captainphil
Well-Known Member
When i'm on an airline flight , before we taxi the pilot shuts the lights off down the aisles of the plane. Can someone explain to me why this is? Is it if theres a fire so someone can see in or what is the cause?
why does this happen before taxi to takeoff?
- Thread starter captainphil
- Start date
TheFlyingTurkey
Fetus Worshiper
Not to get too technical but usually when an engine is started the lights go out when the electrical load is transfered from the APU to the engines. Depends on the airplane.
If you're talking about the lights turning off briefly, then coming back on, that's because of the engines starting.
If you mean the cabin lights actually being turned off and staying off, that's the flight attendants dimming the cabin lighting. It's standard to dim the lights to make it more comfortable, because who wants those bright lights blaring at them the entire flight. If a pax wants additional lighting, that's what the individual reading lights are for.
Also, having the lights dimmed during taxi at night creates a more equal lighting to the dark outside. Therefore in the event of a complete power failure for some reason, or if the need arises for an emergency evacuation, when the power goes out you're not sitting there blind waiting for your eyes to adjust.
I believe it is against FARs (though I haven't the time nor energy to find it) to have the cabin lights completely off. I remember drilling into my students heads that "the cabin and entry areas should never be in total darkness". So we dim the lights, but shouldn't (though yes I know that there are F/As out there who do turn off ALL lights) turn them ALL off.
If you mean the cabin lights actually being turned off and staying off, that's the flight attendants dimming the cabin lighting. It's standard to dim the lights to make it more comfortable, because who wants those bright lights blaring at them the entire flight. If a pax wants additional lighting, that's what the individual reading lights are for.
Also, having the lights dimmed during taxi at night creates a more equal lighting to the dark outside. Therefore in the event of a complete power failure for some reason, or if the need arises for an emergency evacuation, when the power goes out you're not sitting there blind waiting for your eyes to adjust.
I believe it is against FARs (though I haven't the time nor energy to find it) to have the cabin lights completely off. I remember drilling into my students heads that "the cabin and entry areas should never be in total darkness". So we dim the lights, but shouldn't (though yes I know that there are F/As out there who do turn off ALL lights) turn them ALL off.
PGT
Well-Known Member
I remember seeing that same exact reason somewhere on the internet...
We turn off all the cabin lighting on the 1900s all the time. The partial and full lighting's main difference on the 1900 is just for battery usage and one of the partial lights is immediately behind the cockpit so it's very bright for the first row passengers as well as into the cockpit with the doors open if they are on.
riot shields
Well-Known Member
either easyjet or ryanair, one of those 10$ round trip airlines, make you CLOSE the window shades... what is that all about? so that you don’t see parts of the plane falling off during takeoff? i know a lot of airlines make you keep the shades OPEN incase of an emergency during t/o, but why CLOSED ?
weird europeans.
quick story..
on one easyjet flight, they were having trouble up in the front so a little truck drove up labeled "EasyFix", and some scrubby guy got out, went into the cockpit and started banging something with a hammer.. (so it sounded like).. few minutes later he left and the captain said it was all fixed. thank god for the top quality maintenance.
.
weird europeans.
quick story..
on one easyjet flight, they were having trouble up in the front so a little truck drove up labeled "EasyFix", and some scrubby guy got out, went into the cockpit and started banging something with a hammer.. (so it sounded like).. few minutes later he left and the captain said it was all fixed. thank god for the top quality maintenance.
.
LoadMasterC141
Well-Known Member
Yeah that is weird. I was just gonna say I was on ASA the other day and it was the first time I heard a request to keep the shades open.
I_Money
Moderator
riot shields
Well-Known Member
hahah, whattt.
where are these guys when iii need them?
where are these guys when iii need them?
Toria
Well-Known Member
Or maybe the breeze created by closing the shades increases the relative wind!
Chris_Ford
Well-Known Member
Certainly not in Philly, that's for sure.
captainphil
Well-Known Member
haha yeah it's the soul plane!!
amorris311
Well-Known Member
they got switches on that plane. thasss all one needs.
captainphil
Well-Known Member
Cessnaflyer
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I would think that on a sunny day the air conditioning packs would have to work extra hard and thus use fuel for running them.
