Probably a stupid question... wing inspection lights

[aa73]

Yeah, I'm bored...

Why do some airlines (UAL, DAL, CAL) turn on their wing inspection "ice" lights during the day when cleared for t/o.... does it really make a difference... it's hard to see. Just curious, is it in your ops manual or capt discretion?

We (AA) hardly ever use them during the day, and optional at night (I do, though.)

Thanks, back to my favorite reserve couch at the crash pad.

 

[Skank]

We do it because both the FAA and ICAO suggest turning on all available lights when on an active runway. Can you see them in the day? No. I guess it's just to keep the checklist and flows as simple as possible.

 

[aa73]

That makes sense, keeping the flows simple. AA mgt on the other hand tells us to "limit use of non essential lights to save bulb costs." However they do leave it up to capt's discretion.

 

[radarlove]

Do they also tell you that it is important to taxi at the speed of a crustacean, or is that also "capt's discretion"?

 

[aa73]

Do they also tell you that it is important to taxi at the speed of a crustacean, or is that also "capt's discretion"?

That, my friend, is the result of an absurdly long and complicated taxi/before t/o checklist we have. our CAs have to answer to every item on that list. they also have to make a "prepare for T/O" PA and chime the FAs when taking the runway. as a result, our CAs have to accomplish a lot of stuff that would normally be the F/Os duty, so that's why they taxi slow.

 

[radarlove]

Ahh.

I thought it was because they were paid by the minute. Oops.

 

[Jack Mehoff]

no way anyones checklist is longer then ours. we have 9 items for "below the line" on the before t/o!

 

[Pat Fabin]

Our taxi checklist on the 737-800 is two items. I think they could get it down to one....DAL/Boeing did a nice job keeping the taxi distractions to a minimum for us lowly gear slingers.

 

[COpilot]

At CO we have NO items on the B737, or B757/767 taxi check (there is no taxi ck). Everything is done on the Before start, and After start.

Really allows both persons attention to other things.

 

[canyonblue737]

same with SWA, there is no taxi checklist. you do a before taxi checklist and then taxi allows both pilots to do nothing but make sure they know where the heck they are going.