Airplane lights usually illuminate the skies around the busiest airports in the world. They are very bright and even bring some colors since there are red and green lights on every single aircraft.
But are these exterior lights we see on airplanes the same as the lights on cars and other vehicles?
Well, the answer to this question is not exactly.
Some airplane lights indeed serve a similar purpose to those on cars and trucks, such as helping the pilot see what is in front or around the airplane and improving safety, like in the case of emergency flashing lights and strobe lights used on trucks. However, there are other lights with other purposes on airplanes. A good example is the anti-collision light system. Here’s a quick look at the lights found on an airplane.
Most of the lights found on an airplane take the name from the system or the purpose of their application. The most common names are listed below:
Speaking about the last ones on the list, it is essential to highlight that many people believe they are only for airlines to show off.
On the contrary, pilots and air traffic controllers may see them as a great aid to identify aircraft correctly, something that can be a matter of life or death.
Of course, you may find some variations to these names. For example, navigation lights are also called position lights since they help other pilots and air traffic controllers identify the airplane’s position and direction when they see these lights.
From the list above, we could easily say that planes use them all at night. Now, they are not necessarily used at the same time.
Using one group or the other will depend on the stage of the flight. For example, taxi lights and runway turnoff lights are typically used when the airplane is on the ground, while anti-collision lights and navigation lights are a must during the whole flight.
In general, all airplane lights are important. However, there is a minimum required for aircraft operation, and some could be left out in certain stages of the flight. In the end, the most important aspect is safety.
Ultimately, the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) and the FAA provide the guidelines. However, to ensure safety, some airlines require their pilots to use navigation lights at all times.
Usually, each stage of the flight requires lighting or some lighting groups to be working. Here are some examples.
If you see an airplane in the middle of the night, you will see a lot of lights. However, there are only two that will stand out for their colors. A green light is always on the tip of the right-wing, and red light is always on the left-wing.
These red and green lights belong to the group of navigation lights, also known as position lights. Airplanes also have other position lights. These are generally white and pointed to the back of the airplane on the wings and the tail.
The main idea is that if other aircraft see the white lights, they know the that aircraft is flying away from them. Now, if other pilots see a red or green light, or even both, they can easily know the direction and orientation of that airplane. This idea was first used by ships in the 1800s to avoid collisions or at least reduce their risk. Since it was a success, the aircraft community adopted red and green lights rapidly.
There has been a debate on the real effectiveness of red and green lights. Studies support that red and green blindness is the most common among color blindness types, with 8% of the men and 0.5% of women suffering this condition. However, others claim that red and green are the most different colors on the visible spectrum.
As the name suggests, landing lights are the ones that help the pilots see the runway as they approach it for landing or when they are leaving it during takeoff. These lights are white, very bright, and very big to ensure they achieve their critical objective.
Landing lights allow the pilot to see the runway from 200 feet approximately, and the brightness should not be taken for granted. Landing lights are not recommended to be on when ground staff is near the airplane since they can be temporarily blinded and have some eye damage.
Usually, these lights are mounted on the wings, the fuselage, or the landing gear. Also, landing lights usually come with a companion set of lights called runway turnoff lights. These special taxi lights illuminate high-speed runway exits as the aircraft decelerates during the landing rollout. To do so, they are mounted with a small angle to point to the right and to the left, respectively.
Apart from the green lights and red lights, strobe lights are another type in the group of anti-collision lights. The main difference is that strobe lights are white like landing and taxi lights, they are super bright that could make any person go blind, and they are constantly flashing.
These being the brightest lights on the airplane are mounted on the wingtips, and they are only used after takeoff and until the aircraft touches the ground. In fact, there are manufacturers such as Airbus using special switches that turn these two lights on and off based on the weight applied on the wheels.
When an airplane is flying over your head, you probably won’t see a red or green light, but you will see a flashing white light for sure since they can be seen from miles away. Once again, they cannot be used while taxing or waiting for takeoff clearance since they are distracting and blinding for other pilots. Also, ground personnel can be affected.
So far, we have mentioned different light groups, including the flashing lights mentioned in the previous point. But we are still missing one type that is flashing, and it is special for ground operations. Let’s see why.
As part of the anti-collision light system, strobe lights are used together with what is called a rotating beacon. A rotating beacon takes the name because a motorized rotating reflector was used to create the flashing effect. But this is a thing of the past, and led lights are now leading the way. They are located on the top and at the bottom of the fuselage to make the aircraft visible from any angle.
Since they will look like red dots in the night sky, rotating beacons are of great help to signal ground personnel of engine start. People walking near the airplane after the engine start can be more dangerous than people juggling chain saws. Therefore, a rotating beacon like this could be a lifesaver.
This said, let’s summarize the benefits of using flashing lighting on an airplane.
Controls may vary, whether it is a military aircraft or a commercial aircraft. Also, different military and commercial airplane models may show some variations in how they arrange the lighting controls.
Generally, external lighting controls are located in an overhead panel which is easy for both the pilot and its copilot to reach. Taxi and runway turnoff lighting controls go on the left and the one for the logo on the right. The other three switches are placed on the bottom to control landing lighting. There are four push switches above the landing lighting controls, which are dedicated to position, anti-collision, and wing inspection lighting.
Lighting is an aspect that does not only help and keep the pilots safe, but also it helps and keeps the cabin crew, the ground crew, and passengers safe.
Therefore, the lighting of an airplane is crucial for safety and flight performance. Making sure each light group is working is always a must during maintenance and preflight inspection.
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