Flashing landing lights

Yes. they are landing lights. Yes they are alternating. It increases YOUR visibility to other traffic. No they dont mess your landing up unless you are in fog, as others have mentioned.

Back in my younger days as a volunteer fireman, I rigged my high beams to wig-wag in this fashion (first with a 537 alternating flasher, then later with a solid state version that didn't generate the heat of the 537).. This was in additon to whatever light bar or red lights we were required to run if we chose to be "ricky rescue race down the road guys"...

Alternately flashing high beams were the SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE traffic clearing and warning light that I ever used in my years of emergency vehicle operation.

Absolutely no reason not to do it in a plane, especially with wing mounted lights.. Its a minor alteration if you find a mechanic who understands how minor alterations work. Switching on the landing light switch overrides the wig wag function.
 
I had a Super Viking with 4 strobes - wings, belly, tail... Each strobe had its own power pac so they were not synchronized - long boring story... A couple of times I was motoring towards the local jet port and before I could call approach control, the tower called me by tail number and asked if I wanted a landing clearance... This was pre 9/11 so I popped up to the tower one time and asked how he knew it was me before I called... He said my strobes were unique - he saw the trace pop up on the scope and when he looked out he could visually identify my flashes in the darkening sky while I was still more than 10 miles out...

denny-o
 
I know a guy who replaced the Whelen strobe controller with one set up for fire/police vehicles. He can ste up all kinds of different flash patterns, and believeth you me, you can't miss him.
 
TMetzinger said:
Landing lights on the 737 are two center lights on the center underside of the fuselage - they retract flat into the fuselage. I wonder if the wig-wag of the landing lights is tied to a sensor (radar altimeter, flap position, gear position) so that it goes steady for the final segment of the approach.

I'll have to pay close attention next time I go spotting at KBWI.
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Blanket statements. The NEW ones may be that way but not the -300/-500s that I flew. And they did not have that system.
 
SkyHog said:
Wonder if anyone knows what this was all about.

On the way to work tonight, I saw a Southwest Jet takeoff. As it made its turnout across the city, I saw a flashing white light on it. As it got closer to me, I noticed that it was, in fact, the landing lights flashing in a perfect pattern.
Any idea what that was all about? It was definitely the landing lights, that much I am 100% positive about.
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The mind can play funny tricks at night . Seriously , What you saw is correct . This is an optional system installed on some Boeings and lots of GA aircraft . It would be a pain in the neck to try to land a 737 with the lights flashing . They go steady at 50' RA . Hope this helps .

Clarification , The 737 has two sets of landing lights . Fixed which are in the wing root with the turn off lights , and retractable which are in the lower fuse ( Where they get FODed out all the time ) or as GB pointed out in the flap canoe on older models . On all the 737s Ive seen , it is only the fixed landing lights that flash .
Alice
 
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got the pulse lights on our PA28-180. the landing lights altetrnate, but can but truned steady on with a toggle. great system. Dave
 
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