Use (abuse!) of strobes
 

Why do so many light aeroplane pilots insist on having the strobes on from engine start?

PLEASE they should only be used for flight. So only put them on when you enter the runway for take off, turn them off after vacating the active. Also use when crossing the active.

They're proper name is HISL, HIGH INTENSITY strobing lights, and can cause problems for other people on an aircraft manoeuvring area, eg refuelers and marshallers. So, also don't have them on when at the hold, they can cause distraction to pilots landing.

Please be considerate of others. (OK I'll accept that some aeroplanes have their rotating beacon and strobes on the same switch, which is a silly design, but still consider switching both off if your approaching the fueler or marshaller).

Bad habits can be stopped, just like watching some idiot today (yes, with strobes on) brake to a halt with the engine still at high power!

Come on instructors, flying clubs, owners persuade your pilots to think a bit.

TD&H

Good point. I am half way through PPL and have always been taught that, and so implement it when starting up.

:ok:

Whats the point of having strobes on during daylight anyway?

If you want to attract attention, you have to have a contrast - if its dark,flash a light; if its quiet, make a noise; if its light, make a shadow.

Flashing a light against a light background has little effect. I can more or less garantee that the next light aircraft that you see in flight, you will be attracted to it by the engine noise, you'll see the dark silhouette next and finally you'll notice its strobes.

This could be argued both ways. Personally I use strobes at engine start time, as an extra warning to anyone walking about. A lot of checklists suggest that. Then turn them off for taxi. After landing, turn them off when leaving the runway.

On some of the new PA28s there is no red rotating beacon. Apparently this is acceptable if strobes are fitted and used in the same way as the rotating beacon.

Basically as Squadgy says. On all the PA28s including the Arrow I have flown only have tip strobes as anti collision lights. Also, neither of them could be described as anywhere approaching new so I imagine there are few about with that configuration.

As I stated I accept that some a/c eg PA28 have a bad design. But it still doesn't excuse the otherwise poor use of strobes.

IO540, that's a reasonable idea, but so long as those who do that think of the effect on people on the apron who might be looking straight at the a/c and hence the strobes when you put them on. The point, as advised in some FAA circulars I've seen, is to be very careful in using strobes near people.

If this gets a few more people thinking, then it will have done some good. Including power against brakes!

Cheers and happy and safe flying

We teach:

When cleared onto runway before releasing brakes:
Warrior Wing strobes......ON
Warrior Vent fan...........OFF
Pitot heater..................ON
Transponder.................ALT

as the last 4 items of the pre-take off checklist after ATC clearance has been obtained and the emergency brief given.

Time for a confession...
I`m one of those who leaves them on from engine start to shutdown :cool:

I do it for 2 reasons really...

1)They DO make it easier for other people working airside (who your most likely to injure) to see the a/c - been told that by the engineers,refuellers,other pilots and even the local ATCOs.

2)They look cool.

Oh yes,perhaps the pilot who stopped suddenly whilst engine was at high rpm was actually testing the brakes?

I agree with Kolibear.

The same thought should apply to the use of landing and taxi lights at night, too.

One of those questions where everyone has their own point of view, and will not budge whatever arguments the other side puts over I suspect.

I fly a fleet of 3 C150/C152s. One of them has a strobe and no beacon. One has a beacon and no strobe. The third has both.

On the one with a beacon, there is no problem. On the one with a strobe, I teach my students to switch it on when lining up, and switch it off when leaving the runway, and I tell them why we do this. But I also explain that many people prefer to leave it on from engine start to engine stop, so not to be surprised if they see other people, including other instructors, doing this.

On the aircraft with both a beacon and strobes, the beacon goes on when starting the engine and the strobe goes on when lining up. For some reason I can't figure out, many of my students seem to have trouble with this. They all understand what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, but when left to their own devices they invariably do something different..... :confused:

FFF
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If you have a beacon, it is most definitely ON at start-up as it denotes the engine/propellor thingy is going to make a noise. Trouble is a lot of our AC have just one switch that is both strobes and beacon.

Other lights on at pre takeoff check along with transponder as we cross the runway boundary.

BEagle,

Why turn the vent fan off?

Regards,

DFC

Quote:

"2)They look cool."

unquote.

:rolleyes: Do you drive with your car foglights on in the daytime?

As far as someone needing white strobes to see another aircraft on the ground.... I think not. They are a damned nuisance and you risk damaging the retinas of persons nearby, so that they are likely to look AWAY from the aircraft - which does nothing to help safety.

Personally, I dont think the strobe lights cause any distress to the eyes from even a short distance away, but that's just me. So whilst waiting to taxi, if another aicraft was in close proximity, it really wouldn't cause a noticeable problem for me, other than the fact that I can see them better, which obviously aint a problem. The only time I never look directly at them is whilst doing the walkaround, as that would be stupid. As far as my extremely limited experience goes, even in the brightest of days, you can still see the strobes, which all aids to safety IMEHO :uhoh:

No beacon, no strobe, no just cause to be in this thread.

But.... a good look round, followed by 'CLEAR PROP!' and another look round before going for a start seems to work well enough. If CC suddenly acquired either of those strange electric gizmos, the novelty would probably do more damage inside the a/c than out.
:eek:

As an ATCO I must admit one of my pet hates is strobes on during ground ops. They do dazzle, they are annoying, and they're not achieving anything really apart from blinding people. If you don't believe me then sit in the tower and have an Airbus taxy past with them on because his ops manual says so (soon got that changed) - it ruins your day (and your night vision).

As for types like some PA28's where it's all on the one switch - daytime you can see the aircraft, night time the nav lights should be sufficient to people that the aircraft is active. If anything the strobes actually stop you seeing that the prop is on because of the dazzle effect.

As others have said - just before you enter the runway, not before. When you vacate the runway, not after.

Worst case of unnecessary strobes that I've seen was last Wednesday at Heathrow - a British Airways 767 parked at Terminal 4 with nobody on board, no activity in the vicinity, and certainly no take-off imminent.

If the engine is going to be started then the anti-collision lights have to be on. I am sure that we all agree that a red flashing beacon is ideal but what if you dont have the option.

I have been asked to turn my strobes off (at night) which leaves me with no anti-colls on. IF I had a collision what do you reckon my insurer would say?

I dont even like landing with them on - ground reflections can be a proper pain - but it is unfortunately law. If people want to take the liability for me turning them off - or pay to have a red rotating beacon fitted then fine - otherwise its tough.