies that nav light/strobe replacement needs to be planned within next 950 hours.