737 drivers - a plea for mercy!!

[Kiltie]

Guys - and it seems most prominent in BA - I appreciate it's no doubt part of your runway / line-up checks but is there any chance you could hesitate for a second before switching your strobes on, particularly at dusk / night?

I've lost count of the number of times I've been blinded (quite literally whopping great white spots in my field of vision for the next few minutes) when I sit behind you in a queue for departure at LGW & your tail strobes burst in to life before you've even entered the active. PLEASE wait till you've turned the corner, if at all possible. And no, I'm not trying to infer a re-write of your SOPs.

[trytofly]

I agree
I've even seen them come on well down the taxiway some distance before the hold.
Tricky one though..I know the SOP's.
Needs thinking about.
No doubt some baffoon will attempt to claim no case to answer !
Good luck.

[A and C]

Boeing SOP is for the strobes to go on as you enter the runway ,perhaps BA has a different set of SOP,s ?.

[CaptainSandL]

For the last 5 years or so there has been an option to fit the 737 strobe ON/OFF switch with an AUTO position whereby it is activated by an A/G sensor. So maybe some crews/operators would prefer to use this option.

Our own company SOP’s insist that we switch them “ON” when entering the active runway, presumably to make you more conspicuous to landing traffic.

Maybe strobes would have helped in the BA744/BM321 09R incident at LHR last year, anybody know if the report mentioned it?

S & L

[Sniff]

As a result of that incident, we no longer have the option to leave the strobes at auto, we have to turn them on before entering the active R/W. Not good I agree and maybe some thought required.

[ 24 August 2001: Message edited by: Sniff ]

[Kiltie]

I am in wholehearted agreement about having strobes on on the active runway; without them you are just another inconspicuous cluster of lights amongst the runway lights: no use at all for aircraft identification. The a/c I fly has weight-switched strobes which only activate once airborne - unsafe I feel when one is occupying the active runway & wants to be seen.

..........but the taxiway..........come on!

[Sniff]

As I said, more thought required.. (and a visit to the tech office....)

[Sniff]

and a visit to the tech office....)

Just done that - There is no change to policy which is to put the lights/strobes on as you are entering the runway, but a fleet newsletter will come out shortly to promote guys to do this as they trundle on, not earlier. Hope it helps.

[Kiltie]

Thanks Sniff, nice to see someone is willing to do something constructive about this "problem" than standing their ground! Helps keep us all one big team & doesn't create type or company divisions in our profession.

Also, thanks too to the 73 driver on stand 56L at LGW tonight at eight o'clock whose aircraft was being catered, boarded etc. with the strobes ON. And, to his buddy further down at the hold for 08R with strobes ON with priority landing traffic at 1 mile & us behind with our shades on. Hope you guys read the fleet newsletter & have a rethink.

[ 29 August 2001: Message edited by: Kiltie ]

[Hew Jampton]

The CAA is writing an AIC on the use of strobes. Most of the points raised in this forum have been suggested to them as worthy of inclusion. Many instances of strobes being on while on stand are down to engineers doing a daily etc, but somebody should tell them to switch them on briefly to check them, then off for the rest of the check. It has to be said that BA engineers leave the strobes on for ages.

[Right Way Up]

Kiltie, the aircraft on stand might have had its strobes on for engineers to check. I'm sure it is part of the daily. No excuse though for the idiot at the hold!

[Sniff]

Might need a bit of patience - Newsletter due 'soon' but when that is I dunno. Still should be there. Take care of your eyes, wear sunglasses at night!