Flashing landing lights

SkyHog

SkyHog

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Everything Offends Me
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. It wasn't like flashing to acknowledge something, more like a beacon flashes.

Any idea what that was all about? It was definitely the landing lights, that much I am 100% positive about.
 
for better visibility to other pilots..anti collision lights i believe they call them.
 
they are made to alternate; proven in testing to have better visibility to traffic, and bonus: light bulbs last longer
 
Those were probably pulse lights. Rule of thumb for a/c that have them is to turn them on below 18,000.
 
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doesn't that mess up their landing? seems it would be a bit disorienting at touchdown
 
NickDBrennan said:
doesn't that mess up their landing? seems it would be a bit disorienting at touchdown
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Normally they do not effect it. My dad who flies a Citation XLS which has them said at night it doesn't matter since it's on the belly and wing-tips, but in fog he turn em' off. He also mensioned he keeps them on anytime below 18,000 besides in fog ops. It's on the "180" check on the checklist.
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
Normally they do not effect it. My dad who flies a Citation XLS which has them said at night it doesn't matter since it's on the belly and wing-tips, but in fog he turn em' off. He also mensioned he keeps them on anytime below 18,000 besides in fog ops. It's on the "180" check on the checklist.
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Can't be the same thing then. This was most definitely the landing lights themselves, in the front of the plane.
 
On the Learjet 45, they are recognition pulse lights. They are under the belly and one on each side. They have landing lights next to them on the belly also. The main landing gear have lights on them too. The recog switch has OFF-PULSE-ON. However, when the landing gear is in the up position and with the recog switch in the "PULSE" position, they pulse. When the landing gear is down and locked, they go to a steady light. Our aircraft will not pulse with the landing gear down and locked.

We turn the switch on below FL180 for the reasons mentioned in the other responses. The only time we set the switch to "ON", is if you are in the clouds below FL180 and you dont like the pulseing sensation. I personally dont care but a couple of the guys, it bothers.

I believe the picture next to my name shows the pulse lights on the belly. Since the gear is locked, they are steady. I personally think they look cool on other aircraft, but they definately are easier to see for orientation. If this doesnt help, I can take a closer picture of them for you but they would be steady, well...unless I could talk the maintence guys into jacking the plane up and pulling up the gear. :) I think they would probably give me a funny look.

Brent Bradford
 
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Yup. Some of the other aircraft, like the KingAir's have pulse on the landing lights too, which you could have seen.

Heh, today I saw a plane overflying my town which had about 6 individual strobes....not kiddin' here, not flashes, but 6 different ones.

I was really surprised...which I had my camera. Dang
 
Bill Jennings said:
They really do catch your attention. I notice planes with these much quicker than ones with continous lights.
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That's 1. Why they're there and 2. Why pilots love em' (except in fog and thick clouds)
 
gibbons said:
Also for us little guys: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/pulsarlightsys.php
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Owner installed in 30 minutes.
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I don't think it's legal for an owner to be messing with permanent wiring but it ain't my funeral.

I have the Skytech pulser with my wing-mounted Skytech landing lights. It's as simple as the split light switch for the wing lights short out the pulser so they stay on. I wish I had known about the one that can flash in sequence so the pulse would go left-nose-right. Mine doesn't connect to the stock nose landing light... which BTW, has the original bulb that has been there the 6 years I've owned the plane. Now that I mention that, of course, it'll burn out.
 
mikea said:
I don't think it's legal for an owner to be messing with permanent wiring but it ain't my funeral.
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It is legal for ONLY the landing light circuit, though this would probably be stretching it a little. FAR part 43, Trouble shooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring circuits.

 
We have the wingtip strobes on both the CAP plane and on Tweety Bird. They make a world of difference being spotted.

Merf
 
My question, is do the lights go "constant" when close to landing.

It's like those lights available from PreciseFlight's Pulselite.
 
jdwatson said:
My question, is do the lights go "constant" when close to landing.

It's like those lights available from PreciseFlight's Pulselite.
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Probably not automatically but I'm sure the pilot can and does go to continuous in IMC and when landing at night.
 
I installed pulse lighting on my Warrior last year. The main switch is a split toggle, and there is a second toggle which, in combination, allows you to select front, wing tips, or both, solid or pulse.
I haven't done any night landings yet with them, but I don't think you'd have any problem with them in pulse mode since they aren't all off at the same time.
 
silver-eagle said:
I installed pulse lighting on my Warrior last year. The main switch is a split toggle, and there is a second toggle which, in combination, allows you to select front, wing tips, or both, solid or pulse.
I haven't done any night landings yet with them, but I don't think you'd have any problem with them in pulse mode since they aren't all off at the same time.
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I had a pulse light system on my Bonanza which alternated the landing lights located 2/3rds the way out each wing. I'm pretty sure leaving them flashing produced some noticable effects when landing at night, but you could still see OK. IOW it was a tolerable distraction.
 
The flashing of landing lights on final

I was sitting in a parking lot the other day watching with great interest an airplane on a long final with landing lights flashing in a very predictable pace as if they were designed that way. The "see and be seen" rule here was quite remarkable as the flashing of the lights really caught my attention vs. constant on. It turned out to be Southwest Airlines landing in Manchester, NH. Picture a motorcycle with a flashing headlight vs. one that has a regular always on headlight. Some of the foreign bikes I've seen has this modulating headlight feature, it sure grabs my attention quicker than an always on headlight. Maybe it's a new policy with
SWA, all I can say is that it really adds visibility to the aircraft. I saw a post from an experimental airplane pilot that added "wig wag" HIL as landing lights and he claims he can be seen from foreign countries. I think it's a great idea. You can't argue with see and be seen.
 
