Re: Strobe light usage

[Roger Long]

"Peter Duniho" <>
> As for using the strobes as a way to communicate to the tower, that only
> works if there's an official policy regarding that. There's not, so it
> really doesn't matter what you're trying to do, there's no way for you to
> use the strobes to communicate to the tower that you believe you are
cleared
> onto an active runway.

I agree that lack of uniformity on this diminishes it's usefulness. However,
that's the case with a number of gray area issues. If it's the right thing
to do, we should do it to promote it.

When the tower sees your strobes come on just as your runway clearance is
coming through their headphones, it's got to help confirm that you are the
plane they are talking to and not another one that thinks they are where you
are and about to enter from an intersection. It's happened more than once.

>
> For what it's worth, some airplanes have ONLY strobes and no beacon. The
> strobes are the required "anticollision" light, and as such are required
to
> be on any time the airplane is moving, including taxiing.
>
In that case, I agree, their strobes would have to be on. Better would be
for them to get a beacon.

Besides all the above, I've heard several places that the strobes when
cleared is the procedure the airlines use an my observations seem to confirm
this. I like looking professional to the tower and doing it like the
airlines seems a good guide.

--

Roger Long

[Roger Halstead]

On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 00:27:46 +0100, "Paul Sengupta"
> wrote:

>"gatt" > wrote in message
...
>> Most of the people I've rented from discourage it altogether unless in
>IFR,
>> which means I've annoyed many of them 'cause if there's a lot of traffic
>or
>> poor VFR I do it anyway. :>
>
>You're supposed to turn your strobes off in the clouds as the
>reflection can be blindingly bright.
>
I'd take the "blindingly bringht any day over the vertigo they are
likely to cause. <:-))

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
>Paul
>

[Roger Halstead]

On Fri, 06 Aug 2004 00:01:20 GMT, David Megginson
> wrote:

>Paul Sengupta wrote:
>
>> You're supposed to turn your strobes off in the clouds as the
>> reflection can be blindingly bright.
>
>Actually, I think that the reason was the people mistakenly believed that
>the strobes reflecting off the clouds could cause vertigo or seizures.
>That's recently been debunked (unless you're epileptic, of course), but I do
>not remember the source offhand.

That may have been debunked but I can point to a number of local
pilots, including me, who have found the strobes to be a bit more than
unsetteling in some clouds. It has noting to do with epilictcy
either. It's not the flashing rate, it's the stroboscopic effect like
you see in some night clubs. It makes you dizzy just trying to walk.
It there is texture to the clouds the strobes can easily create an
effect much like the "leans" you get from the same kind of clouds in
the day.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

>
>Day or night, the reflection of my strobes in cloud has never been a problem
>-- it's not even enough to affect my night vision.
>
>
>All the best,
>
>
>David

[Rick Durden]

Roger,

I'm trying to find the regulation you reference. 91.209 requires
operation of position lights at night but not anticollision lights.
91.209(b) calls for operation of anticollision lights unless the PIC
"determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the
interest of safety to turn the lights off."

I may have missed a reg that requires operation of anti-collision
lights, but I've missed stuff before and will again.

A number of aircraft POH's and placards state that the strobes should
not be operated on the ground, in fog or in cloud. Because of the
potential to destroy the night vision of others who may be in the area
(a safety issue), I have always taught that strobes should be turned
on on taking the runway and off on exiting the runway. While it is a
personal preference on the part of the pilot, I've felt that safety
dictates that they be left off when on the ground (even if the a/c has
no beacon) due to the potential for danger to others. (Or distraction
as others comment on the guy who taxies with his strobes on during the
day and promptly walk into the open manhole in the ramp <g>.)

All the best,
Rick

Roger Halstead > wrote in message >...
> On 04 Aug 2004 19:58:46 -0700, Javier Henderson >
> wrote:
>
> >"Roger Long" > writes:
> >
> >> Have I been wrong all this time and is this booklet authoritative enough
> >> that I should change my procedures?
> >
> >Strobes on the ground, unless you're taxiing onto the active for
> >takeoff, or just landed, are very annoying. Rather than having to keep
> >track of yet one more thing, I prefer to simplify my workload by
> >leaving them off on the ground until the tower clears me to taxi onto
>
> I can't do that. Regulations require they be on as soon as I start the
> engine. (any time the prop is turning)
>
> Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
> (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
> www.rogerhalstead.com
>
> >the active runway. Upon landing, I turn the strobes off after exiting
> >the runway, along with everything else on the post-landing checklist.
> >
> >My HO, your mileage may vary, etc.
> >
> >-jav

[Ron Natalie]

"Rick Durden" > wrote in message
>
> A number of aircraft POH's and placards state that the strobes should
> not be operated on the ground, in fog or in cloud. Because of the
> potential to destroy the night vision of others who may be in the area
> (a safety issue),

It's also a nice courtesy to kill the landing light when it might affect the night vision
of others (sort of like dimming your high beams).