why does this happen before taxi to takeoff?

captainphil · February 15th, 2007, 21:12

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?

JEP · February 15th, 2007, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by captainphil

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?

Because it's #37 on the pre-takeoff checklist....

TheFlyingTurkey · February 15th, 2007, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by captainphil

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?

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.

kellwolf · February 15th, 2007, 21:44

Depends on the plane. On ours, the PACKs go off since the bleed air is used to start the engines. As far as the lighting, I don't think it gets turned off unless the FA turns them off.

MQAAord · February 15th, 2007, 21:53

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.

PGT · February 15th, 2007, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by MQAAord

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 remember seeing that same exact reason somewhere on the internet...

Baradium · February 16th, 2007, 02:33

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 · February 16th, 2007, 09:36

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.
.

LoadMasterC141 · February 16th, 2007, 09:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by riot shields

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 ?
.

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 · February 16th, 2007, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by riot shields

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 ?

Maybe it was for a manual pushback - http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0032599/M/

riot shields · February 16th, 2007, 14:27

hahah, whattt.
where are these guys when iii need them?

Toria · February 16th, 2007, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by I_Money

Maybe it was for a manual pushback - http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0032599/M/

Or maybe the breeze created by closing the shades increases the relative wind!

Chris_Ford · February 16th, 2007, 15:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by riot shields

hahah, whattt.
where are these guys when iii need them?

Certainly not in Philly, that's for sure.

Kingairer · February 16th, 2007, 16:07

To set the mood. BWWWOWWW

captainphil · February 16th, 2007, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingairer

To set the mood. BWWWOWWW

haha yeah it's the soul plane!!

PGT · February 16th, 2007, 16:39

somebody said something about soul plane?

amorris311 · February 16th, 2007, 16:43

they got switches on that plane. thasss all one needs.

captainphil · February 16th, 2007, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGT

somebody said something about soul plane?

Haha!! Yo man I forgot i'm afraid of heights!!

Cessnaflyer · February 16th, 2007, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by riot shields

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.

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.

Cool2Fly · February 16th, 2007, 18:34

You'd be surprised what a difference it makes closing the shades. If you can have the radiant heat reflect off of the fuselage and shades instead of warming up and being trapped inside the cabin you may actually have a bearable cabin when it's 35degC outside.

kellwolf · February 17th, 2007, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cessnaflyer

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.

I don't think the PACKs burn any more fuel when it's hot than when it's comfortable outside. It's all off of bleed air from the engines. You don't spool the engines up to cool things off any more. Sure, it'll make the air blow out of the nozzles faster, but it also makes the plane move faster.....

mrivc211 · February 17th, 2007, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Depends on the plane. On ours, the PACKs go off since the bleed air is used to start the engines. As far as the lighting, I don't think it gets turned off unless the FA turns them off.

Yup.

Cessnaflyer · February 17th, 2007, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellwolf

I don't think the PACKs burn any more fuel when it's hot than when it's comfortable outside. It's all off of bleed air from the engines. You don't spool the engines up to cool things off any more. Sure, it'll make the air blow out of the nozzles faster, but it also makes the plane move faster.....

Then if you use less bleed air then you wouldn't need as high a thrust setting for takeoff. Does it not work this way?

Baradium · February 18th, 2007, 02:43

I don't know how you fancy big jet guys do it, but in the 1900 we shut off the environmental part of our bleeds for takeoff.

Maximillian_Jenius · February 18th, 2007, 02:51

Anyone ever notice that before flight on EVERY 737 that I've ever been on. Or viewed pushing back from the gate that all the control surfaces move before flaps and slats are extended.

Now to save someone some typing I'm aware that pilots check flight surfaces prior to flight. But I'm talking EVERY 737 I have seen, all control surfaces are moved. Then immediately afterwards the flaps/slats retract to take off position.

Other planes I have observed or been on typically do a control test while taxiing but after slats/flaps are already retracted.

So is this a pre taxi checklist or something?

February 15th, 2007, 21:12	#1
captainphil Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 362	why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? 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? __________________ The sky is calling!!

February 15th, 2007, 21:44	#4
kellwolf Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 13,368	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? Depends on the plane. On ours, the PACKs go off since the bleed air is used to start the engines. As far as the lighting, I don't think it gets turned off unless the FA turns them off. __________________ "I'm The Doctor, by the way. Run for your life!"

February 15th, 2007, 21:53	#5
MQAAord Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Looney Bin Posts: 8,908	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? 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. __________________ PPL SEL 100-ish hours TT Former American Airlines F/A (12 months) Former Simmons/Eagle F/A (6 years) Former Eagle ground school instructor (1 year) Former Eagle IOE instructor (3 years)

February 16th, 2007, 02:33	#7
Baradium Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 221	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? 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.

February 16th, 2007, 09:36	#8
riot shields Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 161	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? 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. .

February 16th, 2007, 14:27	#11
riot shields Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 161	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? hahah, whattt. where are these guys when iii need them?

February 16th, 2007, 16:07	#14
Kingairer Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Nomadic...World Wide Boobie Bungalow Bouncer Posts: 3,168	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? To set the mood. BWWWOWWW __________________ "I do not proofread"

February 16th, 2007, 16:39	#16
PGT Old Skool Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: DSM Posts: 2,988	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? somebody said something about soul plane? __________________ PPL 55 hours TT

February 16th, 2007, 16:43	#17
amorris311 Old Skool Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Los Angeles soon to be phx Posts: 2,471	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? they got switches on that plane. thasss all one needs.

February 16th, 2007, 18:34	#20
Cool2Fly Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: FLL Posts: 43	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? You'd be surprised what a difference it makes closing the shades. If you can have the radiant heat reflect off of the fuselage and shades instead of warming up and being trapped inside the cabin you may actually have a bearable cabin when it's 35degC outside.

February 18th, 2007, 02:43	#24
Baradium Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 221	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? I don't know how you fancy big jet guys do it, but in the 1900 we shut off the environmental part of our bleeds for takeoff.

February 18th, 2007, 02:51	#25
Maximillian_Jenius Old Skool Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: KPHX, KFFZ, KIWA Posts: 18,711	Re: why does this happen before taxi to takeoff? Anyone ever notice that before flight on EVERY 737 that I've ever been on. Or viewed pushing back from the gate that all the control surfaces move before flaps and slats are extended. Now to save someone some typing I'm aware that pilots check flight surfaces prior to flight. But I'm talking EVERY 737 I have seen, all control surfaces are moved. Then immediately afterwards the flaps/slats retract to take off position. Other planes I have observed or been on typically do a control test while taxiing but after slats/flaps are already retracted. So is this a pre taxi checklist or something? __________________ Rear Admiral www.gayviator.com Maximillian Pegasus

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