NORDO - flashing green, in the air

[Dutchpilotguy]

Hello all:

Just a quick question that I want to send out to everyone about VFR NORDO arrival procedures. I am somewhat stumped after some discussion over the past while about this topic, specifically the flashing green light to an aircraft in flight.

As most of us should be aware of, the flashing green to an aircraft in flight signals to the aircraft to return for landing. However, TC AIM RAC 4.4.5 makes no reference to this signal.

Has anyone had any experience receiving the flashing green in flight? The only scenario I can personally think of is that a NORDO aircraft has overshot and was prudent enough to remain clear of traffic, go somewhere where they cause zero conflict, and as such were aware to look for the flashing green, and then through supernatural means approached the runway in a manner also creating zero conflict by being conducted in accordance with what an airport air traffic controller would have preferred... although as there is nothing published procedure-wise for this, I suspect the light-gun may be the least of the challenges to overcome.

Thanks!

[Broken Slinky]

Haven't experienced a NORDO situation yet. During one of my first lessons, my instructor asked ATC to show me what the lights would look like. It was extremely quiet at the airport and the only traffic was us. We did a simulated precautionary landing with no radio. After doing the precautionary run along the runway, we rejoined the usual circuit pattern and during that time we were given a flashing green light. I'm not sure if ATC continued to flash the green during my downwind leg since the tower was to my back and my mind was fixed on the downwind checklist. On the base leg the light was solid green, turned onto final and still saw solid green. I stopped watching ATC after that because my eyes were pretty well glued to my airspeed indicator and the runway numbers. Once on the ground we went back to radio comms. so no more pretty Christmas lights for us.

[Outlaw58]

Think about it in terms of how the lights follow one another in sequence.

In the air, if the tower for whatever reason could not allow you to land at all, you get a flashing red. That`s easy, you go somewhere else. If however the restriction is temporary, you get a steady red meaning don't land but keep circling. After getting a steady red, you would then get a flashing green (if required) to signal to you to return for landing (akin to being #1 on approach but not yet cleared to land), followed by the steady green for your landing clearance.

JP

[oldtimer]

I learned to fly back in the days when aircraft radios were either low frequency POS units, vintage VHF units that barely worked or worked intermittently or the airplane did not have radios so getting various light signals were very common. As mentioned, a steady red light meant one was supposed to overshoot, usually because of traffic conflict and then a flashing green to return as oposed to a flashing red which meant the airport was closed. A pilot recieving a green light was supposed to acknowledge by flashing landing lights or rocking wings. A steady red was acknowledged by overshooting. Pilots with reciever only would ask for acknowledgement by asking ATC to rock their tower if the recieved transmission. I wonder if modern towers in busy airports like CYYC, CYVR etc; actually have the signal lights in the towers. Nowadays, I think they are only used to test a PPL for colour blindness.

[Dutchpilotguy]

Thanks for the replies!

It would be interesting to know if most pilots KNOW what to do if the were given a red light on landing... Because I'll be honest, it doesn't seem all to clear and I get the impression that many can't arrive properly, let alone handle a red light... In the moment, it would be a $h!t show. As an air traffic controller, I would dread the red! Just land and go away lol

Oldtimer:
All towers are require to have the light gun... They are rather festive :p

[photofly]

If it happens, get your cell-phone out, call the tower and ask them what the red light means.

[ThatArmyGuy]

If it happens, get your cell-phone out, call the tower and ask them what the red light means.

Actually, I chuckled at this. And in all seriousness too, any of my students who own A20 or Zulu headsets must save the tower number on their phones so they can use the bluetooth in case the above happens (comms failure that is)

[photofly]

I've called the tower in the air, for clearance, when I had a radio issue. Didn't bother with Bluetooth, just took my headset off.

[LousyFisherman]

If it happens, get your cell-phone out, call the tower and ask them what the red light means.

That smiley does not apply to me! Although I once knew what each light meant, after 120 hours of post license flying I have never had to use that knowledge and I would have to phone the tower or divert to a non-controlled airport.

I do know that attempting to apply vehicle traffic rules will get me written up:
Green means land
Flashing green means you have priority landing rights
Red means do not land
Flashing red means stop and proceed to land when safe!

YMMV
LF

[AuxBatOn]

No comms? Runway is clear?? Just land the darn thing and forget about the lights. It was meant to be used when someone was willfully flying NORDO.

[W5]

Flashing green on the ground: Cleared to taxi
Flashing green In-Flight: return to Landing (to be followed by steady green at proper time)

F-2 of the old Canada Flight Supplement

[Pop n Fresh]

Think about it in terms of how the lights follow one another in sequence.

In the air, if the tower for whatever reason could not allow you to land at all, you get a flashing red. That`s easy, you go somewhere else. If however the restriction is temporary, you get a steady red meaning don't land but keep circling. After getting a steady red, you would then get a flashing green (if required) to signal to you to return for landing (akin to being #1 on approach but not yet cleared to land), followed by the steady green for your landing clearance.

JP

This is excellent. I wish I had read it back when I kept struggling to memorize it.

Flashing Red = Go away.
Red = Wait. Since I can't stop in flight, I circle to hold.
Flashing green = Come back, it's my turn.
Green = Cleared to land.

Nice! Thank you JP!

[Outlaw58]

Think about it in terms of how the lights follow one another in sequence.

In the air, if the tower for whatever reason could not allow you to land at all, you get a flashing red. That`s easy, you go somewhere else. If however the restriction is temporary, you get a steady red meaning don't land but keep circling. After getting a steady red, you would then get a flashing green (if required) to signal to you to return for landing (akin to being #1 on approach but not yet cleared to land), followed by the steady green for your landing clearance.

JP

This is excellent. I wish I had read it back when I kept struggling to memorize it.

Flashing Red = Go away.
Red = Wait. Since I can't stop in flight, I circle to hold.
Flashing green = Come back, it's my turn.
Green = Cleared to land.

Nice! Thank you JP!

My pleasure! Glad it helps

JP

[tkdowell]

We used to do some NORDO stuff during flight instruction. Sometimes the tower would give the steady red on final. Student did a go-around and then we'd get the flashing green on DW. Not all the controllers did it.

[FL001]

Approaching an airstrip in Helmand province in Afghanistan late last year we couldn't raise the tower on the radio. We broadcast blind. The tower also did not have a phone number, at least a number that we could call seeing as the military has its own telephone network. Overflew the airport and got a steady red in the circuit so we held off to the south. Eventually got a steady green so we came back and had the steady green all the way to the ground. On the ground we found out that there was a radio jammer operating somewhere in the vicinity of the airstrip and they were under a rocket attack at the time that we approached, hence the steady red. They had also had to deny aircraft landing because of a crashed drone on the runway earlier that week.

[Rookie50]

Invest in a handheld.