turn off your lights!!!

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:51 am

I still love the guys who just have to turn on all the runway lights etc. so they can get glide path information at high noon! TTC is hiring bus drivers.

Go Guns · Post by **Go Guns** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:45 pm

What are the odds that anyone can actually see if your nav lights are on or off in bright sunlight?

Bright sunlight, overcast, I don't care. I leave the nav lights on and I gave you my reason.

I still love the guys who just have to turn on all the runway lights etc. so they can get glide path information at high noon! TTC is hiring bus drivers

I turn the runway lights on @ an uncontrolled airport to give anybody who might be on the runway (a snow plow, buddy walking his dog, whatever) the opportunity to vacate the runway and save me from having to overshoot.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:56 pm

Bright sunlight, overcast, I don't care. I leave the nav lights on and I gave you my reason.

And I accept your reason which is your perogative.

Me I still use my own logic and turn on the lights based on their effectiveness and need for them.

Same with pitot heat on light twins, I only use it when needed.

To my way of thinking turning on things that are not really required is just common sense, for instance if I were taking off on a hot clear day with the pitot heat on then to be really safe I should also activate the wing deicing system before take off.

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:22 pm

Go Guns....whatever. Some dark night, you're actually going to need the lights, and they'll be burned out because some twat used them all day, because he needs the PAPIS to set up his approach angle, because he really can't flyOn a bright sunny day, on the ground, do you really think the guy in the plow will see the runway lights?? No, he will not. That's what the MF is for. Surprise, surprise.
When is the last time you saw ANYBODY walking a dog on a reserve???

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:26 pm

When is the last time you saw ANYBODY walking a dog on a reserve???

Maybe they had it on a leash to get it out in the bush to have sex with it?

Dominic220 · Post by **Dominic220** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:28 pm

Cat Driver wrote:
Bright sunlight, overcast, I don't care. I leave the nav lights on and I gave you my reason.
And I accept your reason which is your perogative.

Me I still use my own logic and turn on the lights based on their effectiveness and need for them.

Same with pitot heat on light twins, I only use it when needed.

To my way of thinking turning on things that are not really required is just common sense, for instance if I were taking off on a hot clear day with the pitot heat on then to be really safe I should also activate the wing deicing system before take off.

Hey, if you want to go to the rediculious extreme there cat, me truckin' along in my Caravan or Navaho, or some other similarly small aircraft, shooting into Gander for 03, the moment I'm down, I have to use full braking... otherwise I might go off the end of a 10,200' runway.

Seriously though guys. Use some (un)common sense and use things as they apply, don't use them because you want to use them. Aircraft systems are there to help you, not for you to waste. But hey... I'm only a 400tt wonder... don't bother listening to me, continue along your path. </rant>

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:36 pm

Yeh Dominic it is depressing to see how dumbed down the system is getting by things such as turning on every electrical device in the airplane to make sure the pilot does not fly with their brain in neutral and forget to turn things on as needed.

JetPilot123 · Post by **JetPilot123** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:38 pm

I have to agree with Go Guns.

Ya on small GA aircraft you dont need nav lights on but any larger aircraft you should.

We ALWAYS turn nav lights on when the APU or GPU is on so that people know there is power to the aircraft.

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:32 pm

Ya, that's important. Wouldn't be able to get through my day wondering if there's power to the aircraft. And, if I squint real hard, I can just make out your nav lites!
And it's even more important on big airplanes....they are SO much harder to see, sitting out there on the ramps of the world.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:47 pm

....they are SO much harder to see, sitting out there on the ramps of the world.

Doc, I wonder how many people wander around on airplane ramps who have no idea about airplanes and just walk into props and jet intakes if the nav lights are off?

CP · Post by CP » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:52 pm

I still love the guys who just have to turn on all the runway lights etc. so they can get glide path information at high noon! TTC is hiring bus drivers

I turn them on in the day all the time to check the angle . What if someone tampered with them?

Go Guns · Post by **Go Guns** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:56 pm

When is the last time you saw ANYBODY walking a dog on a reserve???

I used to see all sorts of things on the runways @ the reserves in Manitoba, until I started turning the runway lights on. Hey man, it's my airplane, be a big a big dick on the internet all you like, I'll just keep on keepin on...

Go Guns · Post by **Go Guns** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:02 pm

Some dark night, you're actually going to need the lights, and they'll be burned out because some twat used them all day

Really? all the runway lights are going to be burned out?? That would be an incredible coincidence.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:05 pm

What do pilots do at airports that have no lights, or God forbid how would they land off airport without lights?

CP · Post by CP » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:13 pm

Didnt you guys see Die Hard 2?

Go Guns · Post by **Go Guns** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:18 pm

What do pilots do at airports that have no lights, or God forbid how would they land off airport without lights?

?? I'm not to sure what the purpose of this post is ??

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:24 pm

?? I'm not to sure what the purpose of this post is ??

We need a puropse here?

With all the childish arguing that goes why not examine all the different senarios that may pop up?

And where is your sense of humor?

Go Guns · Post by **Go Guns** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:30 pm

We need a puropse here?

With all the childish arguing that goes why not examine all the different senarios that may pop up?

And where is your sense of humor?

Touche, I'm going to look for my sense of humour...... maybe I'll start with the fridge.....

....mmmm...beer.....

lilfssister · Post by **lilfssister** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:39 pm

Much as I hate to diasagree with my favourite over 50 poster... when the FSS (maybe tower too?) is WELL away from the apron you are on...When talking to ACC... I can say yea or nay re the imminence of yr taxiing if you turn lights on at engine start up.

wingandaprayer · Post by **wingandaprayer** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:55 pm

I can second Lil on that one. the lights are actually pretty easy to see from the station, and are a big hint that an airplane's starting up.

lilfssister · Post by **lilfssister** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:57 pm

Good post grasshopper! The perspective close up and the perspective removed...are...uhhh...different perspectives.

JetPilot123 · Post by **JetPilot123** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:11 pm

do whatever turns your crank. I just follow SOP's. Every airplane and company i have flown and know off run the nav lights when power is on.

I have NEVER seen an aircraft with APU or GPU running and the Nav lights off.

You should start going around to all those pilots and tell them you think they should be off.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:20 pm

O.K. it seems that turning on the nav lights will be an indication that the airplane is about to start engines.

I have obviously been wrong about the relative visibility of the different lights on aircraft as I always thought that the beacon and or strobes would be more visible in bright sunlight.

We learn something new every day so I have learned something new.

For best visibility and to prevent accidents caused by people walking into props etc one must turn on all the lights including those bright very visible in sunshine nav. lights.

How in the world did I make it through all those years being so dumb?

JetPilot123 · Post by **JetPilot123** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:23 pm

Not disagreeing with you Cat.

Just that my SOP's have always said Nav lights on when there is power to the aircraft, THEN beacon on just prior to start.

lilfssister · Post by **lilfssister** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm

Cat Driver wrote:O.K. it seems that turning on the nav lights will be an indication that the airplane is about to start engines.

I have obviously been wrong about the relative visibility of the different lights on aircraft as I always thought that the beacon and or strobes would be more visible in bright sunlight.

We learn something new every day so I have learned something new.

For best visibility and to prevent accidents caused by people walking into props etc one must turn on all the lights including those bright very visible in sunshine nav. lights.

How in the world did I make it through all those years being so dumb?

Not saying yr "burn out" thots may not have merit...just the perspective from another part of the airport.