200 and 1/2

[SSDD]

When it is so tight that some people are making it and others are missing, I will leave the landing lights off until I see the runway. When the vis is that low, see and avoid is not a problem.

 

[SBD]

It all depends on what your ops manual/checklist requires. On some checklists I've seen, when it comes to landing light(s) it says "AS REQUIRED". Others say "ON". I would rather have them on and not to worry about them when I'm a short final.

 

[phishn@daves]

Well what about snow at night? I keep them off till we see the runway. As much as I like "light-speed", I'll keep them off until I can see where I am landing.

 

[cezzna]

I can't stand having the landing lights on at night during an approach. The recogniton lights work just fine for collision avoindance. The strobes drive me nuts too. If you can't land without the lights on you have no business in the left seat. They really aren't much help when rounding out and flaring. Isn't this private pilot 101? I let my students have a landing light about 50% of the time. They are notorious for burning out. Trying to change anything in the last 200 ft. is more risky than leaving it alone in my opinion.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

I would want to land on a clear night without the landing lights. So in poor visibility it's light on for sure.

In my airline work, never has it been a procedure to turn the lights off for any king of safety reason.

 

[Say Again Over]

Obviously a pilot preference issue, prefer them off in heavy snow, remember my first night flight, my CFI tuned off the landing light on downwind to simulate electrical failure, good training, also worked in the USN, fighters tend to not use landing lights.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

I would want to land on a clear night without the landing lights. So in poor visibility it's light on for sure.

In my airline work, never has it been a procedure to turn the lights off for any king of safety reason.

Noticed this post of mine when it was too late to edit. What I meant to say was:

I would NOT want to land on a clear night without the landing lights ON. So in poor visibility it's lights on for sure.

In my airline work never has it been a procedure to turn the landing lights off for any kind of safety reason.

 

[j41driver]

In other words does the landing light, that's in the nose of the plane, conflict with being able to see the approach lights?

In "4200+" hours you haven't figured this out for yourself?

 

[UGAflyer]

i leave them off for low vis...the car headlights in fog is the best example

 

[instructordude]

Leave them off if you have centerline runway lighting. Otherwise I'd turn them on. If you are really going down to 1800/1600 RVR it shouldn't be a player unless it is snowing. Then turn them off. Good topic for recurent or maybe with someone who is seasoned.