When to use the strobe

[Guest burbles1]

I recently started training at a new school, and was curious to see that they recommend switching the strobe on after start-up and just before taxiing. Yet I've been taught so far to switch the strobe on before "clear prop" because it is used to warn bystanders. So, what is the use of a strobe and when should you use it?

 

 

[moy71]

i've been taught to switch it on during the run-up stage. i've included it in my checklist as such.

 

 

[Matt]

Another question with no right or wrong answer...or hard and fast rules. Also whether you're talking strobes or beacons as they differ. From what I've seen (and do), beacons on prior to engine start and switch the strobes on as part of their ready checks - strobes can be very distracting in close proximity on the ground due to their brightness - generally only an issue for night ops. If you only have strobes, I'd use them as you were initially taught - prior to engine start to indicate the aircraft is "live"...so to speak.

 

 

[Yenn]

I have always assumed that the beacon goes on before engine start, except for the military, who do whatever they please. Strobes are for when airborne

 

 

[Barefootpilot]

I'd agree with Matt. Beacon on before start strobes on when entering an active runway unless you do not have a Beacon and then the strobes should be on before engine start.

 

My 2cents

 

 

[Thx1137]

My planes have only had a beacon which I turn on after turning the master on. I use it to indicate that the aircraft will soon be or is active and figure I should give people more than 1 second to see it. It doesn't cost anything to turn it on early.

 

Not that it is terribly visible...

 

Steven.

 

 

[icebob]

Hi,

 

I agree with Matt, was always told beacon on just prior to engine start and strobe on at hold point prior to take off.

 

Bob.

 

 

[facthunter]

Strobe use.

 

Unless things have changed markedly, the beacon goes on before engine start and the strobe ON before entering the runway and OFF, after leaving it at the end of the flight.

 

In the vicinity of terminals and taxiways at night it is considered poor form to have strobes on when you can be close to another aircraft cockpit, as it is not fair to other pilot's vision. Out of consideration I NEVER do it in those circumstances DAY or NIGHT. Beacon off after engine shut-down. Nev..

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

I was taught beacon on before engine start and strobe before entering runway and as a added precaution in the circuit at Jandakot landing light on for a bit of added visablitiy to others.

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Same as Matt and Bob. Always left the beacon switch on for a number of reasons. good reminder if one has left the master switch on and left the aircraft. If some sneaky sod is messing with your bird it brings instant attention when they turn the master on. Gives people (and the tower) moving around the aircraft a bit of heads up that props will soon turn. noise may prevent them from hearing clear prop call. Strobes and landing lights were the last on the ready to T/O check list. not much of a problem for us but turn them off when you're in cloud. The reflection can be a bit dazzelling.

 

ozzie

 

 

[flying dog]

To add more to the confusion:

 

I asked about "Strobes" and "Beacons".

 

This is what I was told:

 

Master on, strobes on, then the rest of the start up.

 

Taxi lights on. Taxi, run up, taxi, get to active rwy.

 

Beacon on, taxi lights off, landing lights on.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

I have always assumed that the beacon goes on before engine start, except for the military, who do whatever they please. Strobes are for when airborne

Actually Yenn, they may now do what ever they like but when I was in the RAAF the beacon had a very clear meaning to technical staff and aircrew. Beacon on meant RADAR(s) on and emitting.

 

We all knew that unless you wanted your insides roasted...from the inside... beacon on meant stay out of the danger zones. On some aircraft, like the F111 those danger zones are relatively narrow, but long distance. They do amazing things to steel wool on a stick when the tanker drivers seem to go into forgetful mode...seeing that occur does wonders for the tanker drivers short term memory.

 

For those that don't understand steel wool when irradiated by an Aircraft Radar does the old flash bulb trick. When the steel wool is the size of the old industrial sized hank thats a definite attention getter.:kboom:

 

Andy

 

 

[Thalass]

Andy: that would have been the old days of constant wave dish antenna radar! haha. Nowdays radar puts out a few hundred milliwatts, a watt or two at most, and with the good decoders and high sensitivity receivers you can see the clouds some 200+nm away.

 

Not that you'd stand in front of it, still.

 

As far as beacons go. With our commercial planes its red beacon on when moving on the ground (engines on/about to start, or when towing), or when running the engines. Strobes on at the holding point of the runway on takeoff, and strobes come off once you're off the runway. Red beacon can also be used as a general warning, for radar testing, or some other thing. Generally we just poke our heads out the doors and make sure everyone around us knows the flaps are coming down, or TRs are deploying, or whatever.

