RWY-lights during bad weather?

[Franz007 478]

Hi to all

 

I am still quite new to P3D and have a question:

 

Aren't the Runway-lights supposed to work when there is rain or bad visibility? For example, i am at Nice LFMN right now (Payware for P3D version) and the weather is quite bad. But i can't see any the Runway- and taxiways-lights. The lights work during night but not now. The actual METAR is LFMN 141130Z 05018KT 8000 -TSRA SCT016 FEW026CB BKN033 17/15 Q1005 NOSIG). I am using ActiveSky, that works perfectly. The wet-effects on the Runway looks amazing, only the lights are missing.

 

Thank you very much for your help (if someone know).

 

Cheers

Franz

 

 

[Sam 68]

Did you tune the ils?

[Franz007 478]

No because i am departing and i can't enter an ILS into the PMDG 777 when parked. Is that the way we are suppose to do? Really? That would be quite strange...

[Zuendholz 50]

Is it only LFMN? Can you check another payware Airport like LEPA or something else?

[Franz007 478]

OK i will check. I just have seen it at LFMN. Dont have much more experience in P3D with bad weather for the moment.

[Franz007 478]

I ask again because of that problem: are the RWY-lights suppose to work or not during bad weather (at daytime)?

 

At almost EVERY scenery (i own only Payware-ones) i have no lights when arriving into the fog. That is really annoying. I dont understand why lights are not ON when the weather is bad. I just landed at FLy Tampa LOWW for example: no lights at all (and the metar was: LOWW 171220Z 05003KT 350V130 4500 BR FEW007 OVC008). Can an experienced user perhaps help?

[greggerm 312]

Just because there is rain or mist doesn't automatically mean the lights will turn on. Airport lights will turn on once you drop into IFR conditions. I'm guessing that once you drop below the VFR minimums (based on US FAA standards), the lights will turn on.

 

Ceiling less than 500' or visibility less than 3 miles.

 

The LFMN METAR does not meet these criteria - the visibility and ceiling are within VFR allowances. The LOWW METAR is riiiiiight on the edge with visibility, but the ceiling is still VFR.

 

In the real world, the airport might choose to turn on the lights because of the marginal conditions, but the simulated world is a little more robotic and probably goes by the letter-of-the-law.

 

If you'd like to further test, manually set your weather to below VFR minimums, and check your airport lighting once again - you should see the runway/approach lighting operational, as well as the rotating beacon.

 

-Greg

[Franz007 478]

Hi Greg

 

Thanks very much for your comprehensive and competent answer. That's what i was looking for. That makes sense ;-)

 

I will test with conditions below VFR minimums.

 

Best regrads,

Franz

[Franz007 478]

I tried it again. The Metar was: KDEN 301459Z 24003KT 1/4SM R35L/3500VP6000FT FG OVC002 07/06 A3023 RMK AO2 T00670056

 

Sadly no Runway-lights were ON during Take Off. I don't understand why...

[bursco 14]

I tried it again. The Metar was: KDEN 301459Z 24003KT 1/4SM R35L/3500VP6000FT FG OVC002 07/06 A3023 RMK AO2 T00670056

 

Sadly no Runway-lights were ON during Take Off. I don't understand why...

Me neither

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

Did you tune the ils?

Tuning the ILS doesn't have any effect on runway lights in real life or in FSX or P3D.

[Sam 68]

Tuning the ILS doesn't have any effect on runway lights in real life or in FSX or P3D.

Real life.. ofc not. Now this question was about p3d. Since quite a few airports for fsx functions this way, don't you think it could be valid to suggest the same thing was valid for their p3d counterpart?

[Paul_ 52]

I think I know what has happened here ...

 

If you nip up into the Control Tower there is a plug socket under the desk and the cleaner is always forgetting to put the plug back in after using the vacuum cleaner!! 😀😀

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

Real life.. ofc not. Now this question was about p3d. Since quite a few airports for fsx functions this way, don't you think it could be valid to suggest the same thing was valid for their p3d counterpart?

No airports in FSX or P3D have runway lights controlled by tuning the ILS frequency. That's the point I was trying to make when o said FSX or P3D.

[Sam 68]

No airports in FSX or P3D have runway lights controlled by tuning the ILS frequency. That's the point I was trying to make when o said FSX or P3D.

I know for sure scansim EKCH has this

 

To quote the developer:

 

"At DAY they are not activated by default.

To turn on the approch lights at DAY in FOGGY weather or other kind of low visibility, tune in both NAV's ( NAV2 ) and use ILS for auto landing. Use frequences listed below for each runways... "

 

Turns out that you find pilot controlled lights in real life also.. google ARCAL/PAL