Pilot got in trouble for flashing lights

[OPS1 1]

One of my friends is a captain for a large charter airline in the UK on the 737. Anyway he was telling me he got into a bit of trouble the other week. He was getting marshelled in and the terminal was in front and some kids were waving at him and the F/O. So he flashed the landing lights at them and waved. Anyway he was telling me he got in trouble for it as it was breeching health & saftey, something to do with it could of blinded the marshaller or could of blinded a ground crew resulting in injury from them being dazzled by the lights? What do you think, you think this is a bit to far or shouldn't he be flashing lights to people in the teriminal?

 

Cheers,

Tom

[KevinAu 441]

Dumb thing to do if he was being marshalled into a gate and the lights were aimed at a marshaller. Once under marshaller guidance, the marshaller is responsible for the aircraft, and if the plane hit something at that point, the marshaller would be blamed and not the pilot. So the ability for the marshaller to be able to see is quite important. The landing or taxi lights would have blinded him and potentially cause him to miss being able to see if the pilot was about to drive the plane into something. Flashing them at kids in the terminal while taxiing into a gate area full of ground personnel and objects put a lot of equipment and people at risk for no good reason and demonstrated a complete lack of judgement.

[ZachLW 36]

Depends on where he was when flashing the lights. When I was a line man at my local FBO, landing lights could absolutely blind me while marshaling Beechjets, Citations, Gulfstreams, etc. If the guys decided to leave the lights on, I'd cover my eyes and make it obvious what the problem was. I can imagine getting very high powered landing lights flashed when unexpected can be quite disorienting.

[HawkDsl 50]

"... sorry we hit the light by mistake... it wont happen again..."

 

d.o.n.e.

[ZachLW 36]

"... sorry we hit the light by mistake... it wont happen again..."

 

d.o.n.e.

 

Yeah. Lying with a witness sitting beside you. That'll get you s*** canned. Hope you trust your copilot! Nah, just take the slap on the wrist.

[HawkDsl 50]

Yeah. Lying with a witness sitting beside you. That'll get you s*** canned. Hope you trust your copilot! Nah, just take the slap on the wrist.

 

True... but I think the "look" would communicate "intentions" with the Co-Pilot once guys with nice suites walk up and say, "We need to see you both in the office please..."

 

LOL

 

But your right of course. One of our favorite sayings at work is; "It's better to ask for forgiveness then permission, any time!."

[ZachLW 36]

But your right of course. One of our favorite sayings at work is; "It's better to ask for forgiveness then permission, any time!."

 

Lol. That's my mantra. I just talk the talk on the interwebs. :Liar:

[N6330V 0]

Taxi/Landing lights off as soon as I have my marshaller in sight. During my initial training I got a nice slap on the hand for blinding a guy on the ramp.

[CoolP 283]

Wasn't Rónán planning to flash his lights for one of the forum members? Watch out, Ró! :o

[Airbus Commander 563]

I remember I was once dazzled by someone else's landing lights they had left on when I was leaving the aircraft one night, tripped and fell down the stairs. Wasn't hurt, but the captain I fell on broke his arm... :wacko:

A ramp really isn't a area where you want to be dazzling and disorientating people, you could get killed or kill someone in an instant, or cause an awful expensive amount of damage. If this happened during the day though I wouldn't be as worried about it though, provided the light wasn't pointed directly at the rampie...

 

Regards,

Ró.

 

Wasn't Rónán planning to flash his lights for one of the forum members? Watch out, Ró! :o

Still am planning, but that'll be while on the approach, so lights would've been on anyway, so what harm am I gonna do, dazzle a swallow? :wink:

 

Regards,

Ró.

[CoolP 283]

Then I guess the dreaded operation of the strobes way off the runway is a personal favourite of all personnel involved. I've just picked that up from other forums.

 

By the way, I've found that flashing lights plan of yours to be a nice touch. That's why I recall it. Makes a guy on the ground happy.

[Airbus Commander 563]

Strobes, while great in the air, are a nuisance on the ground, the amount of pilots who forget to turn them off, or else treat them like the rotating beacon is insane. You gain a real appreciation of strobes when you get dazzled by them... EI policy is not to turn them on until takeoff clearance is received and off as soon as you're off the runway... Some pilots though just don't seem to get it...

 

Ró.

[CoolP 283]

Some pilots though just don't seem to get it...

Yes, that's the part I recall from various forums. Funny in a way, but, as you saw, not too bright!

 

But you pilots always wear sunglasses, right? What, stereotype? :o I saw pilot models in the sim!

[Airbus Commander 563]

Yes, that's the part I recall from various forums. Funny in a way, but, as you saw, not too bright!

 

But you pilots always wear sunglasses, right? What, stereotype? :o I saw pilot models in the sim!

Nothing funny about banging your head off the engine cowling on a walkaround... :Hypnotized:

Sunglasses on the ramp at night, we're pilots, not MIB lol... :biggrin:

 

Ró.

[CoolP 283]

Nothing funny about banging your head off the engine cowling on a walkaround... :Hypnotized:

Wingflex? :biggrin:

 

Ok, dead horse, you are right. :blush: But I knew it was dangerous!