Story of Aircraft Lights

In planes you have

NAVIGATION lights (green and red) at wing tips and white/yellow TAIL LIGHTS to make others know of your position both on ground and in air....They stay on right through even when the engines are switched off but the plane is parked in a busy area.

Then you have the LOGO lights in Tail fin area illuminating the logo of the airline so that an onlooker or an intercepting aircraft can identify the airline.

Then yoiu have the WING Inspection lights which illuminate generally the leading edge of the wings and the oversurface/undersurface of the wings.Generally used by maintenance people on ground and in air to see whether there is any Icing in the leading edge etc.

Then you have the BEACON revolving lights on top and bottom...which are switched on just before the engine is started and they remain right through till you reach destination parking bay and after the engines are swirtched off then the Beacon lights are switched off.

Then when you are just about to taxi, you put the TAXI and RWY TURNOFF lights oN to assist in taxiing and to see the area on both sides.Taxi lights are to see the area ahead when you are taxiing and turnoff lights to see the area on both sides where the plane might be intending to turn on to.and the same lights are used to see the area when the airplane is expected to TURN OFF from the runway both left and right.You switch them off immediately after takeoff after raising the Gear up....Then before landing again you put them on and use it till you arrive at the parking bay .

Then you have the white STROBE lights which you put on as you enter the rwy and they remain on through out till you land at destination and as you leave the rwy on to taxi track, you put the strobes Off.

Then you have the LANDING lights which also is put On as you enter the rwy. Though the name implies that you use it for only landing. we use it both at night as well as Day. At takeoff in night it will help in immediate forced landing after takeoff if necessary. And during day, it is found that the birds see the landing Lights and avoid the plane more efficiently than when we try to avoid them. So for that purpose, we use the landing lights ON till 10000 ft in climb and put them off above 10000ft. Similarly on arrival descent, we put them ON crossing 10000ft . During day it is for bird avoidance. During Night it gives the location of the plane to other planes brightly and so useful there as well for traffic avoidance purposes too. After landing, when the plane turns on to Taxi Track, the landing lights are switched off.

This is the story of Aircraft Lights

Capt Bala, thanks, very nice and simple way of explaining specially for the new pilots how about the emergency exit lights?? interior and exterior that will complete the lighting system of any comercial jet.
Thanks.

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interior and exterior that will complete the lighting system of any comercial jet.

Any clue about the interior lights going off during take off and landing?

Gaurav, did'nt understand what is your question ?? what i meant by the interior and exterior lights was to the emergency lights, they are used to assist in evacutation, the emergency light switch has to be armed in the cockpit or the cabin depending on the type. Rest i will leave it to Capt Bala to explain since he has explained the system so well.
Cheers

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Any clue about the interior lights going off during take off and landing?

I remember this discussion but dont remember if it was in indianpilots.com or indianaviators.com

Anyways the cabin lights are dimmed so that in case of an emergency when u have to evacuate ur eyes take less time to adjust to the outside darkness making it easier for u to find a safe spot and run as if ur tail is on fire@

Haree

spot on Haree, you are right it is discussed in the general section and if not wrong the thread was started by gaurav.
cheers

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if not wrong the thread was started by gaurav.

Yup thats right!

Nice explanation there Haree!
Thanks a ton!