Landing Light...

S

SJP

Guest
My local FBO has posted a notice requesting that pilots do not use the Landing Light during daytime hours, even in the traffic pattern, as they have had a number of Landing Light Inop events during night flights recently.

Just wondering if this is a common request - Personally, I'm a bit wary about NOT using it in the pattern...my instructor used to beat me over the head about it during training.

Thoughts ?
 
Steve I learned at an FBO that didn't like us using landing lights in the pattern during day light. My understanding was that they were expensive to replace when the burnt out. The CFIs would always be on us to shut the light off so the FBO did't see us comming in with it on.

My attitude is a landing light may be expensive but value wise it dosent compare to my life. Turn it on if its for saftey end of story.
 
We had both a taxi light and a landing light and we were requested to not use the landing light in daytime ops.

My plane has three landing lights so I use them whenever I feel like it to be seen.
 
I say too bad. As PIC (and renter) it is your choice to use it or not. Personally I keep myself in the habit, daytime or night. I have had the landing light go out on me during a night flight, and it's not a fun experience, but I still say that it is your decision.
 
AdamZ said:
Steve I learned at an FBO that didn't like us using landing lights in the pattern during day light. My understanding was that they were expensive to replace when the burnt out. The CFIs would always be on us to shut the light off so the FBO did't see us comming in with it on.

My attitude is a landing light may be expensive but value wise it dosent compare to my life. Turn it on if its for saftey end of story.
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The one you learned at isn't the only one in this area that requests that renters not use landing lights because of the expense of replacement. It's a request I generally ignore. Charge an extra dollar an hour to rent the plane out, and replace the darn lights. I'm not compromising safety in such a high traffic area to save a couple bucks.
 
You're PIC, Steve. I'd say you ought to do what you're comfortable with. If the FBO doesn't like it, tough ;)
 
Has anyone here ever noticed another plane due to the landing light being on? I know I haven't.

I guess I usually turn it on..day or night..

More or less though..landing lights in rental planes are something that works..sometimes...More often then not they are broke in my experience. If they are mounted in the nose and the airplane is used for primary training you can pretty much count on it not working.

It's not really a big deal to land at night without a landing light.

I guess..I would simply straight up tell them that I will have it on. If they have a problem with that, I wouldn't use their airplanes. It's their equipment I guess I wouldn't try to hide it behind their back. I'd tell them how I feel and chances are they would understand. If they didn't...Go somewhere else.
 
jangell said:
Has anyone here ever noticed another plane due to the landing light being on? I know I haven't.

I guess I usually turn it on..day or night..

...
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As do I. Although I cringe every time I say this, I still have the nose landing light bulb that was on the plane when I bought it 7 years ago.

I added the wing leading edge landing lights with pulse 5 years ago and those are on about anytime I'm not at a cruising altitude. I've had people tell me they really help make me visible.

I agree. I'd rent a plane elsewhere if I was told to keep the lights off. How does the bulb know it's burning out at night instead of the daytime? :rolleyes:
 
mikea said:
I agree. I'd rent a plane elsewhere if I was told to keep the lights off. How does the bulb know it's burning out at night instead of the daytime? :rolleyes:
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I think the bulbs live such a short life because of:

1.) The lightbulb is usually in the nose of the airplane.

2.) It is on..and hot.

3.) Pilot slams nose down on runway landing.

== Dead lightbulb

Personally I can see why they might ask people not to use it if they are pounding touch and go's one after another.
 
jangell said:
Has anyone here ever noticed another plane due to the landing light being on? I know I haven't.

I guess I usually turn it on..day or night..
snip.
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I have, if they are headed toward me of course. I'll often see the light before the plane, especially during hazy summer days around here. The planes can blend in, the lights stand out. The pulse lights someone else mentioned are especially effective.
 
The school I Instructed at asked all CFI's to not use the lights during daytime operations. To us - it was a pretty easy request. I don't think the same request was never really pushed on renters. And obviously, If we decide to use it - we use it.
The request to not use the lights during daytime was not only for cost cutting. We found that many nighttime renters or students were constantly inconvenienced by showing up at night and unable to go because a bulb is out. Following implementation of the recommendation these types of problems decreased significantly.
 
jangell said:
Has anyone here ever noticed another plane due to the landing light being on? I know I haven't.
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Not in the pattern, but it HAS been very useful in picking planes out of the summer haze around here.

If a plane is headed towards me at the same altitude, I'll turn the landing light on for a bit, THEN turn right. It lets them know that I'm there and they generally turn right as well.

In the pattern, our club discourages the use of the landing light during daytime operations (VFR, of course).
 
flyerny said:
The school I Instructed at asked all CFI's to not use the lights during daytime operations. To us - it was a pretty easy request. I don't think the same request was never really pushed on renters. And obviously, If we decide to use it - we use it.
The request to not use the lights during daytime was not only for cost cutting. We found that many nighttime renters or students were constantly inconvenienced by showing up at night and unable to go because a bulb is out. Following implementation of the recommendation these types of problems decreased significantly.
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Sort of a followup :

Wouldn't replacing a light bulb come under Pilot allowed maintenance - and be a very useful skill to teach a primary student ? How hard would it be to put a spare bulb and a screwdriver in the back of the plane ? Sure, doesn't help you if it goes out during the approach at night, but it would remove the 'can't go because it's out and the maintenance shop is shut' scenario.

Besides....how much is a spare bulb ? $20 ?
 
