tj Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Hi All, I was wondering if strobes are a necessity? I've seen quite a few movies and it seems hardly anyone ever has strobes activated & I wondered why this was. Is it anything to do with aircraft light regs? I would have thought that anything that increases conspicuity would be an advantage. Thoughts...? Tj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer_Dave Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 TJ. I use one but have been told , by people on the ground, that it's only really noticable after sunset or when it's overcast. I still use it though. It might be worth getting a higher powered one for brighter conditions. An air ambulance pilot showed interest in my activities and said "make sure we can see you" Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj Posted August 24, 2009 Author Share Posted August 24, 2009 Helimed and military helicopters are what would scare me most, as they can pop up from nowhere (with no warning if you're radio free) and mil helos fly at 50ft. I'd want to do everything I could to be seen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon_dunn Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 During the day, or with high ambient lighting the effectivness of any strobe is reduced. Often during bright sunlight i would not switch them on as the wing itself is more visual. On overcast days, they are more useful- some microlight pilots have remarked that they are a great help for them- especially if we are flying lower than them- backgrounded against the landscape. A high frequency flash rate is better in this application- See link to a video of my dual head system in operation- http://www.gordondunn.co.uk/videogallery/videofiles/FL-301.wmv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1714 Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I have pondered on the idea of a strobe but just consider it another piece of clutter on the frame to worry about. I note that in the flying community there appears to be a poor representation of the strobe on machines Dont get me wrong, I think they are a bonus and anything that makes you more visual to others when up there has to be a good thing. Just personal preference. I intentionally bought my revolution in 'Golden' (yellow to you lot) for its visual impact. The yellow stands out and in my view is more catching to the eye as opposed to a white wing with a splash of colour on the front leading edge or tail? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_P Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 After a huge amount of research and the spending of many of our hard earned tax pennies, the RAF found that black with a yellow flash was the most visible of any combination. It is no coincidence that these are the colours that will be found on my wing. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Seen the video Gordon......they look the best.......so I will ask the same question again.... please please please sell me a set.......$ $ I www Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingdoc Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Me too Gordon, What power supply do they need, how easy are they to attach to the frame, and how much do they cost? Been looking at these for a while along with quite a few other people I suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 After a huge amount of research and the spending of many of our hard earned tax pennies, the RAF found that black with a yellow flash was the most visible of any combination. It is no coincidence that these are the colours that will be found on my wing.Phil Also quite a few police helos are black and yellow. We were forever being mistaken for them! Google 'Sixty Sqn RAF'. You'll note the aircraft identifiers are letters. Spelling 'Sixty Rule'! Only the RAF... Tj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Guys, Here is an extract from the latest Air Clues (RAF Flight Safety Pub), I was thumbing through it and thought you might appreciate the 'other side' perspective. TCAS means Traffic Collision Avoidance System, it requires kit to be present in both aircraft to work. It is the general pitch of the working environment that has value to us at the 'other end' of the challenge. We are a difficult target to acquire, a strobe (imho) would help significantly but to be effective they need a high energy flash. Wimpy strobes are useless dead weight. Lookout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macey2kk Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Seen the video Gordon......they look the best.......so I will ask the same question again.... please please pleasesell me a set.......$ $ I www its been asked many times... ditto me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaggydec Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Seen the video Gordon......they look the best.......so I will ask the same question again.... please please pleasesell me a set.......$ $ I www its been asked many times... ditto me....[/q And me !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 pete b has a twin head strobe available on www.paramotortraining.org Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irm750 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 pete b has a twin head strobe available on http://www.paramotortraining.orgCheers, Alan Don't you mean a twin head petrol fume ignition system??? Lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Wicked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_b Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 pete b has a twin head strobe available on http://www.paramotortraining.orgCheers, Alan Don't you mean a twin head petrol fume ignition system??? Lol! Ahh memories of 1009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spigot Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Ahh memories of 1009 Hes been around a while, has our pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_b Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Ahh memories of 1009 Hes been around a while, has our pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedmouse Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Happy new year . Just thought id add my little bit to this .. At a gliding competition last year i was facing the music and was committed to landing in a field . id run out of thermals and height and had picked my field i was at apr1000ft agl i carried on my way floating down until i got to just over 700ft by this time i was in my circuit to land . Just as i passed opposite the landing area i saw a white flash at about 2 o'Clock just slightly lower than me it was about 800 yards away maybe a little more. I looked again and it was a para-motor a white wing with another colour on it .It was also heading at 45 degrees to me and away. i altered my course to avoid it and landed in the desired place I am certain had i not seen the flash i might not of missed the motor due to the circuit i was flying . whilst in a cockpit with a higher than normal workload . I believe as a minimum para-motors should have a strobe , on the day in question that strobe might well have saved a couple of lives. Its better to be Proactive gents I'm all for them . Sorry if this has been long winded but i thought it might make a difference maybe happy flying Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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