11.14 - Lights Flashcards
Name all exterior lights on an aircraft? (9)
- Position (Navigation) lights
- Anti-collision lights (beacon lights)
- The strobe lights
- Landing light
- Taxi lights
- Wing Inspection lights
- Logo light
- Runway turnoff light
- Take off light
Where are the position lights installed and name their colours?
Position lights (navigation lights) are installed on each wing tip and on the tail of the aircraft.
The right wing tip is green coloured, the left wing tip is red coloured and the light on the tail has a white colour.
What are the two styles of anti-collision lights used?
Older aircraft have rotating beacons located either: on top of the vertical stabiliser, on top of the fuselage or on the bottom of the fuselage.
Modern aircraft have rotating beacons on the top and bottom of the fuselage. They use solid state electronics creating a flashing/strobe type light.
What is the purpose of wing inspection lights and where are they located?
The purpose of wing inspection lights is that is suspected, pilots can then check if there is formation of ice on the leading edge of the wing during flight.
Wing inspection lights are located in the fuselage or engine nacelle and are typically installed flush in the structure.
Name the interior lights? (7)
- Instrument lights
- overhead lights
- step lights
- reading lights
- sign lights
- Emergency exit lights
- Emergency escape path lights
What is the function of a ballast transformer associated with a fluorescent lamp?
A ballast transformer provides sufficient voltage to start the fluorescent-tube and regulates current flow to the fluorescent-tube during operation. This all helps to avoid flickers during start and operation.
As gas conducts current in a fluorescent-tube and as a gas conducts current, the more current it is able to conduct, the ballast transformer’s ability to regulate current through the tube prevents runaway.
How do strobe lights work and what are the precautions you have to observe when you work with them?
Strobe lights produce extremely bright flashes of light produced by an Xenon tube. This requires 400 volts. As aircraft only produce 115/200 volts, a capacitor is used to achieve the high voltage.
The capacitor may require a few minutes to discharge especially if the lamp is defective. Be sure to allow a strobe system to stay in the OFF position for about 5 minutes before working with them.
. How are the landing and taxi lights operated?
Landing and taxi lights are operated through the pilot selecting the cockpit switch, upon selection this will engage the a relay in a high power circuit that turns on the lamps.
These lights may be mounted on the landing gear struts in which case they will be interlocked with the gear select lever position to ensure they only come on when landing gear is down and locked.
Taxi lights point straight forward while landing lights point forward and slightly down due to the high nose attitude during landing.
How can cabin lights be dimmed?
Incandescant cabin lights can be dimmed by controlling the current to their lights. This is done using a solid-state circuit in which a potentiometer controls the input signal to a transistor.
Fluorescent cabin lights are dimmed by applying a reduced voltage to the ballast-transformer in it’s circuit.
What are the navigation lights (position lights) colours on each side of the aircraft?
Position lights (navigation lights) Green on the right wing
Red on the left wing
White on the tail
Describe the anti-collision lights, and when are they turned on?
Red rotating beacons on top and bottom of aircraft
Turned on when signalling aircraft in use i.e pressure test, engine start etc
Describe how a fluorescent light works?
Fluorescent lights are made of a gas-filled glass tube which glows when a high A voltage is applied to heated electrodes at each end.
The electrode emit electrons. This free electrons strike atoms of mercury vapour in the tube and this produces an ultraviolet light. The invisible UV light strikes the phosphorous coating on the inside of the tube and it glows in a white light.
The conversion of one kind of light to another is known as fluorescence.
How are emergency lighting powered?
Separate batterieis
Position lights (navigation lights)
What are the colours on the starboard, port and tail parts?
Position lights (navigation lights) Starboard = green light (right)
Port = red light ( left)
Tail = white light
Anti-collision lights are located:
Old aircraft
New aircraft
Anti-collision lights
Old aircraft = rotating beacons on top of vertical stabiliser, or on top or bottom of fuselage
New aircraft = rotating deflector on beacon on Top and bottom of fuselage
