Possible to stop lights from shining through cloud?

[MarkW 1,491]

Last night I was flying the Q400 from DCA to YTZ, there was a snowstorm at YTZ with 2.5 miles vis and clouds down to 600 feet AGL.  I was on the RNAV C approach descending through 2000ft into runway 08 and stressing about when I would see the runway when the whole experience was ruined by the airport lighting shining through the overcast layer at full brightness.  Kind of ruined the moment and I am wondering if there is anything that can be done to stop this effect ?   thanks.

[vololiberista 205]

What was the RVR? Approach lights will be visible with 2.5miles visability at the altitude you reported so what you saw was correct.

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Mark,

 

I just did my first IMC to minimums flight with AS16/ASCA - and the visibility seemed to work exactly like it should... The quote is from another post but it describes my experience in detail... The approach lighting system came into view very gradually as I was straining to see it (P3Dv3.4)... This was the winter storm system going through Buffalo NY around 3PM local this past Sunday...

 

I had a FANTASTIC flight yesterday myself - very recently upgraded to AS16/ASCA and this was my first flight landing near minimums with it... Flew from KSHD into KBUF yesterday around 20:00Z just as that big winter storm system was moving through Buffalo - minimums on the ILS 23 are 200 ft AGL - again - all my deicing equipment running full tilt - flew the approach in full IMC with snow, ice, and rain... The plane performed flawlessly... I swear I had beads of sweat on my forehead as I passed through 500 ft AGL straining to see something out the windscreen but rewarded with nothing other than the incredible new AS16/ASCA effects swirling/whisking the clouds/precip passed my windscreen... At 250 ft AGL I could just barely make out part of the approach lighting system (thanks FlyTampa) those ALSF-2 lighting systems sure help... As the DH light illuminated I had enough to continue my approach... Since we didn't have to fly out until the following afternoon - after securing the aircraft - we headed to the airport bar for a few beers and some much needed R&R before catching the shuttle to our hotel... We earned our pay on this flight...

Regards,

Scott

[MarkW 1,491]

I am using ASN and it seemed like a bright blob of light in the sky.  The RVR was probably correct but if above the clouds the lights should not show though.  I will try again with historic weather same night in a small plane and see if I can further refine what I was seeing.....with me focused on landing I may have been wrong relative to where I was.

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

Last night I was flying the Q400 from DCA to YTZ, there was a snowstorm at YTZ with 2.5 miles vis and clouds down to 600 feet AGL. I was on the RNAV C approach descending through 2000ft into runway 08 and stressing about when I would see the runway when the whole experience was ruined by the airport lighting shining through the overcast layer at full brightness. Kind of ruined the moment and I am wondering if there is anything that can be done to stop this effect ? thanks.

It's not a fault of ASN or P3D specifically, it's just how the rendering engine works and doesn't prevent the lights from being visible through clouds or fog. People have been complaining about it for years but there's nothing that can be done outside of rendering design changes.