RotaryWingBob said:
You're PIC, Steve. I'd say you ought to do what you're comfortable with. If the FBO doesn't like it, tough ;)
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Pretty much my attitude at this point Bob.

AIM 4-3-23(c) also talks about keeping the light on pretty much all the time (although I think thats a little excessive). I know AIM is not rules, but certainly a firm suggestion !!
 
More often than not I forget to turn it off once I'm more than about 10 nm from the airport. But, it's part of "Lights, camera, action" when taking the active to depart. And that isn't going to change for me.
 
If you want it on, turn it on, but TANSTAAFL -- don't be surprised if you start paying for landing light bulbs via increased rental rates.
 
SJP said:
Sort of a followup :

Wouldn't replacing a light bulb come under Pilot allowed maintenance - and be a very useful skill to teach a primary student ? How hard would it be to put a spare bulb and a screwdriver in the back of the plane ? Sure, doesn't help you if it goes out during the approach at night, but it would remove the 'can't go because it's out and the maintenance shop is shut' scenario.

Besides....how much is a spare bulb ? $20 ?
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The problem with a rental airplane is that it's operated FOR HIRE, and thus there are a bunch of new restrictions that come into play. Since the FBO is the "operator", as opposed to the rental pilot, the rental pilot can't change a light bulb. That's the explanation I got when I raised a similar question.
 
jangell said:
Has anyone here ever noticed another plane due to the landing light being on? I know I haven't.
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Yes... Opposite direction or turning through opposite you see a "star" in the daylight sky and nothing else, unless they continue the turn long enough and you stare at the spot and suddenly a plane appears.

It's not really a big deal to land at night without a landing light.

I guess..I would simply straight up tell them that I will have it on. If they have a problem with that, I wouldn't use their airplanes. It's their equipment I guess I wouldn't try to hide it behind their back. I'd tell them how I feel and chances are they would understand. If they didn't...Go somewhere else.
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Amen. And with all of the other things that can go wrong with a plane, landing lights are cheap! Not that a $24 bulb is really "cheap," but it beats the heck out of $4 worth of sheet metal and microswitch being $1000 when it's labeled a "lift detector!"
 
You guys have to remember that its not only the $20 bulb but also its cost of the mechanics time spent doing it while incurring lost time on something more important.

Also, I understand what you are saying about the simplicity of changing a landing light, but can you imagine if we had renters "playing" with all of the items that an owner or clubmember may do? I personally would not want to fly in an airplane from an FBO that allows renters to do things other than clean the windshield and add oil or fuel. Just my thoughts and probably the FBO's too.
 
I would fly somewhere else then. If they feel they have to ask pilots to compromise safety to save a few bucks. Time to move on.
You will see a landing light coming at you long before you could make out the actual plane (as I have many times) and maybe just save all the lives involved.
Just my .02.
 
SJP said:
My local FBO has posted a notice requesting that pilots do not use the Landing Light during daytime hours, even in the traffic pattern, as they have had a number of Landing Light Inop events during night flights recently.

Just wondering if this is a common request - Personally, I'm a bit wary about NOT using it in the pattern...my instructor used to beat me over the head about it during training.

Thoughts ?
Click to expand...

I use the taxi light during daylight hours. If it's real hazy, I'll use the taxi light for more than just landing. I leave it on in the practice area and in the pattern. I only use the landing light at night. I don't think it's too odd of a request.
 
hahah this is absurd...

we gotta sacrifice our safety so they dont have to replace a light bulb...are they serious...

well its just too bad for that flight school...we have no choice but to pay these extremely high rental rates and we cant do anything about it...too bad if they have to change a light bulb more often...

if they want it that way then they should give a cheaper rate for you if u make a smoothe landing and dont get too hard on the brakes ect ect...u just saved them brake pads and tires...they should save you a few bucks..haha right like that might happen...
and for the people who say they dont use landing lights during the day ect ect. and that they never had trouble seeing airplanes without the ladning light on well remind me never to get in the plane with you..
every commercial airplane ive ever seen has the lights on during lkanding take off whatever...and they aint THAT hard to miss if they dont have lights on...

Ant
 
SupraPilot said:
and for the people who say they dont use landing lights during the day ect ect. and that they never had trouble seeing airplanes without the ladning light on well remind me never to get in the plane with you..
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Yup. There is no way to know whether you see all the planes out there... If you don't see them, you don't even know they're there!

I've had too many instances of never seeing traffic that was called within a mile by ATC to believe I'm seeing it all. I do know I've seen planes because their landing light was on.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Yup. There is no way to know whether you see all the planes out there... If you don't see them, you don't even know they're there!

I've had too many instances of never seeing traffic that was called within a mile by ATC to believe I'm seeing it all. I do know I've seen planes because their landing light was on.
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Taxiing to the runup area this afternoon a Beech 1900 was on short final and the only way I spotted him initially was his landing light. And that sucker is a bit larger than the planes I fly. Anything to make me more visible in the air is fair game.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I've had too many instances of never seeing traffic that was called within a mile by ATC to believe I'm seeing it all. I do know I've seen planes because their landing light was on.
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Me too! It is amazing how hard it can be to spot another aircraft even with the help of ATC. A lot of time I will turn on my landing lightS (3 on my plane) with two pulsing just to make myself more visible to traffic. At worse it will cost me a few $$$ to replace the bulbs sooner. But that is much less expensive than replacing my plane and life.
 
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