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Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:23 pm
by Fly2e
First off, I want to say what a beautiful aircraft the Airbus A320 is. My wife and I just got back from a 4 day jaunt to Puerto Rico. Anyway, this aircraft was only 2 months old and real clean. Out of all the Boeing's, McDonald Douglas

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:26 pm
by Craig.
Logo light, It illuminates the logo on the tail. No point having it on at 30,000 where no-one can see it.
I am surprised that you call the A320 quiet, My last trip on one it was noisier than the dc10 on take off.
Did you have a good trip?

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:27 pm
by Ben_M_K
Sorry Dave I can't answer your question but I'm sure some guys on here will know just what you're talking about!

I've been on a A320 and a A319 and I must agree, very smooth! :)

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:30 pm
by Fly2e
I thought it might be the Logo Light but like I said Craig, I was sitting over the wing and it looked like the light was shining from the side of the fuselage onto the front of the wing right out to the winglet. There was no Logo anyplace there. I am familiar with the Logo Light on the tail, but this basically only illuminates the actual

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:33 pm
by beefhole
You can't see the wings from the cockpit in just about every modern jet.  If you look closely at the manuals that come with many high-quality freeware planes, it'll show a diagram of where the pilot can see out of the cockpit, and mentions that you must rely on the EICAS for all engine info since you can't see the engines.  Like Craig said, those were most likely logo/possibly anti-collision lights.  

I agree, I fly the A320 over to Cali all the time and she is a great ride.  When I fly over there alone, my parents put me in first class! ;D

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:33 pm
by Craig.
Maybe the landing light reflecting off the fuselage. 15 minutes before landing would sound like it was round the window for it to be switched on. I cant help to much as on the few night flights i have been on i have never had a window seat while landing in the dark.

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:34 pm
by Fly2e
Unless possibly it was illuminating the "Jet Blue" logo near the front of the fuselage casing the light to reflect and look as though it was illuminating this part.

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:39 pm
by Craig.

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:48 pm
by Fly2e
Craig that is it!
You can See that if you were sitting behind the wing, it would look as if the "front" of the wing was illuminated right up to the winglet!
Thanks for that shot as that it explains it!  ;D

Image

Dave

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:49 pm
by jrpilot
Actually they are called wing lights (there maybe another "aviation" term for them) and there point is to look for icing on the wings  ;D

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:51 pm
by Fly2e
[quote]Posted by: jrpilot Posted on: Today at 4:49pm
Actually they are called wing lights (there maybe another "aviation" term for them) and there point is to look for icing on the wings

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:54 pm
by Craig.
Its the landing lights reflecting off the fuselage/nacells. Or the strobes.

Maybe not the quietest but definitely a constant smoothness to the whole aircraft itself.  
Yes, it was truly great. I got a ton of shots. When I get some time, I will upload them!!
glad to hear it. Maybe it was just a bad day for that engine:)

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:14 pm
by jrpilot
[quote]
I don't think there is any chance of Icing coming from Puerto Rico!

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:23 pm
by Craig.
It is the landing lights if that is what he saw. Its the only ones powerful enough to create that effect. Some airlines have little lights in a row, usually a green or orange color in dots along the wing.

Re: Spotlight on Airbus Wings!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 5:01 pm
by Nexus
The capt. usually turns on the landing lights (that is what you saw, as mentioned by Craig earlier) when passing thru 10.000ft.

All commercial aircrafts also have lights that will illumate the whole leading edge, to see if any icing has occured, these are called wing lights. Their purpose is mainly to aid the crew when the aircraft is on the ground during nights, for pre-flight inspections.

Glad to hear you had a nice flight, the airbus A320 is a very sweet aircraft, indeed :)