Aircraft Lighting

[Spartan03]

Does anybody know when your nav, and strobe lights are supposed to be turned on? thnx.

[Cessna93]

Taxi and in flight.

P.S read the checklists.  ;)


300th post!

[EGNX]

Well....

Taxi lights should be on for taxiing
Beacon light should be on whilst engine(s) are running
Strobes should be on when taking-off / airborne
Landing Lights should be on for take-off up until 10,000 feet or so. And landing.

[Spartan03]

that sounds right, but from what ive heard the strobes are supposed to be turned on when entering a heavy traffic area.

[AA]

It depends on whether it is day time or night time.

During the day, the strobes stay on from just before engine startup to engine shutdown, the landing light is on for takeoff, landing, and while flying in the traffic pattern, and the nav lights are not used at all.

At night, the nav lights are on pretty much from engine start to engine shutdown, the landing light or taxi light is used while taxiing, the landing light is on for takeoff, landing, and flying in the traffic pattern. The strobes are only used during flight. They are switched on on the runway before takeoff and switched off on the ground after landing.

Now all this is for general aviation aircraft. With airliners, I believe the main difference is in the use of the landing light. Typically, in general aviation aircraft the landing light is turned off during the climb checklist which is done between 500 and 1000 agl, and it is turned back on during an in-range checklist before landing. For airliners, I believe that the landing light is used whenever the aircraft is below 10,000 feet, but don't quote me on that.

[Brett_Henderson]

Here's how I do lighting..(light GA)

The only hard and fast rules are:

[C]

Well....

Taxi lights should be on for taxiing
Beacon light should be on whilst engine(s) are running
Strobes should be on when taking-off / airborne

You've been flying in a Tutor haven't you?

That's pretty much standard for the flying I've done in the last 7 years, over 3 aircraft types. The beacon comes on just before engine start, and strobes in the pre take-offs. The only difference I can note in my experience from Brett's post (and this is probably just our standard procedure) is that at night the Nav lights go on as soon as the aircraft is manned.

[EGNX]

Well....

Taxi lights should be on for taxiing
Beacon light should be on whilst engine(s) are running
Strobes should be on when taking-off / airborne

You've been flying in a Tutor haven't you?

That's pretty much standard for the flying I've done in the last 7 years. The beacon comes on just before engine start, and strobes in the pre take-offs. The only difference I can note in my experience from Brett's post (and this is probably just our standard procedure) is that the Nav lights go on as soon as the aircraft is manned.

Yar.... 'Tis the only powered aircraft I fly! At the mo'  ::)