Why Does The 777 Have 3 Rear Nav Lights? — Civil Aviation Forum

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Why Does The 777 Have 3 Rear Nav Lights?

AV8AJET From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 1266 posts, RR: 1
Posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 3627 times:

Why does the B777 have three rear facing (white) nav lights? The early B777's of United and BA only have two (each wing), and later Boeing added one to the tail as well as the wing tip ones. It can't be a wing span issue because the 744 has only one, no rear facing ones on the wing tips. The early 777's had the anti-collision strobe by the apu outlet but not the nav light. Just curious...

"To fly or not to fly there is no question!"

11 replies: All unread, jump to last

Davidoff From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 6 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3558 times:

This is my fist post on A.net....
When the first 777s without the rear nav light were delivered to United, there were numerous instances where smaller aircraft like 737s almost taxied into the 777s at night because they were so much lower. It was hard for the pilots of the smaller aircraft to judge where the tail of the 777 ended because it was dark and so much higher. United let Boeing know about the problem after about a year of the 777 being in service with them and they added the third nav light. Now its a lot easier for the pilots of following aircraft to judge distances and prevent collisions.

ATA L1011 From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 1362 posts, RR: 7
Reply 2, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3544 times:

Its an option from what I've heard from several reputable sources also those are strobe lights.

[Edited 2003-12-12 20:32:19]

Treat others as you expect to be treated!

Flyguy1 From United States of America, joined Jun 1999, 1691 posts, RR: 4
Reply 3, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3521 times:

That third light also makes it much easier to spot 777's at night Big grin

727, L1011, MD80, A300, 777-200, 737-300, 737-700, 747-400, 757-200, 737-800, A320. E190, E135, 767-200, CRJ9

Ifly2eat From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 8 posts, RR: 0
Reply 4, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3495 times:

They can also defer (i.e. defer for maintenance) one or even two of the lights. So really it is just for redundancy.

Fly the friendly skys and stay out of mine.

WesternDC1010 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 322 posts, RR: 4
Reply 5, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3328 times:

Doesn't the Boeing 767-400 have these now as well?

- Ron
Western DC-10-10

Western Airlines - The Only Way To Fly

MaverickM11 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 15813 posts, RR: 50
Reply 6, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3276 times:

I thought all commercial airliners had a white nav light at the end of the tail?

E pur si muove -Galileo

ATA L1011 From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 1362 posts, RR: 7
Reply 7, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3118 times:

RE: western DC10
yes the 767-400 has the one bright strobe near the tailcone but it doesnt have the strobes on the wingtip anymore at all.

RE:Maverick DC-10
Not all have the strobe on the wingtip/tail; including the DC-8,BAE-146,Fokker-F-100 to name a few.

Treat others as you expect to be treated!

MaverickM11 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 15813 posts, RR: 50
Reply 8, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3099 times:

"RE:Maverick DC-10
Not all have the strobe on the wingtip/tail; including the DC-8,BAE-146,Fokker-F-100 to name a few."

First of all *ahem* it's M11...not DC-10 =P.

I still think all aircraft need to have a rear white nav light, including the ones you listed above:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/348455/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/229216/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/193265/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/262584/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/162389/L/

E pur si muove -Galileo

ATA L1011 From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 1362 posts, RR: 7
Reply 9, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3016 times:

Key word M11 you said tail, they have a strobe but not on the tail, DC8 is on the end of the "tailcone",146 as well, the F100's is at the back of the point of the vertical stab.

Treat others as you expect to be treated!

HlywdCatft From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 5321 posts, RR: 7
Reply 10, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 2890 times:

If I am not mistaken A319/20/21 have the rear navigation lights too, but not on the wingtips

Yes the 777 is recognizable while flying at night. I live three miles north of MCO and I saw a 772 taking off to the south which had to been 5-6 miles away, but it was easilly recognizable because of the three white lights. It was most likely the BA flight since we pretty much only get one daily Delta 772 nowadays here and that departs around 2-3pm

AS739X From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5834 posts, RR: 23
Reply 11, posted (9 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 2821 times:

Western, you are correct. The 767-400 also has it.
ASSFO

"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"

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