Calling all aircraft experts : plane headlights

james_2k said:
funnily enough, the police helicopter is normally around.

it is glasgow after all
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The Strathclyde police helicopter is now the Scottish police Helicopter (Police 51). It's been like that for a few months now, since the single Scottish force thing went ahead. Rumours are that they are getting more aircraft in the future.
 
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If they're established in a holding pattern, they'll often flash the landing light a few times at which point all the other planes will establish in the same holding pattern and have a look. They obviously can't run down their windows or open the doors so it's more watching than doing.
 
james_2k said:
well it varies between airlines but we do it when cleared to an altitude on approach (when we transition from flight levels to local pressure basically)

so generally speaking. 30/40 miles or so from the airport.

but as thingemajib says, it seems to vary by operator. we dont have to turn anything on at 10,000 feet. well we generally do in the climb, but that's the seatbelt sign. ;)


switches*, one for each side

also I have never heard of the pop out one but im sure they are around, if the vis is that bad anyway chances are the landing lights are off. because as most people know, you dont want your full beams on in the car. same as a plane
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dont mean to be pedantic but its 2 per side 1 set of fixed lights and one set of retractable on most aircraft, although it does differ :)

http://www.b737.org.uk/images/lighting_panel.jpg
no hotlinking images

EDIT actually its different for varioous aircraft, 777 has 3 by the look sof it!
 
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As long as they put those bits of tape over them when flying on the left abroad so they don't dazzle other pilots I don't think it matters when they have their headlights on........
 
MrRoper said:
dont mean to be pedantic but its 2 per side 1 set of fixed lights and one set of retractable on most aircraft, although it does differ :)

http://www.b737.org.uk/images/lighting_panel.jpg

EDIT actually its different for varioous aircraft, 777 has 3 by the look sof it!
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the plane i fly has two landing light switches and two taxi light switches, one for each side. i doubt any commercial aircraft have 1 switch for the ldg lights.
 
I'm pretty certain, that different types of aircraft have different lighting configurations. I'm sure I saw someone mention it on the Airport Live thing the bbc did a few weeks ago, that the different lights allowed for long distance visual identification of the incoming plane.
 
the planes I work with(757) have 2 lights on the wing roots(there the ones they can fly with on), they also have 4 lights on the front landing gear, 2 pointing straight ahead and 2 pointing to the sides, there for taxiing.
some of the smaller planes also have lights shining down the wings so they can see any ice
 
The basic external light configuration for most airliners is;

Upper/ lower beacon (red) also called anti collision lights, these flash on and off.
wingtip and tail lights, left red, right green and tail white.
wingtip strobes, white in color and they flash so as to aid identification for visual recognition.
landing lights
taxi lights (for use when on the ground in the dark)
runway turn off lights (set at 45 degrees so they point at an angle to aid when steering the aircraft)
wing illumination lights for having a look at the wing leading edges for icing/ damage, etc.
emergency exit lights around the areas above the doors for the passengers to see where they're going in darkness.
hope this helps:)

Thts the basic set up for most airliners, some have 4 landing lights instead of 2, B747 'frinstance.
 
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