What You Need to Know About The Different Types of Aircraft Lighting

What would life be without aircraft? For sure traveling from one place to another will take a considerable amount of time. Aircraft is a general term that refers to machines that fly. Aircraft is in the form of airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons, airships, and gliders. Of these forms, the most common is an airplane as it is readily available for people around the world.

Airplanes have come a long way. Many people prefer this mode of transportation because of its ease and safety. When traveling, safety is the priority more than anything else. Pilots should make sure that passengers reach their destination in one piece.

aircraft lighting

Whether it is Boeing 777, Boeing 787 or Airbus A330, A340 and A380, there are systems in place to make the journey most safe and comfortable for passengers. Pilots are trained with the most advanced cockpit technology.  The crew is trained for any case of emergency and imparts that knowledge to passengers. Even if you are a frequent flier, it will do you good to listen to safety practices and read the manual. Aside from these, there is aircraft lighting in place.

You should know that plans are designed with different kinds of lights used for safety, navigation and improving visibility.  Here are the different types of aircraft lighting:

Navigation lights

Navigation lights are helpful especially at night and it will serve as a notification for other pilots of the other plane’s direction. Navigation lights are usually installed on the edge of the right and left wingtip. The right wingtip is green while the left wing tip is red.

Navigation or position lights

Aside from the red and green wingtip lights, there is also position lights. Position lights are white lights often installed on trailing edge of the wingtips or horizontal tails. It can also be seen on top of the vertical tail. These lights improve the visibility of the plane from behind.

Anti-collision beacon lights

Anti-collision beacon lights serve as a notification for ground personnel that the engines are still operational. This is usually a flashing red-orange light located at the top and bottom of the fuselage. This is a safety precaution for ground personnel.

Logo lights

As the name suggests, logo lights are white lights used to highlight the commercial name of the plane. It is usually placed near the edge of the horizontal stabilizer. More than advertising, these lights can also help making the planes more visible.

Taxi lights

Taxi lights are also white lamps placed on the nose of the landing gear strut. When this is turned on, it means the plane is in motion whether it is during taxi, takeoff and landing.

Landing lights

Landing lights are white lights but tend to be brighter. This is used to enhance the visibility of the planes during landing. These lights are utilized to illuminate the runway.

These lights are available at any aviation and aircraft lamp supplier. Planes are perhaps the safest mode of transportation. If you have fear of heights, this is an excellent activity to face your fears. You will get used to it for sure.