Comment on Why do airplanes have big front "headlights"?
RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 1 week ago
There are generally two main sets of lights. Landing and taxi lights. Don’t get all pedantic on me, pilots, about wing, taxi, logo, blah blah.
The taxi lights are usually on the nose gear, and you won’t see them until just before or after landing. Some techniques have pilots turning on the taxi lights when cleared to land as a reminder.
The landing lights are the really bright “high beams” that you see for miles. Most large airlines have these lights on up to or passing down through 18,000 feet, or maybe some other high altitude. The reason they’re on for ling periods is for safety and visibility reasons, the time below 18 is the busiest airspace with the most changes in altitude and heading. These large lights are usually in the wings, sometimes there are additional landing lights on the nose gear, or on the aircraft nose on smaller aircraft.
Expired VFR pilot here.
When driving at night a car has lights on the front, sides, and rear. All of them, including the headlights, are present so that others can more easily maintain visual seperation from that car to avoid a collision.
Aircraft have lots of incredible technology and talented air traffic controllers that help keep pilots and passengers safe. But, with a single exception, pilots will ignore everyone and everything to maintain visual seperation.
The exception is a TCAS RA.
Brunbrun6766@lemmy.world 1 week ago
But that’s like…what they do. It’s what they live for.
RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Lol, precisely why it’s there.
“Well, at [airline] we [do it a different way]…”
“Well akshully [airplane] has [lights someplace else]…”
The old joke is:
“How do you find out who the pilot is at the party?”
“You don’t have to, he’ll tell you.”
Brunbrun6766@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Hmm like vegans
RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 1 week ago
But airplanes are interesting.
neidu3@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
Hobby pilot, here. Yup, spot on. But for the most part, the comment you responded to was also pretty much spot on, so I have no complaints.
Can’t speak for any ATPL holders, though, so let’s hope they don’t see this thread.