FSAirlines

Using the new client I just departed Manchester for Hong Kong but when passing 1340ft for fl110 i turned my landing lights off,Bung,5% penalty for not having landing lights on below 1000ft.What is going on.?

Hi,

It's 1000' AGL so you must allow for any high terrain in the vicinty.

Rgds

John

A good place to switch them on/off is around 5000 ft, that gives you a good margin to both sides....

Remember: you don't HAVE to switch them off just after leaving 1000, on your climb and you don't HAVE to switch them on just when you descend under 10000 ft.

So using 5000 ft as a rule of thumb, keeps you (mostly) out of harms way, even if there is small mountain here and there

Thanks guys,will have to tie a knot in my hair or something to remind me to turn them off then cause i dont have a radar altitude gauge on this cockpit.

I am confused. As a general SoP for most commercial flights, landing lights are operative till 10000' ASL either climbing or descending. Strobes and landing lights off after vacating runway and taxi lights on. Where does these 1000', 5000' questions come in?

The issue is that the "normal" for commercial flights isn't an actual rule in any country, it's only a company procedure. Even at that, for older aircraft (which several airlines operate with) the procedure is different and landing lights are turned off as soon as practical and not extended/activated again until established on final approach due to the design of the lamps. Other aircraft have the landing lights on the gear legs (all of them) and turning on the landing lights before extending the gear is a fire hazard.

Anyway, the rule is the rule - On below 1000' AGL off above 10,000' MSL. In between it's the pilot's descretion.