Forum: F-16 Design & Construction

I have a question about the new NIVIS lighting and why other than regulations are all external lights required to be working during a night mission. Does the NIVIS portion of the lights not work if the bulb is not working?

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Do you mean that the normal (non-NVIS) lights must be functioning? This is a basic functional requirement and absolutely required in FAA airspace when not under wartime emergency conditions. In an emergency it would be good to be able to pop on your lights and be seen.

The requirement for lighting was before the aircraft were modified with NIVIS lighting was that both inlet lights had to be working, one upper or lower bulb must be working on each wing, and the anti-collision light must be working. After the jets went for NIVIS modification and the aircrew did NIVIS training missions we were required to make sure that all external lights were operational. I didn't understand this because I figured they would be turning off the lights to enhance their training. I was looking for some reasoning behind the instruction.

As far as I know from what I have seen in dark hangars with NVIS goggles on the NVIS portions work without the bulbs. We do NVIS ops checks during phase by checking out an NVIS binoular from one of the squadrons and turning out the hangar lights and turning on the system.

Rigo

IDCrewDawg wrote:

I have a question about the new NIVIS lighting and why other than regulations are all external lights required to be working during a night mission. Does the NIVIS portion of the lights not work if the bulb is not working?

There are two portions of the NVIS lights. The visible "NVIS Frendly" lights and the IR "NVIS Covert" lights.

Visible lights are required transitioning FAA airspace.

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Visible lights are required tranitioning FAA airspace.

NVGdude - was there a change in the FAA rules that ALL external lights be operational? As I had indicated before we were only required to ensure that only one bulb upper or lower on each wing, both inlet bulbs, and the anti-collision light were operational. All other bulbs were optional to allow the aircraft out of chocks. Most crew chiefs however kept a small stash of bulbs to replace burnt out ones.

I understand the FAA directs that certian light configurations be complied with. However I didn't know if there was something that directed that all bulbs be operational.

Below is the FAA reference for aircraft lighting, which doesn't specifiy ALL available lights be operational. I don't know the NVIS requirement, but each of the fighter squadrons I worked in over the years ALWAYS required ALL lights to work prior to launch (unless doing a Hot Pit gas-n-go, or an ERCC [engine running crew change] on the FB-111s), and the airline I worked for did as well. We didn't want to take the chance of a bulb burning out and having to send a jet back from EOR to the chocks.

FAR Sec. 91.209 - Aircraft lights.

No person may:

(a) During the period from sunset to sunrise (or, in Alaska, during the period a prominent unlighted object cannot be seen from a distance of 3 statute miles or the sun is more than 6 degrees below the horizon) --

(1) Operate an aircraft unless it has lighted position lights;

(2) Park or move an aircraft in, or in dangerous proximity to, a night flight operations area of an airport unless the aircraft --

(i) Is clearly illuminated;

(ii) Has lighted position lights; or

(iii) is in an area that is marked by obstruction lights;

IDCrewDawg wrote:

Quote:

Visible lights are required tranitioning FAA airspace.

NVGdude - was there a change in the FAA rules that ALL external lights be operational? As I had indicated before we were only required to ensure that only one bulb upper or lower on each wing, both inlet bulbs, and the anti-collision light were operational. All other bulbs were optional to allow the aircraft out of chocks. Most crew chiefs however kept a small stash of bulbs to replace burnt out ones.

I understand the FAA directs that certian light configurations be complied with. However I didn't know if there was something that directed that all bulbs be operational.

Strictly speaking, the FAA requirement would be met with the Inlet lights, anti-collision strobe, and rear (white) nav light. This would also meet
the MIL-L-6503H, the aplicable USAF external lighting standard. How much this means is something else entirely, we have several airframes that do not even come close to meeting either standard. I'd rather not get into which ones.

Oh, and the IR light is provided by a small solid state IR emmiter, so they work if the incandescent bulbs do not.

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Oh, and the IR light is provided by a small solid state IR emmiter, so they work if the incandescent bulbs do not

So this brings me back to my original question. Why do they insist that all external bulbs be working? Since it is not an FAA rule, and the operation of the bulbs doesn't affect the IR function. It seems a bit on the short sighted side to me. I know that bulbs can and do burn out shortly after starting the engine. To change the bulb by the TO you have to shut down the aircraft. So why enforce something that doesn't affect mission accomplishment or safety of flight?

Well, there is many a time here latley where I have sent a jet out with a upper or lower wingtip light burnt out. QA has cacked down on "personal benchstock" But the only times I have had a jet sent back from EOR for a light was a intake light burnt out durning the taxi to EOR, other than that if just one wingtip light is burnt out they don't care just as long as it gets changed on the TH or the BPO. I guess it's all where your stationed

Forum: F-16 Design & Construction

External lighting