Strobe Lights - this will be a quick answer

steviedeviant

steviedeviant

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Nov 28, 2015
Messages
167
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
Display Name
Display name:
StevieD
Hello POA,

Ugggggg - I know this is a dumb question, but I have only done some night flying and seem to want to confuse myself on this.

During night, and while you are taxiing, do you all turn on the strobe lights? Beacon is on, taxi light on, position lights on, but some plans have the extra strobes flashing near the position lights or just the strobes in general.

Turn them on or not during taxi?


Thanks in advance.
Stephen
 
Leave them off as a courtesy to other pilots.

Turn them on when cleared for takeoff, or when "cleaning up" after take-off. (gear up, flaps up, climb power, initial leaning, LIGHTS)
 
Ravioli said:
Leave them off as a courtesy to other pilots.

Turn them on when cleared for takeoff, or when "cleaning up" after take-off. (gear up, flaps up, climb power, initial leaning, LIGHTS)
Click to expand...

Agree with, well I did, but then I read what Ravioli actually wrote. I would put 'em while on the runway as kayoh mentions in the next post., and leave on until after you land and clear the runway.
 
Last edited:
You're gonna get a lot of opinions on this.

I have the strobes on any time I'm on an active runway, and while in the air. That's it.
 
I usually turn mine on shortly after takeoff, as described by Ravioli. I can also see the case for turning them on just prior to takeoff.
 
Opinions differ based on experience.

As a guy who flys for a living, and often at very odd hours.


My opinion, strobes OFF, just nav,beacon and taxi for ground ops, crossing any runway, light it up and xpdr to ALT, all back off once clear, I also turn off my taxi light just before I line my nose up with the line guy helping me in.

I also kill my strobes before hitting IMC.
 
Thanks. While there may be some difference in opinion, essentially you all have answered near the same. So just as I am taking off and whil in the air have them on and then off once I leave the runway after landing. I also appreciate the reminder by James311 to turn off in IMC.

Thanks,Stephen
 
Agree with others. ON while on an active runway or in the air. OFF during taxi on taxiways to avoid blinding other pilots. Strobes can be pretty blinding if looked at directly.
 
I am more like James331 - on for:

-crossing runways
-entering runway for t-o; then stays on entire flight (unless in cloud at night) all the way til exiting destination runway
-only difference is sometimes I will run 2 cycles on a noisy ramp with people around before start - where hollering "clear prop" would be pointless
 
Depends on your configuration. If you have a rotating beacon plus strobes, that's one thing. But if your only "anti-collision" light is a strobe - that's another, then ain't nobody going to see you if it's off.

See 91.209 B
 
ircphoenix said:
Always on.

Ground. Air. IMC. In the shop for maintenance. In your hangar between flights.

Strobes. On.
Click to expand...

This is the practice that our club uses with our C152 that I am currently training in. Not sure if it makes a huge difference but we are stationed out of an uncontrolled airport.
 
Nothing is just a quick answer on this board.

I turn the strobes on anytime I leave the ramp for departure and turn them back off when I re-enter the ramp after landing.
 
Strobes on should be on a pre-takeoff checklist. Strobes iff on the post-landing checklist. Do you taxi around with flaps out? It isn't any different.
 
Not all planes have rotating beacons. The Diamond I fly does not so I have them on during the start sequence. I realize that it can be quite distracting to other pilots, but those are my only anti-collision lights and i'd rather be distracting than invisible. Nav lights are not enough. It is also a part of POH engine start-up check list
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Depends on your configuration. If you have a rotating beacon plus strobes, that's one thing. But if your only "anti-collision" light is a strobe - that's another, then ain't nobody going to see you if it's off.

See 91.209 B
Click to expand...
Read the next sentence.

You are allowed to turn it off if it is safer to do so, in your opinion as PIC. Not blinding other pilots (or yourself, in IMC) would seem to be pretty good safety practice.
 
Airplanes have lights?? Around here they depart on training ops in the daylight then darkness comes and the same planes are in the pattern at a class C airport with no nav lights on.


I leave strobes off till I get takeoff clearance or at the hold short line at non-towered airports. When I'm clear of the runway and on the ramp I turn them off.
 
If my plane doesn't have a beacon, I'm turning on the strobes. If it has a beacon, I turn the strobes on whenever I'm taxiing on a runway, line up and wait, cleared for takeoff and in the air. Once I clear the runway, strobes go off. There's no need to blind other pilots by keeping them on.
 
FAA recommends them on anytime you're on the runway. Other times you can turn them off to avoid problems (either with yourself or other pilots) being affected by them.
 
I fly a Cirrus.
It has daytime running lights.
One less button for me to have to click.