SWA landing in Manchester, NH with flashing landing lights. Really, really visible compared to lights on steady mode. Ever notice a "Mars Light" or a "Wig Wag" light on a fire truck? They really get your attention. Same as the modulating headlight on some motorcycles-quite effective!!!
 
Holy necropost Batman, it looks like he was attempting to illuminate the situation!
 
Re: The flashing of landing lights on final

Yeah - I see those at my airport, too, on some of the charter turboprops and jets that come in. It really does catch your attention.
 
silver-eagle said:
I installed pulse lighting on my Warrior last year. The main switch is a split toggle, and there is a second toggle which, in combination, allows you to select front, wing tips, or both, solid or pulse.
I haven't done any night landings yet with them, but I don't think you'd have any problem with them in pulse mode since they aren't all off at the same time.
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I also have pulse lighting on my Warrior. The wingtip lights have a split switch for off or on. Then there is a toggle that when put on will cause the wingtip lights to alternate. Using the split toggle will override the pulse selection and the light will just stay on. The main landing light in the engine cowl is the standard on/off type.
 
man, ya just can't please anyone! Newbies post common questions and they get jumped on with "Use the SEARCH feature!" and then they use the Search feature and get jumped on for resurrecting old posts! Ya just can't win! :) j/k btw ... nothing wrong with resurrecting and old post if there's additional discussion to be had.
 
gkainz said:
man, ya just can't please anyone! Newbies post common questions and they get jumped on with "Use the SEARCH feature!" and then they use the Search feature and get jumped on for resurrecting old posts! Ya just can't win! :) j/k btw ... nothing wrong with resurrecting and old post if there's additional discussion to be had.
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We went through this once before with a newbie. Using the search feature and bringing forth an old thread IS the right thing to do. There was also no need to start a 2nd thread. IF the MCs can merge these two then all will be well.
 
Re: The flashing of landing lights on final

parker said:
I was sitting in a parking lot the other day watching with great interest an airplane on a long final with landing lights flashing in a very predictable pace as if they were designed that way. The "see and be seen" rule here was quite remarkable as the flashing of the lights really caught my attention vs. constant on. It turned out to be Southwest Airlines landing in Manchester, NH. Picture a motorcycle with a flashing headlight vs. one that has a regular always on headlight. Some of the foreign bikes I've seen has this modulating headlight feature, it sure grabs my attention quicker than an always on headlight. Maybe it's a new policy with
SWA, all I can say is that it really adds visibility to the aircraft. I saw a post from an experimental airplane pilot that added "wig wag" HIL as landing lights and he claims he can be seen from foreign countries. I think it's a great idea. You can't argue with see and be seen.
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Welcome to PoA.
 
We have the alternating landing/taxi (Wig-Wag - technical term ;)) lights on the RV. It's REALLY hi-tech: Landing and taxi-lights are halogen driving lights like you would mount on a truck, etc. The 'wig-wag' mechanism consists of a flasher relay from Auto-Zone wired up so it alternates between landing and taxi lights.

Three switches - Landing, Taxi, Wig-Wag. Start with all three switches on and flip the wig-wag off when turning final.

It has come in handing when flying in at busy fly-ins. "Oh, I see your flashing lights now."

Edit: Wow, Can't believe I bit on the old post. Oh well....
 
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.
 
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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It's pretty simple, really. The landing light switch has Pulse/Steady/Off positions (at least in the RJs and Falcon). Our SOP is Pulse < 10,000 ft and steady above. I like them on steady for landings at night once you get down to about 400ft AGL though.
 
Speed said:
It's pretty simple, really. The landing light switch has Pulse/Steady/Off positions (at least in the RJs and Falcon). Our SOP is Pulse < 10,000 ft and steady above. I like them on steady for landings at night once you get down to about 400ft AGL though.
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As an engineer I'd try to make it automatic so that if someone failed to switch it back to steady, at some altitude as the earth was rising it would go steady on it's own. Just to avoid an NTSB report saying ".... a contributing factor was the landing light sequenced flashing mode which was not turned off appropriately by the crew".
 
TMetzinger said:
As an engineer I'd try to make it automatic so that if someone failed to switch it back to steady, at some altitude as the earth was rising it would go steady on it's own. Just to avoid an NTSB report saying ".... a contributing factor was the landing light sequenced flashing mode which was not turned off appropriately by the crew".
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That's an engineer for you.. 'Design it until it breaks...' ;)

Adding 'automated' anything is just another point of failure in the system IMHO. But then again, I'm not an engineer, so what do I know?? :D
 
CJones said:
That's an engineer for you.. 'Design it until it breaks...' ;)

Adding 'automated' anything is just another point of failure in the system IMHO. But then again, I'm not an engineer, so what do I know?? :D
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It's a balance between the reliability of the automated system, the reliability of the human it's replacing, cost, and the consequence of failure.
 
Long before I was a pilot I noticed that the state patrol speed enforcement planes had the pulsating landing light. I'm not sure if it was because they were loitering at low altitude and wanting to warn other aircraft, or if they wanted cars to see that they were being watched from the air.
 
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