Light use and how to use?

[LexiconG2]

How do I use the nav and signal lights I know how to turn them on but what's the procedure on how to use them? For taxi and take off I have flashing beacon flashing green and red light I also use the glow green lights. I know there is also lights for refueling in front and lights for the turbines I am not sure how to set inflight light as they would in real life... For in flight solid green and red and no flashing above 10k feet.

[Nealius]

As far as I know, set NAV to flash is standard. Anti-collision when taxi/takeoff, maybe in flight as well. Formation lights only at night.

[obiten]

The way I do it, and I have NO IDEA if it's at all correct, is as follows:

 

On taxi nav lights to flash and collision lights on

 

On takeoff/landing nav lights to steady and collision lights on, keeps these as is if flying in a non-combat scenario

 

In the air (during combat scenario) all lights off unless in formation during which formation lights on

 

During an attack run all lights off

[LexiconG2]

Is there any past present fighter pilots on here that could add some info?

[ENO]

All I'd read in here was the ground guys don't like the strobes during startup- but typically flashing marker lights were okay to draw attention to the fact you were preparing the airplane.

 

However I believe nav lights are steady and anti collisions are on in flight until fence in. Then it's lights out.

Edited May 3, 2013 by ENO

[Snoopy]

Pilots no, Crew chiefs yes. Check out the 476th vFG A-10 checklist. I developed it off of the A-10C-1 checklist and the lighting in there is how our real world A-10 pilots at Moody do it.

[shagrat]

Pilots no, Crew chiefs yes. Check out the 476th vFG A-10 checklist. I developed it off of the A-10C-1 checklist and the lighting in there is how our real world A-10 pilots at Moody do it.

He's the man! :thumbup:

[FreeFall]

On taxi nav lights to flash and collision lights on

 

I'm not an expert, but I activate the anti collision strobes just before entering the runway. They are not ON during taxi. Especially when it is dark bright strobes might be annoying for other pilots, I think.

 

Is this correct procedure?

[steve_giraffe]

When I start from cold and dark I cannot illuminate nav or strobe lights. When i click on the strobes the button goes to on then straight to off, the nav ligh button stays put but the lights dont come on.

 

If i start amission from runway - the lights are on and when i click the different nav/strobe buttons it works (they go off etc)

 

Any ideas?

 

Cheers

[Spetz]

If I remember correctly, once your APU is running and supplying power, the lights will work..

[fmpflyer]

I'm an Army pilot, I'm not sure how they do it in the Air Force but during the day anti collision lights only while engines are operating. At night anti collision lights on, during start up until ready to taxi position lights flash then steady once moving.

[steve_giraffe]

If I remember correctly, once your APU is running and supplying power, the lights will work..

 

Unfortunately mine dont! eek!:helpsmilie:

[Robert1983NL]

This is how it's generally done during peacetime ops, and I speak out of my experience as a Dutch Chinook pilot:

 

Navigation/Position lights on, steady, bright

Anti-Collision on

 

If at night, you might want to turn on your search/landing light while taxiing or during startup/shutdown, just to warn other players.

 

Only at night, and only when in formation you use the formation lights (the green bars). I often see people flying around solo during daytime with formation lights on. That's just silly.

[SuperMarioMonti]

Switch on your anti collission lights when performing the T/O check.

:D

[shagrat]

When I start from cold and dark I cannot illuminate nav or strobe lights. When i click on the strobes the button goes to on then straight to off, the nav ligh button stays put but the lights dont come on.

 

If i start amission from runway - the lights are on and when i click the different nav/strobe buttons it works (they go off etc)

 

Any ideas?

 

Cheers

The "pinky switch" (on the TM Warthog the 3-way switch at the left side of the left throttle) needs to be in the aft position - Lights as set on the panel!:smartass:

Middle position - Lights off

Fwd position - Standard lights on aka position lights steady, only

[Shepski]

-Steady Nav lights on when powered.

-Flashing Nav lights on just prior to engine start and taxi.

-Steady Nav lights and Anti-collision strobes on once taking the runway.

 

White anti-collision strobes are only for in-flight use.

 

Not sure about the A-10 but normally you only have steady Nav lights and a red anti-collision beacon on the top and or bottom of the fuselage. I have never seen flashing wing-tip Nav lights.

Edited May 4, 2013 by Shepski

[Guest Izoul123]

Honestly if playing multiplayer...it's more of a question of server/admin choice. Sure, go for doing real life pattern if offline, but that might get you in trouble on some online servers...that's the harsh cold reality...

 

I've/we've all been on some servers where they have their own rules, so real life may not always apply...some servers ADMINS forbid use of anti collision strobe...saying it causes to much frame rate drop...I shit you not I've seen this...not saying I agree...but I've seen it.

 

Also depends if it's PVE, or PVP server....

 

Here's what I do, and most servers accepted as 'ok':

 

PVE:

Daytime/cold start:

-NAV lights on/set to flash

-anti collision on, only before keying mic to request start-up

-gear lights set to 'Taxi'

(if night time, turn on/up formation lighting knob-o-joy)

 

Taxi to runway, hold at threshold.

