Guys, is there a way to increase the speed of the rotating beacon. I notice that on certain models 800 eg a 7 second lapse in the on/off cycle. looking at the real acft it is a max of 2 seconds.thanks all you wizzkidsMel

First of all: the NG has a flashing beacon, not a rotating one. And second: the rate at which the beacon flashes is a(n real) airline option. Different airlines choose different flashing rates for the beacon and strobes. PMDG modelled this rate either according to the aircraft they used as model for building the NGX or from the standard flashing rates published in Boeing's diagrams. As far as I know, you cannot change it in the sim.

First of all: the NG has a flashing beacon, not a rotating one. And second: the rate at which the beacon flashes is a(n real) airline option. Different airlines choose different flashing rates for the beacon and strobes. PMDG modelled this rate either according to the aircraft they used as model for building the NGX or from the standard flashing rates published in Boeing's diagrams. As far as I know, you cannot change it in the sim.

FAA regulations (specifically part 23.1401) set forth the requirements for flashing anticollision lights on aircraft. The flash rate must be no less than 40 flashes per minute, but no more than 100. European aviation regs have the same standard.So, a beacon that only flashes once every 7 seconds would be out of allowable tolerance on a r/w aircraft. I've never timed the flash rate in my NGX installation, but I don't think they flash that slowly. Perhaps an issue in the OP's installation, or maybe a problem with a specific livery?

FAA regulations (specifically part 23.1401) set forth the requirements for flashing anticollision lights on aircraft. The flash rate must be no less than 40 flashes per minute, but no more than 100. European aviation regs have the same standard.So, a beacon that only flashes once every 7 seconds would be out of allowable tolerance on a r/w aircraft. I've never timed the flash rate in my NGX installation, but I don't think they flash that slowly. Perhaps an issue in the OP's installation, or maybe a problem with a specific livery?

I didn't know about those regulations. Thanks for explaining.Should be something with his setup. I'm flying the NGX now and in GOL's SFP livery, it flashes in a sequence of 3 flashes roughly 1 second apart. The time lapse between each flash sequence is of roughly 2-3 seconds. But I noticed the flash timing is not 100% consistent. It sometimes blinks only twice or the time between each 3-flash sequence can be higher or lower than 3 seconds.

Edited February 18, 201214 yr by barfra1995

I've found this:" Flashing characteristics. ... must give an effective flash frequency of not less than 40, nor more than 100, cycles per minute. The effective flash frequency is the frequency at which the airplane's complete anticollision light system is observed from a distance, and applies to each sector of light including any overlaps that exist when the system consists of more than one light source. In overlaps, flash frequencies may exceed 100, but not 180, cycles per minute."The 40 flashes per minute refers to the whole anti collision light system. That means the beacon and the strobe lights (the 737 has two different strobe lights, one on the tail and two on the wings) have to flash 40 times a minute but not the beacon alone.So 7 seconds can be enough if the other flashing lights have a higher frequency.Cheers

I've found this:" Flashing characteristics. ... must give an effective flash frequency of not less than 40, nor more than 100, cycles per minute. The effective flash frequency is the frequency at which the airplane's complete anticollision light system is observed from a distance, and applies to each sector of light including any overlaps that exist when the system consists of more than one light source. In overlaps, flash frequencies may exceed 100, but not 180, cycles per minute."The 40 flashes per minute refers to the whole anti collision light system. That means the beacon and the strobe lights (the 737 has two different strobe lights, one on the tail and two on the wings) have to flash 40 times a minute but not the beacon alone.So 7 seconds can be enough if the other flashing lights have a higher frequency.Cheers

Not sure about other parts of the world, but for U.S. registered commercial aircraft operating under an FAA-approved inspection program (A.A.I.P. or CAMP) the regulations apply to each individual light - which have to be tested for intensity and flash rate at regular intervals set forth by the aircraft manufacturer. I just completed such an inspection on one of our fleet aircraft last week, which is why the regulation came immediately to mind. Flash rate is easy enough to measure, requiring only a stop watch. Intensity measurements are made using a rather expensive calibrated light meter.One thing to note is that not all red beacon lights are necessarily strobe lights. There are still many aircraft in service which use mechanical beacons which contain an incandescent light bulb with a reflector that is rotated or which oscillates back and forth by means of an electric motor drive. While the requirements of the FAA regulation should apply to these as well, I've never seen a flash rate/intensity test of the older mechanical beacons listed in the scheduled inspection program of any aircraft I've ever worked on... Just a basic check to insure the light is actually working during normal preflight walkarounds. The mechanical beacons do tend to fail more often - light bulbs burn out, or the motor drives fail, so that the light either doesn't move at all, or rotates much too slowly.