11.14 External Lighting

Question 1

what governs components on large aircraft?

Answer 1

CS25

Question 2

what is the role of exterior lights?

Answer 2

to allow the aircraft to be visible from the outside whilst in air or on ground as well as to provide crew sufficient view of the outside world to operate safely

Question 3

what side of the aircraft is the red navigation light?

Answer 3

left side

Question 4

what side of the aircraft is the green navigation light?

Answer 4

right side

Question 5

what colour is the fin navigation light?

Answer 5

white

Question 6

how many degrees should you be able to see the wing tip navigation lights from?

Answer 6

110`

Question 7

how many degrees should you be able to see the fin tip navigation light from?

Answer 7

70` from both left and right sides

Question 8

what power should the wing tip navigation lights be supplied with during flight and why?

Answer 8

A/C should be used so that there isnt a magnetic feild that could be picked up from the flux valves

Question 9

how does a steady state operation system work?

Answer 9

when nav lights are switched on, current wil flow along the main busbar to the lights and break the wing terminal block, enabling lights to come on

Question 10

generally, how are certain lights switched from flashing to constant?

Answer 10

pins inside the navigation lights switch are swapped around, this causes the lihts to steady burn or flash

Question 11

why are anti-collision lights fitted?

Answer 11

flashing of the lights grabs attention and thus makes people aware of the prescence of the aircraft

Question 12

where are anti collision lights genrally fitted?

Answer 12

upper and lower fuselage and or wing tips

Question 13

what are the two basic types of anti collision lights?

Answer 13

• rotating beam
• flashing lights

Question 14

what is rotating beam anti collision lighting?

Answer 14

a reflector is driven at around 40-45 RPM where a light is reflected from the reflector

Question 15

what is a rotating reflector type beacon?

Answer 15

a small motor drives the reflector past the bulb, which due to the angle of the bulb, causes the light to flash on and off from the observer’s perspective.

Question 16

how fast does a reflector type beacon rotate?

Answer 16

60 RPM

Question 17

what is a fixed reflector type?

Answer 17

the reflector doesnt rotate, the enectronic flasher rapidly switches the light on and off

Question 18

how are strobe lights made?

Answer 18

sealed quarts or glass envelopes filled with xenon gas

Question 19

why should landing lights be fitted?

Answer 19

so that crew can see the area ahead of the aircraft durig the final stages of landing

Question 20

what must all the switch contacts be capable of withstanding in a landing light?

Answer 20

must be capable of withstanding the initial surge of up to 15 times the normal value

Question 21

in a retractable unit, why does the light only switch on once its extended?

Answer 21

to avoid excessive heat build-up

Question 22

where are taxi lights fitted?

Answer 22

front of the fuselage or the nose undercarriage and the rear of the aircraft

Question 23

why are taxi lights fitted?

Answer 23

to give a particular angle to the aircraft to give a beam od light straight ahead

Question 24

why are turn off lights fitted?

Answer 24

like taxi lights, except, they are fitted at an angle left or right of an aircraft’s axis to assist the crew in runway and taxiway turn-offs in low visibility conditions

Question 25

where are ice inspection lights fitted?

Answer 25

on the side of the fuselage in a flush mounting and have a fixed direction

Question 26

why are logo lights used?

Answer 26

• to allow ATC to identify the livery of an aircraft
• to promote the airline
• to illuminate the end of the aircrafts body, so its easy to determine, e.g if the whole body section has crossed the runway threshold

Question 27

where are logo lights installed?

Answer 27

on the upper surface of horizontal stab and /or inboard side of a fairing on the trailing edge of each wing