Landing lights at high altitude airports
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,991
Likes: 8
From: UK
Mach E Avelli - that's got to be one of the funniest posts on Pprune for a while - I nearly choked on my G & T!
One small point you missed - the non selection of landing lights at the designated altitude corrected for temperature and moons gravitational pull will now be part of the OFDM monitoring - big brother is watching!
One small point you missed - the non selection of landing lights at the designated altitude corrected for temperature and moons gravitational pull will now be part of the OFDM monitoring - big brother is watching!
Joined: Apr 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 4,925
Likes: 614
From: surfing, watching for sharks
I keep the lights on below FL180 at high altitude airports. Places such as Denver have a lot of capable GA aircraft operating above 10K crossing the Rockies.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 196
Likes: 6
From: usa
Most airlines here in the US have FL180 as "lights on" altitude. Exceptions would be for aircraft that have retractable/extendable landing lights, where it's usually 10,000ft/250kts.
Here at AA on the Boeing fleet, lights come on descending through FL180.
However, on our MD80 fleet (retractable lights) the wing landing lights were Captain's discretion: the company actually discourages the use of those lights when conditions don't warrant them (bright day VFR?) to save fuel and landing light maintenance plus eliminating the rumble they produce. Never liked that policy - to me, conditions ALWAYS warrant their use for T/O and landing.
Here at AA on the Boeing fleet, lights come on descending through FL180.
However, on our MD80 fleet (retractable lights) the wing landing lights were Captain's discretion: the company actually discourages the use of those lights when conditions don't warrant them (bright day VFR?) to save fuel and landing light maintenance plus eliminating the rumble they produce. Never liked that policy - to me, conditions ALWAYS warrant their use for T/O and landing.
Last edited by aa73; 16th May 2013 at 01:04.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,480
Likes: 2
From: In a far better place
In high density traffic areas such as LAX, ORD, STN, MAD, to name a few. Lights go on well above 10,000 MSL.
Remember - "Seen and be seen
".
I've never heard of a wing falling of a jet because the lights were turned on above 10,000.
Remember - "Seen and be seen
".I've never heard of a wing falling of a jet because the lights were turned on above 10,000.
Last edited by captjns; 16th May 2013 at 13:07.
