Aircraft lights during various flight stages?

[SteveFSX/P3D]

So i'm not exactly sure what lights should be displayed at the various stages of flight. I was looking for a basic guide to make sure I have the correct config for vatsim and so on.

So would be grateful if someone can tell me the lights that should be displayed in the following situation:

1 - Daytime/Nightime Engine start, or engine running when at parking.

2 - Daytime/Nightime Taxi

3 - Daytime/Nightime Take off and Landing (and when do landing lights go on and off)

4 - Daytime/Nightime Cruise

[Ken "Hondo" Gardner]

Nav & Reconition should be on anytime the aircraft has crew aboard and ground services running. Taxi lights when taxing to new parking or hold short line. Taxi lights off when lined up for take off. Take off lights on just before you start your roll. Take off lights off when retracting gear, strobes on when gear is retracted. Nav, Reconition and Strobes on when in cruise, if equiped with Logo lights they should be turned off above 18000 ft. When landing Strobes off around 10000 Logo light on below 18000, Landing lights on when extending gear. after landing Landing lights off and Taxi lights on after exiting the runway. All exterior lights off after parking in assigned spot and before engine shutdown and parking brake engaged. There is no daytime/nightime rules that I can remember. If the regs have changed put your 2 cents in it's been a long while since I've taken the controls so I'm sure regs have changed.

[SteveFSX/P3D]

Thanks Ken, really helpful - it's great to have real pilots input in this kind of thing. Another couple of questions for you.

1. So normally when you were flying you would have to display all the lights as you said during full daylight? .... or was the daytime flexible?

2. A recognition light would also be known as the beacon I suppose?

[Ken "Hondo" Gardner]

Beacons are reconition lights, (sorry!!! ). Night or Day no differences aircraft need to be seen and identifiable from a long ways off, on the ground your aircraft needs tobe seen. Strobe use on the ground is curtailed because the hi-intensity lights can interfear with ground personel and other pilots.
P.S. If VATSIM controllers questions your light operation choices ask them if their regs are based FAA regs or somebody's own this is what I want to happen scenarios

[SteveFSX/P3D]

Thanks for taking the time Ken.

So I will list this here, so I can copy it and print it, and others might find it convenient. I understand you think there might possibly be changes in the regs - maybe current pilots can confirm. It's actually more complex than I thought, to be honest. So If I have got this wrong, or worded it wrong let me know and I will edit it.

Departing lights configuration

1. Stationary and parked --- Navigation - Beacon

2. Taxi to takeoff position --- Navigation - Beacon - Taxi

3. Before takeoff roll and takeoff --- Navigation - Beacon - Takeoff/Landing

4. Climb out transition and cruise --- Navigation - Beacon - Strobe

* Logo lights (if available) off above 18'000ft


Arrival lights configuration

1. Cruise --- Navigation - Beacon - Strobe

2. Approach descent at around 10,000ft --- Navigation - Beacon

3. Landing transition and landing --- Navigation - Beacon - Landing

4. Taxi after leaving runway area --- Navigation - Beacon - Taxi

5. At parking before engine shutdown --- Navigation - Beacon

* Logo lights (if available) on below 18,000ft

[Ken "Hondo" Gardner]

You got it and I'm going to check current FAA regs

[MightyCaco]

Lights are largely a company SOP thing, although there are guidance materials and airmanship on how to use them (some lights may also be mandatory for night ops). Also, if you are flying a tube liner, it may be different than something smaller. In any case, here is what I use at my work (thought it might be easier if I just list what each light is used for):

1) Navigation lights on whenever power to the aircraft is on. Pretty much on all the time.
2) Beacon lights on before engine start, and off after engine shut down
3) Strobes on when entering the runway, and until off the runway on arrival. Strobes may be turned off in cloud so that it doesn't blind the pilot
4) Recognition lights on when entering the runway, off when crossing 10,000 feet. Recog lights back on when descending through 10,000 feet (And no, they are not necessarily beacon lights. They may be wing mounted lights).
5) Logo lights on below 10,000 feet in night conditions
6) Taxi lights on when aircraft is moving on the ground. Off when facing another airplane. Off when stopped on the ground. Also turned off when entering the stand so you don't blind the marshallers!
7) Landing lights on when cleared for takeoff, and off when exiting the runway. Off when climbing through 10,000 feet. On again when below 10,000 feet. If landing lights are mounted on retractable nose gear as opposed to the wing (i.e., a King Air), those are shut off anytime gear is retracted to prevent unnecessary lighting or wheel well fire.

These are my company policies that we use in the real world for commercial operations. In the airlines I worked for, these are similar as well, although you might see some differences on logo light usage, and landing light usage.

This said, if you are flying anything non-commercial, such as a light single, you might not even throw the landing lights on until you are short final to save the bulbs, and you would not even use the nav lights in day vfr.

On VATSIM, I don't think anyone really cares so long as you have your nav lights on tbh.

[Drawyah]

Hey dude,

I'm doing an article and a video for flightsim.com for the 10 years anniversary of FSX today. Seeing that you are online, could you possible give us an anecdote of a good/bad moment you've had within the simulator for a chance for it to appear in the video!

Cheers dude,

Drawyah