Aircraft Lighting

Exterior Lights
Exterior Lights

• Navigation lights - Most modern aircraft are equipped with a steady light near the
leading edge of each wingtip. When facing forward from the perspective of the pilot,
the light on the right wingtip is green, and that on the left wing is red. The different
colors make it possible for an outside observer, such as the pilot of another aircraft,
to determine which direction the plane is flying. These navigation lights are most
useful at night when it is more difficult to tell the direction the plane is going
without them.
• Navigation or Position lights - In addition to the red and green lights, most planes
are also fitted with other steady white navigation lights in various locations. Large
airliners, in particular, will often have such lighting on the trailing edge of each
wingtip. These lights are also sometimes placed along the trailing edges of the
horizontal tail. Another popular location is at the very aft end of the fuselage or at
the top of the vertical tail.
Exterior Lights

• Anti-Collision Beacon lights – Two beacon lights are fitted to aircraft near the
center of the fuselage. One is located on top of the fuselage and the other on the
bottom. These lights are colored reddish orange and rotate to produce a flashing
effect. The beacons are turned on just before the engines are started and they
remain active until the last engine is shut down. The beacons help to serve as a
safety warning to ground personnel that the engines are operational.
• Strobe lights - High-intensity strobe lights that flash a white-colored light are
located on each wingtip. Most smaller planes are only equipped with one of these
strobes near the leading edge just behind the red or green navigation light. Larger
airliners may be equipped with an additional strobe at the trailing edge as well.
These flashing lights are very bright and intended to attract attention during flight.
They are sometimes also used on the runway and during taxi to make the plane more
conspicuous.
Exterior Lights

• Logo lights - These lights are not required but are common on most
commercial aircraft. The lights are usually located on the surface of or at the
tips of the horizontal stabilizer. The steady white lights are used to
illuminate the company's logo painted on the vertical tail. While useful for
advertising, the primary purpose of these lights is safety since the bright
lights help to make the plane more visible.
• Wing lights - Many airliners feature lights along the root of the wing leading
edge that can be used to illuminate the wing and engine pylons in flight.
These lights may be used to make the plane more visible during takeoff and
landing or to inspect the wings for damage in flight. Pilots can also use the
wing lights to inspect the wings and slats for any ice accretion that might
build up when flying through clouds.
Exterior Lights

• Taxi lights - A bright white lamp is located on the nose landing

gear strut of most planes. This light is typically turned on
whenever the aircraft is in motion on the ground for greater
visibility during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
• Landing lights - Bright white landing lights are usually fitted to
most planes for enhanced visibility during the landing approach.
These lights can also be used to illuminate the runway at poorly lit
airports. They are often required for night landings but also
commonly used during the day as well to make the plane more
noticeable.
Exterior Lights

• Runway Turnoff lights - Usually located in the leading edge of the wing root, these
bright white lamps are intended to provide side and forward lighting during taxi and
when turning off the runway. These lights are most useful at poorly lit airports but are
usually unnecessary. The lights can also be used in flight if greater visibility is
required.
• Wheel Well lights - Some planes are equipped with additional lights in the nose and
main gear wheel wells. These lights are provided primarily to assist ground personnel
in making pre-flight inspections of a plane at night.
• Logo Lights - Logo lights are usually mounted on the horizontal stabilizer and light up
the vertical fin. Logo lights are not required, but commonly used for the advertising
benefits. The lights are also effective for collision avoidance.  They make it easy for
pilots to spot aircraft on the ground and in flight. Logo lights also help ground
controllers identify aircraft on taxiways.
Interior Lights
Cockpit Lights (Interior Lighting)
Cockpit Lights (Interior Lighting)

• Dome Lights - Two dome lights located on each side of the overhead
panel are provided for general illumination of the flight deck area. The
dome lights are controlled by a DOME rotary knob located in the
INTERIOR LIGHTS zone of the overhead panel. This rheostat allows
setting of the dome light from DIM to BRIGHT. Each ceiling light
contains three bulbs, one for normal operation (28 VDC) and two for
emergency operation (5 VDC). The dome lights are supplied by the main
batteries power.
• READING LIGHTS - The two swivel-reading lights are located in the
flight deck headliner above both the pilots. The associated rheostat
rotary switches are also located in the headliner.
Cockpit Lights (Interior Lighting)

• LCD DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS (PDU / MDU) - Brightness adjustment of four 14.1

inch LCD displays is controlled by the reversion panel located in the flight
deck center pedestal. Each LCD display is controlled through its associated
DIM / OFF – AUTO – REV inner rotary knob control (rheostat).
• PEDESTAL, UPPER STRIP PANEL, SECONDARY FLIGHT DISPLAY AND SIDE
LEDGE EQUIPMENT - The PANEL rotary knob, located in the flight deck
lighting control panel, sets the level of lighting for all the equipment located
in the flight deck and center pedestal. A variable 0 to 5 VDC power supply
controls the equipment lighting. The two checklist controllers, located at the
end of the center pedestal, are permanently illuminated with a 5 VDC power
source. The lighting is not adjustable and continuously lighted at a day level.
Cockpit Lights (Interior Lighting)

