Why Airbus & Boeing Wing

Strobe Lights Flash Differently?

BY
DR. OMAR MEMON

Airbus aircraft use two strobe lights on each wing, whereas

only one is used on Boeing aircraft.

Photo: Orso Bianco/Shutterstock

Modern airliners are equipped with a variety of lights that

are required for the safe operability(可操作性) of aircraft. While
some lights are used during a specific time of flight, such as
taxiing, others are used throughout the flight.

White strobe lights

One such type of light is the strobe light. The (flashing)
strobe lights serve as anti-collision(防碰撞) lights, alerting the
observer(觀察者) from afar(遙遠地). White strobe lights are
installed on each wing, typically near the wingtips. A third
strobe light is installed at the rear end of the airplane, close
to the (APU).

These lights are turned on as soon as the pilot intends to(打

算，計畫) enter the runway for takeoff. During the flight, the
strobe lights are designed to attract the eye of pilots of other
aircraft to keep a safe distance. The lights are turned off
after the aircraft lands and clear the runway. It indicates the
departing or approaching traffic that the aircraft has cleared
the runway.

The high-intensity lights are the brightest lights on the

aircraft. These strobe lights. These lights shine through
heavy clouds, fog, and rain, indicating(顯⽰) the aircraft’s
existence(存在) in the air. White strobe lights flash at regular
intervals(間隔，間距) during flight.
Airbus aircraft use two strobe lights on each wingtip. The
flashing on these lights is programmed to have a close
succession between them. On Boeing aircraft, however,
only one strobe light is installed on each wing. As such,
these lights flash at regular intervals(間隔，間距) . It is
noteworthy(值得注意的) that the rear strobe lights also flash in
unison(共同，⼀致) with the wing strobes.

Red beacons
Another type of anti-collision light is the red beacon on the
top and bottom of the fuselage. These beacons are part of
the anti-collision system. The beacons primarily indicate the
running of the engines, hence(因此，所以。= therefore) the color
red. The ground staff is alerted to stay clear of the aircraft
while these beacons are switched on.

Photo: Standard Store88/Shutterstock

The beacons are turned on when the pilot intends to switch
on the engines, typically when the aircraft is pushed back
from the gate. They are turned off after the aircraft has
parked, and the engines are switched off. While beacons
can also serve as a way to alert other aircraft, they are
much less visible from a distance.

Navigation (nav) lights

The navigation lights help the observer determine the
aircraft’s direction. While beacons and strobe lights show
the presence((事物的)存在，這指⾶機) of the aircraft, whether the
aircraft is flying toward the observer or away from the
observer is determined through green and red nav lights.
The green light is on the right (starboard) wingtip, and the
red is on the aircraft’s left (port) wingtip.

If the observer notices this orientation(⽅向), the aircraft is

moving in the same direction as the observer’s aircraft. If the
observer sees a red light on the starboard side, the aircraft
is flying toward the observer aircraft. While the nav lights are
primarily used between sunset and sunrise, pilots commonly
keep them on throughout the flying due to varying(變化)
darkness during flight.

Other lights
Other aircraft lights are taxi, turnoff, takeoff, and landing
lights. There are also logo lights illuminating(照亮) the aircraft
tail at night and inspection lights on wings and fuselage.