Help with lighting

spiderweb

spiderweb

Final Approach
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Ben
I have very low night hours, and I need help with lighting, especially approach lighting. I know the AIM has info on this, but I wonder if you know of a website which has photographs of the different types of lighting? I need to know what MIRL looks like versus HIRL, what RAIL and ALS looks like. I saw them a couple of days ago on those low approaches, but I was too focused on not peeing in my pants.
 
wangmyers said:
I have very low night hours, and I need help with lighting, especially approach lighting. I know the AIM has info on this, but I wonder if you know of a website which has photographs of the different types of lighting? I need to know what MIRL looks like versus HIRL, what RAIL and ALS looks like. I saw them a couple of days ago on those low approaches, but I was too focused on not peeing in my pants.
Click to expand...

While it gets little attention during most instrument training, the lighting system is an integral part of any approach. As you note it is nice to know what to expect.

You can start here: http://www.faa.gov/ATpubs/AIM/Chap2/aim0201.html#2-1-1

If you are using NACA IAP charts then you will find a small diagram at the top of the chart: Example here: http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0507/00166I14L.PDF

The chart glossary for the IAPs has a good description of each approach light system. see: http://www.aopa.org/members/files/chart_guide/iap_symbols.pdf (sorry I could not find it else where. I will also attach the pertinent pages.

Here are some key things to look for:

Does the system have sequenced flashers (some folks call these rabbits)? If it does the acronym will have an F at the end.

Threshold lights are green, never land before you cross the green lights.

Is there a visual approach slope indicator? If yes, what type and what do the indications mean. Also, check the chart to see if there is a note saying that the GS does not align with the Visual indicator. If that is the case (they don't align), then make a decision as to which you are going to use.

When shooting an approach to minimums, even during daylight, you always want the lights on. During the day they need to be full brightness, at night you can ask to have them dimmed. Whichever is the case remember the natural tendancy is to flare high when the lights are on because they give the illusion that the runway surface is at the top of the lights and not below them where it actually is.

If you get Jepp charts, they have color pictures in the introductory material.

I can't emphasize enough what a great question that was and how important it is to know what you should expect to see when you transition to visual.
 
Man, that was good, Arnold. I had just found the AT pubs page....
 
bbchien said:
Man, that was good, Arnold. I had just found the AT pubs page....
Click to expand...

Aw shucks . . .
Actually, I looked it up a few months ago when I started using NACA charts again. I think that approach lights are so important it I review the info regularly.
 
I think there was a pretty good article on this in IFR sometime last year. As Arnold is suggesting, I see little point in trying to memorize each ALS configuration, just understand the main points.
 
I almost forgot, low visibility take offs are just as much fun as low vis landings. For all ground ops it pays to know your lighting, including which taxiways have centerline lights and what color they are, same for high speed runway exits.

But my favorite is runway centerline lights. When I was 135 chief pilot for a night freight operation out of midway, we had a pilot run over several taxiway lights while on t/o doing damage to the lights and the aircraft.

When I asked the pilot what happened I got "I thought they were the centerline lights." Of course Midway has no centerline lights.
 
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