Taxi light on during day ops... good or bad?

[aa73]

Many pilots (captains) do this during the day anytime the a/c is moving. Does the FAA recommend this as part of its "Operation Lights On" or does that only apply when airborne? Questions/comments, thanx.

73

 

[Nindiri]

Ramp towers sometimes require it. It's a good idea on the ramp; lets service vehicle drivers know if it's safe to operate or if you're about to start moving again.

 

[afres bum]

The FAA and ICAO SARPs are more worried about runway incursions... see FAA AC 120-74A. There are many other documents available online and through ICAO... It is more important to turn on landing lights when cleared for take off than it is to turn on taxi lights when taxiing in my opinion.

 

[Sky Jet]

SOP in our GOM FYI.
nuff said.

 

[StuckMic]

It seems to be SOP at most companies....that doesn't make it any less annoying though.

 

[skiandsurf]

It seems to be SOP at most companies....that doesn't make it any less annoying though.

I dont know why it is annoying. The taxi light, to me, indicates the airplane is moving. You can 'communicate" with other aircraft with your light on or off. If I see a pilot turn off his light, he is giving way. If I see a plane, and the taxi light comes on, it indicates that he is starting to taxi. Doesnt annoy me the least.

Now pull into a parking lot in your car without your turn signal, that is annoying.

 

[ATRCA]

I don't do it during daylight at all.

 

[FNG_that's me]

I dont know why it is annoying. The taxi light, to me, indicates the airplane is moving. You can 'communicate" with other aircraft with your light on or off. If I see a pilot turn off his light, he is giving way. If I see a plane, and the taxi light comes on, it indicates that he is starting to taxi. Doesnt annoy me the least.

Now pull into a parking lot in your car without your turn signal, that is annoying.

BINGO!!! And when you cross a runway, turn on lots of lights so you can be seen!

 

[SSDD]

Its one of those things that makes you feel good but doesn't add to safety. If you can't tell that a 50 or 100,000 pound airplane if moving you're not really paying attention. Now crossing an active runway, that is a different story.

 

[bestpilot]

I don't do it during daylight at all.

Duude! You gonna be surprisin da peeps taxiying in de Ayy-Teee-Ellllle ifn you do dat down here and stuff.

Iz dat why you roll out all da wayz to de end and likes never takes dem high speeds on 26R andz 27L, my brother from a no taxi light using brother?

I gonna cllz you Cool Hand Luke and stuuff, bro, cause when you taxi roundz wit dat not lit, it like da Boss man say. "Waht we have here iz a failure to communicate!"


Baaad Kharma, tis da season fer Goood Kharma,

Fa la la la la La la la la!

 

[geardown]

Taxi lights are required on the ramp in cinci, and in ATL if you don't have it on every tug, fuel truck, etc will cut in front of you as if you don't exist, even if you are moving. Just CYA if you have a ground collision because someone didn't decide to yield. It has happened many times in Atlanta. I try to do everything I can (in any phase of flight) to minimize my chances of the FAA finding fault with me in the event an incident does occur. It is not about being cool.

 

[aa73]

I agree with the procedure... just wondered if every airline does it. Most of us at AA do.

 

[J32driver]

Taxi lights are the only way ORD continues to function! Alot of the taxi operations around there are not coordinated between inbound and outbound ground... consequently, you wind up with no notice of airplanes cutting you off and heading for an alley way. Its times like this that the taxi light during the day is indespensible.

AA73... thanks again for the ride a couple weeks ago!

 

[SkyWstman]

If you don't like it look away. All day long there are cars coming at me on the road and I don't stare at the lights. Same with airplanes. Shift your eyes slightly no problem.

 

[aa73]

AA73... thanks again for the ride a couple weeks ago!

Fuhgeddaboudit! Glad to have you, man.

 

[Patriot328]

Most do it at CAL. Not sure if it's SOP, actually. I just assumed it was (like just about everywhere else). Obviously if a plane is barreling down the taxiway, you'll notice he's moving with or without the taxi light. The light is nice to see an airplane that is just about to start rolling.

 

[glasspilot1]

The taxi light, to me, indicates the airplane is moving. You can 'communicate" with other aircraft with your light on or off. If I see a pilot turn off his light, he is giving way. If I see a plane, and the taxi light comes on, it indicates that he is starting to taxi. Doesnt annoy me the least.

What skiandsurf said! I completely agree with his above explanation.

Someone else mentioned very busy airports (O'hare). Very often you'll have a taxi clearance, but someone else is barreling twords the same place you are headed (usually someone who has just landed and is exiting the runway). If it's obvious he's going to keep going, I'll just turn off my taxi light and slow down. Those Chicago ground controllers do a great job but sometimes "stuff just happens".

So for me taxi light on means I have the right of way. And light off means I'm giving way.

A detail about the MD-80. The taxi light has a "high beam" and a "low beam". (my words) Obviously you use the low for normal taxi. High just for T/O and landing. Although with my 49 year old eyes I'll use the highs for taxi if it won't annoy anybody else around me.

 

[Trogdor]

So for me taxi light on means I have the right of way. And light off means I'm giving way.

