Dimming the lights
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Dimming the lights
Just a quick question. Flew on two night flights last week... one with Virgin and the other with QF. On Virgin they dimmed the lights for landing but on Qantas they turned them up full?
Why the difference? I would have thought there'd be some government regulation about it for safety etc?
Personnally I prefer having the lights dimmed...
Anyway- if anyone knows, I'd appreciate it...
Cheers
Why the difference? I would have thought there'd be some government regulation about it for safety etc?
Personnally I prefer having the lights dimmed...
Anyway- if anyone knows, I'd appreciate it...
Cheers
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Having the lights full bright is for safety. In the event that something goes awry during T/O or LDG, the pax and crew hopefully will see better....providing they stay on. Its either that or have the emergency lights on.
As for Virgin, who knows...maybe they dont want the pax to see what the hosties are up too....
As for Virgin, who knows...maybe they dont want the pax to see what the hosties are up too....
I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
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I always thought that dimming the cabin lights was to allow the pax night vision to adjust to low light in the event of an emergency evacuation being reqd where cabin lights have failed.
Not to mention giving a nice view of the city lights whilst on approach.
Another reason that was suggested on a similar thread some time back was to remove all unnecessary load on available pwr in the event of a go-around. Our esteemed RPT tech crews can enlighten us much more on this one.
Not to mention giving a nice view of the city lights whilst on approach.
Another reason that was suggested on a similar thread some time back was to remove all unnecessary load on available pwr in the event of a go-around. Our esteemed RPT tech crews can enlighten us much more on this one.
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You could liken this to another philosophy:
Does power control airspeed or rate of descent?
Does attitude control airspeed or rate of descent?
Just like the above, you'll get people that will swear by one or the other.
The answer is "It depends who you work for"
You could liken this to another belief:
Does power control airspeed or rate of descent?
Does attitude control airspeed or rate of descent?
Just like the above, you'll get people that will swear by one or the other.
The answer is it depends who you work for
Does power control airspeed or rate of descent?
Does attitude control airspeed or rate of descent?
Just like the above, you'll get people that will swear by one or the other.
The answer is "It depends who you work for"
You could liken this to another belief:
Does power control airspeed or rate of descent?
Does attitude control airspeed or rate of descent?
Just like the above, you'll get people that will swear by one or the other.
The answer is it depends who you work for
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Lights are turned on to increase visibilty of aircraft externally (amongst other reasons mentioned above). Its amazing how a jumbo taxiing at night at some airports can be hard to see (without window lights) amongst the sea of lights at some airports, despite its Nav lights and beacons.
You can tell the difference at places like Narita Aiport - Most (all ?) US Carriers turn their interior lights off (as mentioned above to apparently improve pax night vision and improve the view) - these planes are incredibly hard to see - recently a Northwest Jumbo was abeam us - only its outline was faintly visible because its Nav lights blended in with the hundreds of green and other assorted taxi lights.
A row of strip lighting as such from the windows does make a vast difference (On the ground at least).
(I'd rather avoid the collision and not have to use my night vision - which would probably be ruined anyway)
You can tell the difference at places like Narita Aiport - Most (all ?) US Carriers turn their interior lights off (as mentioned above to apparently improve pax night vision and improve the view) - these planes are incredibly hard to see - recently a Northwest Jumbo was abeam us - only its outline was faintly visible because its Nav lights blended in with the hundreds of green and other assorted taxi lights.
A row of strip lighting as such from the windows does make a vast difference (On the ground at least).
(I'd rather avoid the collision and not have to use my night vision - which would probably be ruined anyway)
Usually lights get turned down for landing so the passengers can get a good view, but it also helps if the flight deck door is openned during the approach to protect the night vision of the flight deck crew.
I've never heard of them being used as external lights, thats usually the taxi, turnoff, nav, beacon and even on some carriers the wing ice light on the ground.
I've never heard of them being used as external lights, thats usually the taxi, turnoff, nav, beacon and even on some carriers the wing ice light on the ground.
Hugh Jarse,
There is a simple answer to the old power or attitude controlling rate of descent and airspeed dilemma involving a mysterious third method, which I have seen ably demonstrated many a time:
1. Let power and attitude be varied continuously such that airspeed wavers around some random mean.
2. Vary position of skid ball to control drag and therefore rate of descent.
There is a simple answer to the old power or attitude controlling rate of descent and airspeed dilemma involving a mysterious third method, which I have seen ably demonstrated many a time:
1. Let power and attitude be varied continuously such that airspeed wavers around some random mean.
2. Vary position of skid ball to control drag and therefore rate of descent.