• OVERHEAD PANEL - The overhead panel is divided into two distinct areas for
the setting of the lighting: - the pushbuttons with status indications,
controlled by the DIM / BRIGHT switch of the lighting panel, - the functionnal
diagrams, systems boundary lines, marking on lighting panel and borders,
controlled by the OVERHEAD rotary knob located on the lighting panel.
• INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING - The instrument lighting is provided by four
strip electro-luminescent lights (LED), powered by 28 VDC. The SHIELD rotary
knob, located on the lighting control panel, controls the brightness
adjustment of the instrument panel lighting. The Emergency Locator
Transmitter (ELT) panel, placards and manual pressurization rotary knob are
lighted by the shield lighting.
Cockpit Lights (Interior Lighting)

• CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL LIGHTING - The circuit-breaker panel is

illuminated with two spotlights located on the bulkhead behind
the pilot and the copilot. They are controlled with the CB PANEL
pushbutton located on the right circuit breaker panel.
Cabin Lights (Interior Lighting)
• The passenger cabin is equipped with lighting for the entrance, stairs, lavatory, galley
area and cabin. Illuminated ordinance signs are also provided throughout the cabin area.
The entrance lighting control panel located on the left hand side of bulkhead of the main
entrance door includes:
- the ENTRY LIGHTS pushbutton which controls the passenger cabin main entrance
lighting system,
- the STAIR LIGHTS pushbutton which controls the passenger door stair lighting system,
- the AISLE LIGHTS pushbutton which controls the passenger cabin aisle lighting system,
- the PYLON LIGHTS pushbutton which controls the exterior lighting systems of the
baggage compartment door and the refueling area,
- a BATT IN USE amber pushbutton which, when illuminated, indicates that a system is
supplied by the battery circuit. Pushbuttons are illuminated green when inactive and
amber when active through a combination of green and red LED.
Cabin Lights (Interior Lighting)

• ENTRANCE AND GALLEY LIGHTING - Galley lighting is provided by fluorescent lights in the
galley ceiling panel. The lights are controlled by a rocker switch on the flight attendants
panel.
• STAIRS LIGHTING - The stairs are illuminated by an electro-luminescent lighting system. Each
stair is illuminated by an individual spotlight. The stairs lighting is directly supplied from the
28 VDC battery bus. Two pushbuttons control the stairs lighting: - one located on the lighting
control panel (STAIR LIGHTS), - the other by a pushbutton located on the middle step of the
stairs left side, when the passenger door is open.
• PASSENGER ORDINANCE SIGNS - The illuminated FASTEN BELTS and signs are located
throughout the cabin area and are visible from all seat locations. One RETURN TO SEAT sign
is located in the toilets. Control switches are located in the cockpit. The pushbutton are in the
INTERIOR LIGHTS area of the overhead panel, with the and symbols. The RETURN TO SEAT
sign illuminates at the same time as the FASTEN BELTS sign. sign is automatically switched on
if oxygen is detected in the passenger oxygen system.
Cabin Lights (Interior Lighting)

• AISLE LIGHTING - Aisle lighting consists of lights distributed along the aisle on the bottom of
galley, seats and sofa. The aisle lighting system is directly supplied from the 28 VDC battery
bus. The AISLE LIGHTS pushbutton, located on the entrance lighting control panel, controls
the aisle lighting.
• PASSENGER READING AND TABLE LIGHTS- TThe passenger cabin is equipped with reading and
table lights located in the passenger service unit. Both lighting systems are supplied with a
28 VDC power. Switch control panels are located within the side-ledges or armrests near
each seat location or other designated areas.
• LAVATORY LIGHTS - The toilet lighting system is powered from a 28 VDC and inverters for
fluorescent tubes. The toilet lighting is controlled by pushbuttons located on the bulkhead.
A fluorescent tube inverter receives power from the main batteries. Therefore, it is not
affected by an electrical circuit power failure.
Stairs Lights Aisle Lighting

Lavatory Light Galley Lighting

Servicing Lights

• NOSE CONE LIGHT - A hand light is provided for inspection of

equipment items in the nose cone area. This inspection light is
controlled with a built-in switch and directly supplied from the
battery circuit.
• BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT LIGHTING - The baggage compartment is
equipped with dome light and shares the same power supply as the
flight deck dome lights. Electrical power is supplied directly from
the batteries off the main electrical box. Illumination of the dome
light occurs simultaneously with baggage door opening.
Servicing Lights

• MECHANIC SERVICING COMPARTMENT LIGHTING - The mechanic

servicing compartment is equipped with two dome lights. They
switch automatically on upon compartment door opening.
• REFUELING AREA LIGHTING - The fueling coupling and the pressure
refueling panel lighting are automatically lighted when their
respective access door is open. The refueling area light is
controlled by the PYLON LIGHTS pushbutton located on the
passenger lighting control panel.
 Baggage Compartment Lighting

Nose Cone Lighting

Refueling Area Lighting
Types of Light Bulbs

• Incandescent Bulbs
Incandescent bulbs are the typical bulbs. In
an incandescent bulb, a tungsten filament
glows when the current passes through it,
illuminating the bulb. The tungsten filament
is surrounded by a vacuum or nitrogen gas.
The bulbs are available in different sizes
including GLS, globe, candies, mushroom.
However, the sudden flow of current causes
the filament to heat and burn out.
Incandescent bulbs only work for 700–1000
hours and are cause energy waste.