Lights!
Posted by MeatResident2697@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 17 comments
why do we even bother turning off the nav and landing lights?
Posted by MeatResident2697@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 17 comments
why do we even bother turning off the nav and landing lights?
SSMDive@reddit
Because unless you have LED lights an incandescent bulb uses a lot of power, gets hot, and burns out quickly. This was a few years ago, but a buddy had a Bonanza and his landing light was incandescent. He said it burned out in about 25 hours of use and cost 60 dollars to replace.
LED's for the plane cost 300 dollars and require some paperwork.
pilotjlr@reddit
On the G7 Cirrus, the nav lights are on all the time. There’s not even a switch.
If you got lasered at night, you couldn’t even shut them off to evade the laser. But fortunately, in a Cirrus, it’s not like you’re looking outside at all anyway.
skunimatrix@reddit
Everything on our plane is LED now save for the strobes and beacon. And the beacon will be swapped out in a few weeks during follow up work. Damn thing draws 10AMPs by itself.
JJ-_-@reddit
that's interesting i didn't actually know about that! does the master switch basically double as the nav lights switch then?
pilotjlr@reddit
Yeah, batteries on turns on the nav lights. Also the avionics - they got rid of the avionics master also.
And then the G7+ got rid of the pitot heat switch. That's automatic now.
In a few years, they will be down to a single big green button that just says GO
Needs2GetLaid@reddit
Was flying at night with an owner once in a Bell 206, when I turned on the landing light (just to make it easier for others to see us). He immediately reached down and turned it off, proclaiming, "Those bulbs are expensive!", lol.
SanAntonioSewerpipe@reddit
A mid air collision is even more expensive .
glidec@reddit
Nav lights are usually left on on airliners and jets to signify power is currently on in some capacity on the plane. But the real answer is that it's on the checklist so i just follow it.
Mad_Rooster_7164@reddit
The battery will run out if you leave them on indefinitely.
Cessnateur@reddit
If you've still got an incandescent landing light, one benefit to shutting it off is removing the load, heat, and potential electrical problems from your list of concerns.
Ecstatic_Signal_1756@reddit
I'm a member of a flying club and we never turn them off until we're shutting the plane down or having an electrical problem. I don't think lights do a lot for see-and-avoid but why take away something that may help?
flyingron@reddit
My landing light is on the gear so they go off when the gear comes up. (Yes, there's a switch like your refrigerator has, so they don't stay on in the gear well). I leave my navs on all the time. I don't have a rotating beacon so it's a good sign that the engine start is imminent.
Ok-Money2811@reddit
Nav lights are both largely useless and not required during the day, and they’re just a bulb on a lot of airplanes that will eventually burn out.
Why burn up a bulb that you’re not getting anything out of? Especially one that is required at night and can down your airplane if you need/want to fly it at night if you don’t have the means to change it.
AtariFerrariNH@reddit
The nav lights on my personal airplane are LED, so they stay on all the time. Landing light is on from takeoff to TOC, then TOD to clearing the runway. Taxi light is on any time im moving on the ground. Beacon is on from engine start to shutdown. Strobes are on from takeoff to clearing the runway after landing, and any time I cross a runway.
I've left the landing light on the entire time before when it's either a short flight, or the airspace is very busy.
BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit
We turn landing lights off for bulb longevity. That's why.
Impossible_Sky9384@reddit
I guess to reduce unnecessary electrical load and excessive bulb replacement. Although with LEDs these days that is not as important I suppose. Why have them on when it’s not necessary (landing lights especially).
rFlyingTower@reddit
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why do we even bother turning off the nav and landing lights?
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