Good question to all

intruder_bass

Member since
November 2013

Good question to all

Posted by intruder_bass on Monday, August 29, 2005 2:49 AM

Since when they started to equip US aircrafts with blue colored starboard navigation lights? As far as I know from my NAVY experience International Regulations require red light on port side and green one on the starboard side... But recently I discovered (for myself )))) that some US aircrafts including choppers have blue lights.
Can somebody explain me this?

Thanks a lot!
Andy

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HeavyArty

Member since
December 2002
From: Valrico, FL

Posted by HeavyArty on Monday, August 29, 2005 8:38 AM

They are ctually a green-blue coor. Just looks blue in some lighting condition or pictures. They are still geen though.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Monday, August 29, 2005 8:50 AM

Gino

Is that blue-green tint a Night Vision-compatibility thing?

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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chopperfan

Member since
November 2003
From: Oklahoma

Posted by chopperfan on Monday, August 29, 2005 9:00 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trigger74

Gino

Is that blue-green tint a Night Vision-compatibility thing?

I remember, in 1969-70, while working at the local airport in my hometown the lights on the various private planes that were there permanently and those in transit had blue/green lights.
I don't think it has anything to do with night vision. Even when viewing the lights in daylight, when they aren't on, they appear more blue than green.

Randie [C):-)]Agape Models

Without them? The men on the ground would have to work a lot harder. You can help. Please keep 'em flying! http://www.airtanker.com/

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Monday, August 29, 2005 9:28 AM

Cool, thanks for the lowdown Randie!

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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HeavyArty

Member since
December 2002
From: Valrico, FL

Posted by HeavyArty on Monday, August 29, 2005 10:03 AM

Agree with Randie. I think it is just the color they fade to or something like that. Blue-green and/or green look the same in NVGs.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

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intruder_bass

Member since
November 2013

Posted by intruder_bass on Monday, August 29, 2005 12:05 PM

Here are nice examples of:
blue

green

The reason I am asking is that Hasegawa Instruction sheet for F-16 says that you have to paint the light in BLUE color! Big Smile [:D]

Andy

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HeavyArty

Member since
December 2002
From: Valrico, FL

Posted by HeavyArty on Monday, August 29, 2005 12:40 PM

Andy, again, I think it is due to lighting conditions and/or the photos. As you stated, the Internationally approved color for starboard side nav lights is green. I would go with green or a blue-green color, not straight blue.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

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intruder_bass

Member since
November 2013

Posted by intruder_bass on Monday, August 29, 2005 12:50 PM

OK thanks!
I'll try to make it blue-green...no, better green-blue. )))

Andy

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AH1Wsnake

Member since
December 2002
From: Modeling anything with "MARINES" on the side.

Posted by AH1Wsnake on Monday, August 29, 2005 10:50 PM

Viewing our lenses in the O.F.F. mode, they always looked blue. But when they turned on, they had a greenish hue to them.
Andy, I think that last pic that you posted is a perfect example of a blue-colored lens being lit by a high-intensity white bulb and taking on a green hue. I bet you that all the pics above it would look just like it if they were lit.

"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and those who have met them in battle. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."

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dkmacin

Member since
January 2003
From: Upper left side of the lower Penninsula of Mich

Posted by dkmacin on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 5:54 AM

I got into this same type argument with the LHS owner who had the Trumpeter SA 365N model in CG livery on the shelf. The nav light and GREEN house windows were blue.
My son, who grew up around the aircraft pointed out that these should be green and was told the guy who made the kit was a pilot ( Clown [:o)]

). Lesson: Don't argue with an enlisted guys kid, he may grow up to be an IPMS judge one day.
In my 19 years of maintenance I have seen all kinds of shades of green for these items, the main thing to remember is when the light is on or the sun shines through, they are GREEN.
We even had some try to push clear covers and hope we'd go with colored bulbs, but that lasted less than the time it took to write this!!

Don

I know it's only rock and roll, but I like it.

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RotorRob60

Member since
May 2005

Posted by RotorRob60 on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 10:24 AM

It's all about NVG compatibility. The blue-green light doesn't interfere (much) with the goggles. A Blackhawk crewchief is sitting right on top of the nav light. The left side gunner or medic is riding on the Red light and looking through a haze, diminishing his/her ability to see 'aided'.

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intruder_bass

Member since
November 2013

Posted by intruder_bass on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 11:43 AM

Hmmmm..... interesting.
then I'll ask another question:
SINCE WHEN green NAV lights lenses began look blue in OFF position? Cuz I am sure the WWII US aircrafts have absolutly green lights. So the blueesh color appiered later....When?

Thanks
Andy

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 3:06 PM

The reason they are blue-green color is not about NVG Compatibility but the the power of the lightbulb that lights it up. The bulb has a strong yellow component and when the light shines through, instead of a nice solid green, the the Position light would come out yellow-green. Take a flashlight and color the clear lens with a green marker or clear green paint, youll see the effect. So a blue component is added to the tint (I believe its 45%)., hence the very blue nature of the position light. Position lights are green right and red left, and aren't NVG compatible, so if you are in combat and need position lights, at least in the -60 you have IR position lights, which are right next to the visible position lights.

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Edit

grandadjohn

Member since
February 2003
From: phoenix

Posted by grandadjohn on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 3:31 PM

Last time I looked at FAA Regs(a couple of months ago) require light to be green, in accordance with International Agreements, blue color you see is caused by lighting conditions or fading. The reason I checked was the directions called for tail lights to be red and I knew this to be wrong. You can access FAA Regs through
www.firstgov.gov
Andy
Every US Army a/c I worked on from 1968 to 1980 had green lens plus the last airfield I was stationed had a lot of transit a/c from all US services, yes they due tend to fade from the elements, especially strong sunlight, also position of the sun and properties of the film will show blue also

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Screaminhelo

Member since
April 2004
From: Georgia

Posted by Screaminhelo on Saturday, September 3, 2005 2:40 PM

We got a couple of true green lenses in that made it on to a A/C and they definately have a yellow tint to them when on. I haven't seen any specs the back up Scott but experience says thet he is right. The lights with green lenses also caused some difficulty when aided but they did not interfere as much as the red lens on the left. We definately replaced these as soon as we could get replacements with the correct blue/green tint.

Mac

Mac

I Didn't do it!!!

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"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and those who have met them in battle. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."