What are these lights used for ???

[Guest Darkriser]

Yesterday I was flying "The Queen" and I noticed two lights at the very end of the plane. They were blinking at a high rate and were not synchronised. What are these two lights used for???Thanx a lot.Marcelhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/154389.jpg

[cowpatz 243]

They are strobe lights. Part of the anti collision avoidance lighting system. You will also notice strobes on the wing tips too. Nice shot.CheersSteve

[Guest Darkriser]

Thanks for your answer. I thought it could be strobes, but...strobe lights on wing tips are blinking kinda slow...and regulary...and both lights are synchronised... And these two were blinking really fast (cca. 5-7 times per sec). Moreover, the left one was blinking a bit slower, the right one was blinkin at a higher rate. Did my FlightSim went mad?!?Thanks again,Marcel

[Datalink 26]

I've got a feeling that they use the standard FX file strobe for these rear lights, but have to use a light modelled into the model for the wingtip lights as they have to flex with the wings. This maybe why they flash at different rates

[Qavion 19]

I think this is an MSFS workaround.On the tailcone, the real aircraft has:Only one strobe(flashing) light (i.e. the rectangular shape just below the two white lights in the picture).Two white (non-flashing) "tail navigation" lights.Both types should help prevent other aircraft bumping into you. The steady white lights also help the other aircraft figure out from which direction they are approaching you (just like the red and green lights on the wingtips).Cheers.Q>

[Guest D17S]

On the old -1/200s the tail nav lights used to be out on the stabilizer tips . . .and it didn't work out for diddley. Almost every flight we were up there relamping them. We'd watch the airplane land and do a light check (with binoculars) while they were rolling out. By the time the airplane rolled onto the gate, we had the big lift all ready to get up there and change the lights. After a while, we'd just go get the lift. Then one day, the mechanic came over and advised he noticed the navlight fairing was about to crack off the stabilizer. Actually the entire stabilizer tip/ trailing edge was ~ 50% cracked through, edge to edge. I got up there and looked and holy smokes, the entire stabilizer tip was about to depart the airplane. Well, the airplane was scheduled for a MAC charter from KSTL to Frankfort in 6 hours. It ended up being quite a temporary repair. All FAA approved? Maybe I should leave it right there. Ahh, the old days. You main base guys are spoiled rotten. Come on out to the line . . . and I don't mean just across the ramp. The outbound FE commented that he imagined they would need to onload a couple extra thousand lbs of fuel to drag that temporary repair all the way to Germany. I commented that with all that shaking that had obviously been going on back there, it would probably fly better now than it ever had before . . . and away they went. Boeing's original design had the stabilizers tip vibrating so badly that it always shook the filament out of those 1970X lamps . . . then finally about tore the entire stabilizer tip off (But that wouldn

[NJ_Flyer 3]

Interesting Sam.. what did they use for a repair?Yeah I think we heavy maintenance blokes have it a bit easier than the line guys. Although we are actually under just as much pressure to get the aircraft out yesterday!

[Guest 102301636]

Maybe they are blinking morse code? Just like in that film Executive Decision where Kurt Russell uses the rear strobes of a 747 to communicate with a fighter jet about to blow him out of the sky. You know the one where Steven Seagal dies at the start.