I agree, although in the mighty beech, I always figure that I'm giving way since we're the smallest ones out there.

 

[Mach 80]

Any 737 operators tell you guys to be sure and NOT use the taxi-light for take-off and landing? Unlike the DC-9/MD's, the 737 taxi light is installed BELOW the strut, thus getting more of a beating. The filament, when hot, is more likely to break with sudden motion than when it's cold, thus..leave it OFF for take-off and landing.

Just curious if you've heard the same.

 

[Green Banana]

Any 737 operators tell you guys to be sure and NOT use the taxi-light for take-off and landing? Unlike the DC-9/MD's, the 737 taxi light is installed BELOW the strut, thus getting more of a beating. The filament, when hot, is more likely to break with sudden motion than when it's cold, thus..leave it OFF for take-off and landing.

Just curious if you've heard the same.

It's a good thing I don't get paid in taxi lights!

 

[DrewBlows]

It seems to be SOP at most companies....that doesn't make it any less annoying though.

LOL! This pretty much proves that lights-on are more noticeable than lights-off.

General Motors has been using day time running lights as standard equipment on all of their cars for years. They seem to think that light-on is a good thing.

 

[J32driver]

Any 737 operators tell you guys to be sure and NOT use the taxi-light for take-off and landing? Unlike the DC-9/MD's, the 737 taxi light is installed BELOW the strut, thus getting more of a beating. The filament, when hot, is more likely to break with sudden motion than when it's cold, thus..leave it OFF for take-off and landing.

Just curious if you've heard the same.

Thats the opposite of everything I've ever heard about a light. When the filament is hot, its flexible and can move more without breaking. When the light is off, the filament is cold and brittle.

Crash investigators look for this to tell if a light was on or off at time of impact. If it was on, the filament might be intact. If it was off, the filament will probably be broken.

 

[Spooky 2]

The FAA and ICAO SARPs are more worried about runway incursions... see FAA AC 120-74A. There are many other documents available online and through ICAO... It is more important to turn on landing lights when cleared for take off than it is to turn on taxi lights when taxiing in my opinion.

That pretty much sums it all up. Go with the guidence and forget all the other tribal BS that is out there.

 

[AC560]

Just flick the strobes on.

 

[glasspilot1]

I agree, although in the mighty beech, I always figure that I'm giving way since we're the smallest ones out there.

That's the way I feel when a 747 just lands at ORD and is headed tword the same intersection as me. Even if I have the right of way, I'm going to lose the "argument"!

Happened to me last week in LAX. I was southbound on "S". China 747 eastbound on "B". Ground says "Continue American, China will give way to you". "China, give way to the American MD-80, follow him". No response.

I continued with my taxi light on but watched carefully. When I was sure he wasn't giving way I turned off the light and stopped. He went by and I followed him. Now ground is confused and then scolds him. Oh, well!

 

[skiandsurf]

I continued with my taxi light on but watched carefully. When I was sure he wasn't giving way I turned off the light and stopped. He went by and I followed him. Now ground is confused and then scolds him. Oh, well!

And you "communicated" to the other pilot thru your taxi light. This answers the question of the light on vs light off.

 

[HalinTexas]

Any 737 operators tell you guys to be sure and NOT use the taxi-light for take-off and landing? Unlike the DC-9/MD's, the 737 taxi light is installed BELOW the strut, thus getting more of a beating. The filament, when hot, is more likely to break with sudden motion than when it's cold, thus..leave it OFF for take-off and landing.

Just curious if you've heard the same.

If I ever heard that from my company I would laugh in their face. If replacing taxi lights is going to put my company into bankruptcy, then we don't deserve to be in business.

Nav lights on during the day seem excessive, but on our B73's you don't have much choice.

 

[skiandsurf]

Nav lights on during the day seem excessive, but on our B73's you don't have much choice.

I remember 10+ years ago jumpseating on a UAL DC10, and climbing thru 18,000 feet, the captain turned off all exterior lights. This was obviously during the daytime and on a transcon. It makes since to turn them off for a 5 hour flight. I have not seen anyone do it since then. Was it a policy at the time that got changed.....remember this was 10 yrs ago....or more.

 

[pipe]

Thats the opposite of everything I've ever heard about a light. When the filament is hot, its flexible and can move more without breaking. When the light is off, the filament is cold and brittle.

Crash investigators look for this to tell if a light was on or off at time of impact. If it was on, the filament might be intact. If it was off, the filament will probably be broken.

Not exactly. If the filament was streched or deformed in the direction of impact, it was on at impact. If the filament is intact or simply snapped, it was off.

PIPE

 

[aa73]

I remember 10+ years ago jumpseating on a UAL DC10, and climbing thru 18,000 feet, the captain turned off all exterior lights. This was obviously during the daytime and on a transcon. It makes since to turn them off for a 5 hour flight. I have not seen anyone do it since then. Was it a policy at the time that got changed.....remember this was 10 yrs ago....or more.

We do the same thing at AA... it was just adopted a few months ago. During daytime only, climbing through 18, all exterior lights off except the beacon (anticollision.) Descending through 18, everything on (except wing retractable ldg lights.) Well, actually the ground floods and wing illuminations are optional durign daytime, required at night.