-gear lights set to 'Land'

-pinky toggle NAV lights forward, canceling flash/strobe. steady on (as to not 'annoy' an admin or others with shitty computers for multi aircraft/formation takeoff.)

 

-takeoff

-2 miles from base, lights off.

 

Landing:

5 miles out

-NAV pink AFT to flash

-final approach/2 miles out, anti collision on (I still find this better on online servers for the most part as it helps newer pilots see you coming in to land...maybe wishful thinking..*shrug*)

-(formation on, if nighttime)

-20 feet or so from turning off runway, set gear lights back to 'Taxi'

 

 

That's what I typically do on most 'free for all' online matches. No one has yelled at me yet, except for a few cases where some servers bitched at me for using anti collision strobe...that's the one that sends some people over the edge it seems....

 

Just my 'experience' on this 'issue' since it's really 'server/admin' dependent, and not necessarily 'real world protocol'....hope that makes sense.

 

 

PVP: Whole other ballgame, lots of 'lights off' for the most part is what I notice...just depends...to many variables....impossible to give solution to this one...

Edited May 5, 2013 by Izoul123

[Napa]

Civil aviation procedures goes like this:

 

- Nav lights ON as soon as the pilot powers up the aircraft with electricity and OFF when it powers down (so during the entirety of the flight)

 

- Anti-collision (Red flashing beacon) ON before engine startup and OFF after engine shutdown

 

- Strobe lights ON as soon as you enter the runway and OFF when you exit the runway.

 

The A-10C is a bit weird on this because the Nav lights have a flash and steady position and the anticollision lights have the function of the strobe lights... so maybe the procedure is different. It doesn't matter really for me though because as soon as I enter "battle mode" all lights are off ;)

[LexiconG2]

Actually for the A-10C I did some research and found that for take off and landing you want to be light up. Red green both flashing, beacon flashing, Full lights on your glow sticks, back lighting for your squadron letters so you can be easily identified this is the lights on the tail and shows your aircraft number. Also your engine lights are full on. Upon take off above 10,000 feet red and green go off. Flashing off, glow sticks half way, engine lights off. So steady glow lights are acceptable for general operation. I never knew that in the US and not in a war zone these are acceptable by the FAA. The same operations standards to any other type of aircraft. Below 10, 000 or on a decent to land you want to be seen. Now I understand it makes sense now.

[shagrat]

Well, post number 6 pretty much has it all. Paulrkiii is a crew chief at Moody AFB!

If you want to know how it is done IRL, I would recommend to download the stuff he prepared for exactly this purpose, to share how real A-10 pilots and crews operate in real life... unless it is classified, that is.

 

By the way, thanks Paul, for all your work and info :thumbup:

 

For convenience a direct link to the check list and you may want the cockpit guide, also.

[Shepski]

Pilots no, Crew chiefs yes. Check out the 476th vFG A-10 checklist. I developed it off of the A-10C-1 checklist and the lighting in there is how our real world A-10 pilots at Moody do it.

Very nice work Paul!

 

Thank you!

[LexiconG2]

Well, post number 6 pretty much has it all. Paulrkiii is a crew chief at Moody AFB!

If you want to know how it is done IRL, I would recommend to download the stuff he prepared for exactly this purpose, to share how real A-10 pilots and crews operate in real life... unless it is classified, that is.

 

By the way, thanks Paul, for all your work and info :thumbup:

 

For convenience a direct link to the check list and you may want the cockpit guide, also.

 

My nephew is a crew chief at Mcdill AFB being a crew chief does not help very much. Anyways there is a general standard in country.

[shagrat]

My nephew is a crew chief at Mcdill AFB being a crew chief does not help very much. Anyways there is a general standard in country.

You did ask in the A-10C forum how the lighting is done on the A-10C, did you?

So Paulrkiii, a crew chief servicing A-10Cs at Moody AFB, put together a checklist from the real A-10C manual... but you think your nephew knows better? So be it. :smilewink:

 

EDIT: ...being a crew chief for A-10Cs and having access to all the documentation and the possibility to ask the pilots how they do things is very helpful, by the way.

Edited May 6, 2013 by shagrat

[mr_mojo97]

@steve - are you using Helios? I know I had some conflict issues with that switch with Helios. All I did was unassign it in Options in sim but left it assigned in Helios and it works. Same applies with some other switches such as SAS, fuel check switch. Not sure why this happens but it works for me

[MacFevre]

I too am not a pilot, just a lowly ole' mechanic, but every jet I've taxied I've used the checklist which was this procedure. Whenever the aircraft is on the ground and powered up, either by APU or external power, the position (nav) lights were on. (Wingtip and tail lights. Green and red.) Whenever you start an engine or an engine's running, that's when you turned on your anti-collision lights. Whenever you moved on the ground, your strobes would come on.

 

Of course, I never worked on fighters, so the procedure could be totally wrong and I should've kept my mouth shut, which is usually the case. :) it's just easy to remember. As soon as the battery comes on, you should be able to turn on your navs. Crank an engine, turn on collision. Taxi, turn on strobes. Fence in, turn off all. Basically like obiten's procedure.

 

Edit - Just saw a bunch of new posts go up, so they probably know a lot more than I do! So, listen to them instead.

Edited May 6, 2013 by MacFevre
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