Landing Lights

[rigpiggy]

Found this on the 350 forum.Ok, i hope this is on the right area
How far from landing does a plane have to put its landing lights on?
I live right under a flight path, i can see planes all the time, but tonight i was coming home and saw a plane coming overhead at about 20,000feet with full landing lights on, I live about 40miles South from BDL, but i have never seen this before, can anyone help?
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flyingcanuck
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Joined: 05 Mar 2005
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Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada (CYYC)



PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:03 pm Post subject: Reply with quote
They can put them on whenever they want to, but they are mandatory below 10,000 feet.

Does anybody know the applicable Air Reg Chapter and verse please.

[Intruder]

It's a matter of individual airlines' SOPs, not law. Turning them on below 10,000' is common. Many Pilots in the US will turn them on passing 18,000 when they reset the altimeter setting.

[Old Smokey]

In agreement with Intruder, it's not law (yet), but operator's SOPs.

Essentially it's all part of the "See and be Seen" process. No real need in Class 'A' fully controlled airspace, and even there, traffic does become congested below 10,000 feet, or below the Transition Level, whichever is higher.

Also it's common practice in FIRs where communications are very unreliable, e.g. Afghanistan, Yangon FIRs etc.

Regards,

Old Smokey

[NG_Kaptain]

My company's SOP is lights go on when receiving clearance to enter an active runway until reaching 10,000 feet in climb and in descent from 10,000 feet until clearing the runway on landing.

[adriansecco]

Some company SOP's make pilots use lights by night for any climb or decent, at any altitude. It is at Captains discretion in busy traffic areas. Or he would like to monitor if he is flying in cloud for anti ice use.

[sudden Winds]

use of lights

this is an example of an SOP of an airline.

Start taxiing...taxi light on, day or night
enter a rwy (active or not) taxi light off, inboard ldg and turnoff on
cleared for takeoff, during the day, c line above
cleared for takeoff, at night, c above plus outboard landing lts
after takeoff checklist, at night, outbd landing lights off
reaching cruising flight level, inbd landing and turnoff off, beacon and nav stay on all the time btw..
initiating descent...inbd landing and rwy turnoff lights on day or night
500 ft AGL outbd landing lights on...
leaving rwy, all landing and turnoff lights off, taxi lt on
facing marshaller, taxi light off..if u forget uīll see him cover his face, thatīll remind u.

emergency descents. all lights on(except taxi), including wing inspection light
RVSM problems that require 90š heading changes to leave an airway, all landing lights on, donīt know about wing inspection..I would turn it on I guess..
hope this helps.

[rigpiggy]

check the FAA's Advisory circulars 120, 97 think wrt to landing lights on the runway. would be nice if were all on the same page