DC-9/MD80 pilots...

[aa73]

When is it a good time to turn on your wing landing lights for landing? So far I've heard:

-coming down through 10,000 (youch, still doing 250kts, they vibrate like hell!)

-when extending the slats

- below 220 kts,

-cleared for the approach or cleared for landing

-some don't use them at all, they just use the Nose lights on BRIGHT.

Opinions?

thanks,
73

p.s. I'm researching this out of curiosity. At AA we are discouraged from using these lights for fuel savings and "buffetting".

 

[RJones]

Just wondering ... how much fuel do you think AA will save?

 

[aa73]

Just wondering ... how much fuel do you think AA will save?

Exactly. You're talking about the nickel and dime experts here - after all, they saved how many $$ thousands by eliminating one olive from the salads?

Not saying I agree with our procedure. Just curious how everyone else does it.

 

[semperfido]

some things just don't matter.

 

[AA717driver]

At my former employer , we did it at gear down. The vibration causes the filiment to break. That's where the cost comes in. The incidence of burnt out lights dropped dramatically when we changed the policy.

With strobes and ice lights on, there's plenty of illumination.TC

 

[AKMD80GUY]

We put the wing lights out at 10,000. In fact we turn all the lights on at 10,000. Yeh they make for a less than smooth ride but it's not that bad. We had one MEL'd in the down position and it wasn't that bad of a ride at 310/.760

 

[Big Air]

"10K, Speed and Lights".

If you want to bring her down a little faster, bring the lights out sooner.

 

[aa73]

Thanks Guys!

 

[Jurassic Jet]

We leave our lights on climbing thru 10K and then back on again descending thru 10K. Of course, the majority of time our 9's are flying is nightime. I just don't think the fuel savings would be significant. Descending out of 10 you are usually at flight idle anyways (well, we are).

I really don't think the vibration is that bad from the lights. Of course I've never had a box come up and tap me on the shoulder and complain.

Trust me, if it saved fuel or money, we would be doing it. That's how copper wire was invented. Two of our managers fighting over a penny.:laugh:

BTW, I don't think the fuel savings on the olives were significant enough for him, so I think he eliminated all of them and saved $40,000 per year. I just finished that book not long ago.

 

[say again]

"10K, Speed and Lights".

If you want to bring her down a little faster, bring the lights out sooner.

Come on, you guys don't slow down!!!!:laugh: