Flashing yellow light
 

Saw an aircraft at low level tonight, almost certainly a helicopter (I was driving so couldn't hear it) with usual red/green/white nav lights plus a flashing YELLOW light on the tail. I presume it was military since my understanding is that anti-collision lights on civil helis have to be flashing red.

It wasn't bright yellow but it certainly didn't look white. By the configuration of the lights I reckon it could have been a Chinook. Is this some kind of NVG-compatible lighting fit?

Any enlightenment appreciated.

NS

Could you see the lamp directly or is it possible you were seeing a reflection on yellow livery from an white strobe that was obscured from your angle? Could be something strange like that, the dark play tricks on your eyes...

I doubt it would have been a Chinook; you'd have heard one of those even driving with stereo blaring!

Cheers

Whirls

SS:No, it was very clearly a 360-visible flashing light, on the tail above the rear nav light, and with none of the structure visible. Like I say it's possible it was white, just showing a yellowish tinge because of atmospheric effects or something, but it certainly wasn't red.
As to not hearing a Chinook, I had my 15 year old daughter in the car with me. I rest my case!
NS

Do Chinooks still have an anti-collision light that can be selected from red to white? If so the atmospherics might have made it look yellow-ish.

Either that or it was a gritting lorry........ :p

Or.... something unexplained.... well, you know..... (did your car engine cut out at any time, have you had any memory blanks about this and does your bottom hurt, etc)?

Shy T

From the original post, I don't think the traffic Police were involved in this instance :}

Alloa:Come to think of it, maybe the light was blue...
NS

NorthSouth,

some mil, police or med copters have special anit-collision lights to fly with night vision glasses. I think you have seen such an anticol light. But I only know green ones. Perhaps an answer.

There´s a picture - that shows Bavarian Police EC135 on the fin after the red anti-col a blue one

http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/show.php?id=616800

2 scenarios
1. Maybe it was a landrover waiting on the ramp to be pushed off:)
2. Someone did a pi$$ poor walkround, and all 3 forgot to undo the ground handling tug before departure:}

Can we have it back please :uhoh: will swap for Land Rover

The 135 at Newcastle has a white strobe on each stabilizer tip. Perhaps some yellow on a police helicopter was illuminated during the flash?

NorthSouth,
IMO, you are 100% correct. I think what you saw was indeed an NVG equipped Helicopter.

The tail Strobe on the NVG aircraft have a definate Amber hue compared to the normal white strobes.

Where did you see it?

15nm SE EGPH, probably en route EGPH to Exercise Cold Igloo (is there any other sort?) which was on at the time.
NS

Possibly
 

What you saw might have been a low-flying C-130 tanker. Tankers have an amber underbelly beacon which, when flashing, indicates readiness to refuel receiver aircraft.

Snow-plough?

How fast were you going?

You could have experienced doppler effect which would reduce the wave length of the white strobe light to yellow.

Let that be a warning to all: next time you see a steady white light turning to yellow, get out of there quick - it's a jet reversing towards you.:)
NS

Methinks the two are somewhat incompatible Captain. Unless some plonker forgot to switch it off, but that's what checklists are for.......

there is one machine that would display all the usual nav lights AND a yellow flashing light- besides arismount's plonker in a c-130 tanker; and this machine does fly - if a little low to the ground; and that would be a HOVERCRAFT! They are obliged to show a yellow flashing light. Just a thought. TF