Light Gun Signals

[tian yu]

HI there. My student & I just had a simulated NORDO procedure and the tower gave us a flashing white light gun signal, at which we made a go around because it was not applicable in flight (or so I thought . . . ?)

Upon landing afterwards, I was summoned to the control tower and found myself getting lectured about my knowledge of light gun signals. According to the controller, I should have landed & proceeded back to the apron/ramp upon receiving the flashing white signal. Somewhere along the way, he mentioned its as per ICAO operation procedures.

My question : As pilots are we cleared to land & taxi to the ramp upon seeing a flashing white? I thought a steady green to be followed by flashing white is rather more reasonable.

Worst of all, my student is asking me the correct procedure . . . which I am hoping any of you guys could shed some light on this.

Ideas? Comments? Bring it on~



PS: Oh by the way, I'm based in the Phillippines. If that makes a diff~

[Intercepted]

The guy in the tower is wrong and you are right.

A flashing white to an aircraft in flight is not applicable and therefore that must be the same as no light signal at all.

I would have done exactly what you did, stay in the circuit and wait for either green or red or a combination thereof

[Whopity]

According to the controller, I should have landed & proceeded back to the apron/ramp upon receiving the flashing white signal. Somewhere along the way, he mentioned its as per ICAO operation procedures.

When people quote procedures to you, always ask them to show you the procedure they are referring to! If they are correct they will do so quite easily.

White Flashing Signal:

Land at this
aerodrome after
receiving continuous
green light, and
then, after receiving
green flashes,
proceed to the
apron.

I was taught this in 1967 and have never seen it used so well done on remembering!

[Unhinged]

It appears that the Phillipines may have their own interpretation on this.

http://www.caap.gov.ph/Downloads/AO91.pdf contains the information (p.14) that Flashing White to an aircraft in flight means "Land at this aerodrome and proceed to the apron". However, that is information for the pilot rather than a clearance to do so, because there's a note which says that "Clearance to land and to taxi will be given in due course"

So it seems that the tower controller could legitimately use flashing white in this situation, but would have had to follow it with a Steady Green then a Flashing Green to give you the actual landing and taxi clearances.

FWIW, in this part of the world (Oz), flashing white to an aircraft in flight has no significance (http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/.../1_5_40-48.pdf) and I would have had a similar reaction to you

[JB LFPN FLYER]

Hi ,

had a quick look in my ATPL books , and some ICAO documentation and a it says :

Series of white flashes for an aircraft in flight : Land at this aerodrome and proceed to apron .


Hope it helps .


JB

[what next]

Good morning!

It appears that the Phillipines may have their own interpretation on this.

No, they don't. They just implemented the rules as stated in "ICAO Annex II Rules of the Air" (google for it!).

Greetings, Max

[ab33t]

This is confusing , some say green then flashing white and others say flashing white , you may end up flying around in circles waiting for the green

[Ryan5252]

Stupid question but; what was wrong with the radio?

[Unhinged]

The Flashing White light to an aircraft in flight seems completely redundant. They still have to give you the various Green lights for the actual clearance, so the White light hasn't achieved anything useful

[what next]

The Flashing White light to an aircraft in flight seems completely redundant. They still have to give you the various Green lights for the actual clearance, so the White light hasn't achieved anything useful

It tells the pilot of the aircraft to land at this specific airfield (he may even have his radio on but tuned to a different frequency). This can not be communicated with green lights alone. There may be any number of reasons for that: Maybe the aircraft is trailing smoke. Or the refueller found out that he used jet fuel instead of AVGAS and phoned all airfields in the vicinity. Or the aircraft infringed a military control zone. Whatever.

So whenever you fly in an ICAO member state that has implemented the full set of rules (like the country I live in for example) and you see white lights being flashed at you from a control tower, you better land. It saves them the inconvenience (and you the cost) of scambling the fighters to get you down...

[redbar1]

A series of aimed white flashes and/or strobes/flares might also indicate you are entering a firing range, "Please Get Lost"

But those flashes would most probably come from the firing platform, not from a TWR. Do not ask...

[tian yu]

THANKS!!!

WOW! looks like I got more info than I bargained for

Thanks for the clarification on this Oh and by the way, I intend to land and proceed to apron . . . but I would definitely remind the tower to "flash green in due course."

Cheers & Fly Safe!

[Matt101]

Just did Air Law exam (JAA)

On the ground:

Flashing Green: Clear to taxi
Steady Green: Clear Take off
Flashing Red: Taxi Clear of Landing area in use
Steady Red: Stop and give way
Flashing White: Return to starting point on the aerodrome.

In the Air:

Flashing Green: Return for Landing (not a clearance to land)
Steady Green: Clear to Land
Flashing Red: Aerodrome unsafe do not land
Steady Red: Give way and continue circling
Flashing White: Land at this Aerodrome and proceed to apron (clearances to land and taxi will follow this is not a clearance to either land or taxi)

Red Pyrotechnic : Notwithstanding any previous instructions do not land for the time being.

These instructions appear in exactly the same way in three separate books as well as on the question bank.

[Big Pistons Forever]

I showed all my students what the light signals looked like then told them the first step in handling a NORDO procedure (assuming the failure is detected before they have entered the control zone) is to phone the tower on their cell (mobile) phone.