Version: since release 1.5.10.0 (not checked in 1.5.12.0 yet)
Frequency:Consistently
Severity:Blocker
Blocker - prevents from using and releasing the product
Marketplace package name: not uploaded yet, Arrows Across America
Context: What package? When editing or mounted from Community? In main menu or in flight? etc…
The problem affects all airports in flight, and also our project during editing, and loading from community folder
Bug description:
Airport beacon lights (green/white flash, but also military airport beacons and heliport beacons) are not visible during the day.
Ofcourse this is not correct for any flight condition, because these beacons should be visible night and day.
It seems they are toned down, with all other airport lighting effects.
With respect to our project, we created a scenery package and recreated (a number of) the old airmail routes across the USA during the late 20s and early 30s of last century. We use the stock airport effects on our beacon towers, so players can follow the route low and slow across the country.
Since the effects are not visible during the day, the scenery can not be used as intended.
This works fine in FS2020.
Repro steps:
Always the case, and affects all airports, and also our package during flight.
Attachments:
Private attachments: Send a PM to @PrivateContent with the link to this topic and the link to download your content
Some changes were made in SU4 beta for this.
Visibility will not necessarily be identical to what it was in 2020 but should be much improved compared to SU3.
Thanks, Sylvain.
I immediately made a check flight when I came home.
Indeed, lights are showing, although still a bit dim.
Ofcourse this also applies to the stock beacons.
So, from a distance, the beacons (stock or arrow beacons), can still not be identified.
I think you are working in the right direction, but I do hope you plan to increase brightness, so the lights can guide you in from a greater distance, e.g. 10 miles or so.
I’m also interested to hear what other users (@everyone) think on the subject of visibility of beacon lights @FlyingRaccoon
Thanks for you reply, and I hope to hear from you soon again.
From my understanding, airport beacons are specifically not supposed to operate during daylight hours (unless the weather is below VFR minima). Aside from conditions of reduced visibility (non-VFR weather), airport beacons should generally only be on at night.
In Class B, Class C, Class D and Class E surface areas, operation of the airport beacon during the hours of daylight often indicates that the ground visibility is less than 3 miles[2] and/or the [3] is less than 1,000 feet
At some locations with operating control towers, ATC personnel turn the beacon on or off when controls are in the tower. At many airports the airport beacon is turned on by a photoelectric cell or time clocks and ATC personnel cannot control them
There is no regulatory requirement for daylight operation and it is the pilot’s responsibility to comply with proper preflight planning as required by 14 CFR section 91.103.
Full excerpt from FAA AIM 2-1-9 Airport/Heliport Beacons
2-1-9. Airport/Heliport Beacons
Airport and heliport beacons have a vertical light distribution to make them most effective from one to ten degrees above the horizon; however, they can be seen well above and below this peak spread. The beacon may be an omnidirectional capacitor-discharge device, or it may rotate at a constant speed which produces the visual effect of flashes at regular intervals. Flashes may be one or two colors alternately. The total number of flashes are:
24 to 30 per minute for beacons marking airports, landmarks, and points on Federal airways.
30 to 45 per minute for beacons marking heliports.
The colors and color combinations of beacons are:
White and Green- Lighted land airport.
*Green alone- Lighted land airport.
White and Yellow- Lighted water airport.
*Yellow alone- Lighted water airport.
Green, Yellow, and White- Lighted heliport. NOTE- *Green alone or yellow alone is used only in connection with a white-and-green or white-and-yellow beacon display, respectively.
Military airport beacons flash alternately white and green, but are differentiated from civil beacons by dualpeaked (two quick) white flashes between the green flashes.
In Class B, Class C, Class D and Class E surface areas, operation of the airport beacon during the hours of daylight often indicates that the ground visibility is less than 3 miles and/or the ceiling is less than 1,000 feet. ATC clearance in accordance with 14 CFR part 91 is required for landing, takeoff and flight in the traffic pattern. Pilots should not rely solely on the operation of the airport beacon to indicate if weather conditions are IFR or VFR. At some locations with operating control towers, ATC personnel turn the beacon on or off when controls are in the tower. At many airports the airport beacon is turned on by a photoelectric cell or time clocks and ATC personnel cannot control them. There is no regulatory requirement for daylight operation and it is the pilot’s responsibility to comply with proper preflight planning as required by 14 CFR section 91.103.
Similarly, from both EASA[4] and the UK CAA[5] (which both seem to follow from ICAO Annex 14 Volume 1, Aerodrome Design and Operations):
When operationally necessary an aerodrome beacon or identification beacon should be provided at each aerodrome intended for use at night.
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