landing lights are always turned on during landing by an airliner,even during daytime.this makes it much easier for the tower controller to spot the aircraft

And to add to that, most airliners that I have seen have alternating landing lights on approach (I think it might help the tower identify an aircraft approaching for landing as opposed to all other aircraft). By alternating I mean that they blink back and forth from one wing to the other. My reason for posting this is because all of the guys here who love to fly the iron and love to have it as real as it gets, I have never seen this modeled on an FS aircraft.Craig

Someone,You are incorrect. Check out 91.209. You're required to have your anticollision light system on unless it compromises safety. This can be either a beacon or strobes. A beacon is considered an anticollision light, however if the aircraft is equipped with strobes they must be on as well.skyy

I've seen some old Piper's that have strobes hard wired onto the master switch. This might be because Piper used strobes instead of a Beacon as an anticollision light at one point in time, i'm not sure of the logic :).Skyy

I fly a 172SP and the strobes go on prior to entering the runway as per the checklist we use. Basically if it lights up it goes on lol.

Craig,landing lights are the lights on the front wheel,the landing lights on the wing are the wing lights and normally don't alternate,only the strobes alternate

Strobes are a compulsory light element, no matter in the day or night. It is turned on before entering the runway and turned off after vacating the runway. Navigation lights are compulsory in the night for others to determine the correct side of the plane. Left wings carry the red light and the right is fixed on with the green one, it goes the same for ships. Not compulsory in the day, varies according to airline policies but definately needed to be turn on in the night. Some airlines like Qantas have a policy on their aircraft of taxing with all lights on, which includes landing lights, taxi lights and runway turnoff lights while airlines like SQ the decision is up to the discretion of the pilot.Cheers,alvin

Well, I cant find anything on it by doing a search, but I do know what I saw. And yes, I know the difference between strobes and other lights on the aircraft. I dont know what they are called, but Ive seen it a thousand times. The only time Ive seen them is when an airliner is working the approach. Hopefully I can get some valid information on that, and when I do, Ill let you know.Craig

If memory serves correctly, I have seen a Southwest aircraft with alternating landing lights. It looked like it was trying to pull over the Delta 767 in front of it! :-lol

What you saw was a system called the Pulselite. It causes the aircraft's landing light(s) to alternate on and off. It does not actually turn them on or off, but rather dims them in a fashion similar to a rheostat. It is marketed as an option that serves to both increase conspicuousness and lengthen bulb life. In the USA, Southwest has this system fitted to their aircraft. You will see the landing lights on the wings of SWA aircraft alternate on and off. The "wing lights" which the other poster described are actually used for ice inspection and are pointed from the fuselage towards the wing leading edge and are not part of this system. 737s do have landing lights in the leading edges and retractable ones on the undersurface near the wingtips. There may be one other airline that uses it but I cannot remember which.

Kevin, that would be the reason that I had seen them so many times....I lived in Houston for about a year. I lived right in between Bush, Hobby and Ellington Field. Closer to Ellington actually, but I saw alot of arriving traffic into Hobby. I was hoping that I wasnt seeing things! :-lolCraig

I suppose then, that aircraft lighting procedures vary by airline/ aircraft type?

Larry,Was that at Airport #2?Paulhttp://www.advdigitalmedia.com/sig.jpg

> I suppose then, that aircraft lighting procedures> vary by airline/ aircraft type? The way I read that question, I think the best answer (at least for the United States) is "sorta."According to 91.209(:("No person may operate an aircraft that is equipped with anticollision light system, unless it has lighted anticollision lights. However, the anticollision lights need not be lighted when the pilot in command determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to turn the lights off."That indicates to me that the only lattitude the operator (be that an airline or the owner of a C182) may have in illuminating the aircraft is in the daytime use of taxi, landing, and/or position lights (91.209(a) makes it very clear as to position light requirements for nighttime operation). The strobes and rotating beacon, being anticollision lamps, appear to need to be on when the aircraft is in flight, regardless of time of day, with the only exceptions being:[ol][li]The plane just doesn't have 'em.[/li][li]It would be, in the PIC's opinion, unsafe to operate them (so as not to get blinded by his own strobes in a cloud, for example).[/li][/ol]