 

But anticol (red) beacon is for the ground and air, while strobe is only for the air.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Hmmm Not sure that is entirely correct in a military context. The just about to come on line Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft has a SIGNIFICANT steered phased array radar and between you and me I'll be guesing that it puts out a bit more than 200mW. While the civ radar you are talking about is weather radar Military Radar is different as the intended use is different. Newer phased array antennas such as that used in the AEW&C radar have very narrow beams that are electrically steered. the radiation pattern beams are generally much narrower than the older dish antennas and as such can put higher power concentrations onto someone standing around inside the danger zone. When I did my tech training we were told of a precision approach radar that had just been put into service and where the OH&S team came out with a device to measure the exposure power levels in order to determine the exact danger distances. I was told that for an old non phased array antenna they started way out and walked inwards until the device told them the power was now at the max level and that was how they determined the distance. For this radar they walked in, nothing moved on the measurement device until they got close enough that they intersected the transmitted beam. At that point they pinned the needle on the meter to the max position, way more than dangerous. An example of how concentrated the beam can be on the phased array antennas.

 

Also while raw power out (and that is measured in peak power contained in the transmit pulse) not the average that I think you are talking about where we have a 1 as to 100,000 duty cycle of transmit to receive, is a useful measure, the damage is done by how concentrated that power is applied. for example an antenna capable of concentrating that power out to a very narrow beam in 2 dimensions will have a much more dangerous impact on someone that the beam sweeps over than an antenna that has a wider bean, usualy in the vertical axis, as the example above showed.

 

If I found myself in among military aircraft on the ground and the red rotating beacon came on, I'd still likely move away from the front of the aircraft with a degree of haste. Better safe than cooked

 

Andy

 

 

[poteroo]

My understanding is that the RED beacon is on from before start until after engine shutdown.

 

Pulsing WHITE strobes only on when you cross the holding point line to enter runway - whether to backtrack or depart - ie, at the same time as you select ALT on your transponder. Upon vacating the runway - pulsing strobes off and transponder to STBY.

 

But many RAA aircraft have fairly low power single flash,(usually 60/min), white strobes which I hear being referred to as beacons - and being used in the same role as we were taught to use red beacon lights. I don't find these lights particularly annoying for day ops - but it would be so at night.

 

But we're not alone in confusion over use of light systems. At least 50% of smaller GA aircraft use their multiple flash white strobes in the parking and terminal apron areas here. Full credit to Skywest tho - they are particularly considerate in use of strobes.

 

happy days,

 

 

[Thx1137]

But many RAA aircraft have fairly low power single flash,(usually 60/min), white strobes which I hear being referred to as beacons - and being used in the same role as we were taught to use red beacon lights. I don't find these lights particularly annoying for day ops - but it would be so at night.

Yeah, this thread had me scratching my head a bit to start off with because in our checklist and on the panel the white flashing light is refered to as a "beacon".

 

I hate inconsistancy, especially when there is no reason for it! (that I know of)

 

Steven.

 

 

[Runway16]

Strobes.

 

CASA, the FAA, Piper and Cessna all recomend that Strobes be turned ON just before entering the runway and turned OFF exiting the runway. The airlines do the same.

 

Anyone who has been taught otherwise received poor quality instruction from an instructor who also received poor quality instruction and has never considered his actions nor read up on the subject.

 

It is good airmenship to leave the beacon light switch on at all times. When the master switch goes on for the start the beacon is already operating, warning those looking that an engine start is about to happen.

 

At the end of the flight, if the master is accidently left on, the beacon light still operating will give a pilot the clue that he needs to go back to the aircraft and turn the master off, or be prepared for a flat battery the next day.

 

Do not forget to give a very loud pre-start call 'Stand Clear, Starting. That is a better call than 'Clear Plop'.

 

The Turkey of the year award :hittinghead: goes to those pilots who taxy out with their aircraft lit up like a Xmas tree with position lights, beacon, strobes and landing lights blazying - even in the middle of the day. At night - well who cares about any other pilots night vision!

 

For those who drive Piper retracts having the position lights on helps to dim right down those pesky gear down lights.

 

R16

 

 

[Guest burbles1]

The Turkey of the year award :hittinghead: goes to those pilots who taxy out with their aircraft lit up like a Xmas tree with position lights, beacon, strobes and landing lights blazying

R16

Aw, gee - there goes my idea for the next Xmas fly-in then. I thought Santa's sleigh would be quite fetching on the side of a Jab.