Err... I think there is a button.
 
Ronbonjovi said:
This is the practice that our club uses with our C152 that I am currently training in. Not sure if it makes a huge difference but we are stationed out of an uncontrolled airport.
Click to expand...

ronbon are u just a clemson fan or are u located in that area?
 
GrahamC said:
See the first half of the "Murphy Interpretation - 2011" on the FAA website. It addresses this exact question and references 91.209(b).
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agc/pol_adjudication/agc200/interpretations/data/interps/2011/murphy - (2011) legal interpretation.pdf
Click to expand...

Well that conflicts with what MAKG1 said so the FAA must be wrong.

MAKG1 said:
Starting the engine is operating the aircraft in the same sense that opening the door is. How many pilots do you know turn the beacon on before touching the airplane?

From 14 CFR 1.1:

That means giving someone the keys is operating the aircraft. Do you turn the beacon on before doing that?
Click to expand...
 
dmspilot said:
Well that conflicts with what MAKG1 said so the FAA must be wrong.
Click to expand...

Don't you think that context would be a bit appropriate here?

The question was, "is wiring the strobes to the avionics master a violation of the reg?"

I said no, but I'd squawk it anyway, because it's a trap. Three years ago.

Don't misquote me.
 
MAKG1 said:
Don't you think that context would be a bit appropriate here?

The question was, "is wiring the strobes to the avionics master a violation of the reg?"

I said no, but I'd squawk it anyway, because it's a trap. Three years ago.

Don't misquote me.
Click to expand...

It's not a misquote. You wrote that running the engine is no more operating the aircraft as giving someone a key or opening a door, therefore, the anticollision lights did not need to be turned on.
 
MAKG1 said:
Don't you think that context would be a bit appropriate here?

The question was, "is wiring the AOA to the avionics master a violation of the reg?"

I said no, but I'd squawk it anyway, because it's a trap. Three years ago.

Don't misquote me.
Click to expand...

FTFY
 
Local DPE apparently wants them on anytime the engine is running so that's how my flight instructors have told me to do it, when I'm flying by myself though I only turn them on when entering the runway, turn them off when I clean up the plane after exiting the runway. I think its a little overkill to have them on during the taxi but what do I know, I'm just a lowly 62 hour pilot
 
Ronbonjovi said:
Clemson grad and still live in Clemson and work in Easley. Fly out of KCEU.
Click to expand...

Cool! Do u know if it's possible (or worth it) to fly to CEU and try to play the golf course at Clemson U?
 
FLYGUYRY said:
Local DPE apparently wants them on anytime the engine is running so that's how my flight instructors have told me to do it, when I'm flying by myself though I only turn them on when entering the runway, turn them off when I clean up the plane after exiting the runway. I think its a little overkill to have them on during the taxi but what do I know, I'm just a lowly 62 hour pilot
Click to expand...

Local DPE isn't really giving you good advice.

Go to a larger local airport at night and watch how all bigger planes operate.
 
Last edited:
James331 said:
Local DPE isn't really giving you good advice.

Go to a larger local airport a night and watch how all bigger planes operate.
Click to expand...

Agree, it's ok during the day, but at night it's distracting to other pilots.
 
FLYGUYRY said:
Local DPE apparently wants them on anytime the engine is running so that's how my flight instructors have told me to do it, when I'm flying by myself though I only turn them on when entering the runway, turn them off when I clean up the plane after exiting the runway. I think its a little overkill to have them on during the taxi but what do I know, I'm just a lowly 62 hour pilot
Click to expand...

Don't fall into the trap of letting an area start training to one DPE's preferences. Think for yourself, have justifiable logic behind your actions, and don't be afraid to have a discussion with a DPE if you come into disagreement.

If a pilot, especially one in leadership role (a DPE for example) is unwilling to have an educated discussion with another pilot on the ground, then I'd steer clear of that person.

James331 said:
Go to a larger local airport a night and watch how all bigger planes operate.
Click to expand...

That being said, it doesn't sound like there's anything fundamentally wrong with what that DPE is saying. I would just recommend that you not blindly operate as a DPE wants you to, and also not necessarily operate as larger transport category airplanes do. Cessna 172 upload_2017-2-15_11-25-27.png B737.
 
James331 said:
Opinions differ based on experience.

As a guy who flys for a living, and often at very odd hours.


My opinion, strobes OFF, just nav,beacon and taxi for ground ops, crossing any runway, light it up and xpdr to ALT, all back off once clear, I also turn off my taxi light just before I line my nose up with the line guy helping me in.

I also kill my strobes before hitting IMC.
Click to expand...

Pretty much sums up what I do, especially turning off the taxi light for the line guy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top