Runway 07/25 Lights Tonight

[Darren Butterworth]

Guys - Every night I look out over the airport from where we live at the end of Runway 07/25 in Rockdale (in fact my son can't sit at the dinner table without pointing out taxiing planes, let alone concentrating on his vegetables), but tonight this runway was unuaually bright.

When aircraft are landing on Runway 25 we get the strobe lights pointing towards us, but this is quite different.

Below is how it looked for every night over at least the last year that I've noticed and another couple of pics of tonight. [VERY small pics based on upload limits].

Attachment 1066 Attachment 1067 Attachment 1068

No I didn't whip out my tripod, but you get the idea. Are they testing something? The intensity is certainly brighter.

Thoughts?

Darren

[Nigel C]

Every Thursday the airport lighting guys do MALM's (mobile airfield light measuring system) light testing. They use a small trailer on the back of the car to measure the light output of each individual runway edge light to ensure it's reaching the standard required. Centreline lights are also done on 16R/34L.

They do the lights on Stages 3 and 6 to test the lights at the highest medium and high intensity output. What you're looking at there is Stage 6...bright enough for sunnies and a suntan!

They do 07/25 and 16L/34R every second Thursday night. 16R/34L is done on the other weeks. Any lights that don't meet the required standard are either replaced or sometimes they just require a good clean (yep, someone physically walks the length of Rwy 16R/34L and cleans the centrline lights...nearly 600 of them!).

Cheers

[Darren Butterworth]

Beauty, Thanks Nige. I hadn't noticed it before.

BTW; it was great to meet you at the beach fence last Wednesday week, how about those QUEENSLANDERS!!!

Darren

[Nigel C]

How about who???

[Jeff Lane]

Originally Posted by Darren Butterworth

Guys - Every night I look out over the airport from where we live at the end of Runway 07/25 in Rockdale (in fact my son can't sit at the dinner table without pointing out taxiing planes, let alone concentrating on his vegetables), but tonight this runway was unuaually bright.

When aircraft are landing on Runway 25 we get the strobe lights pointing towards us, but this is quite different.

Below is how it looked for every night over at least the last year that I've noticed and another couple of pics of tonight. [VERY small pics based on upload limits].

Attachment 1066 Attachment 1067 Attachment 1068



No I didn't whip out my tripod, but you get the idea. Are they testing something? The intensity is certainly brighter.

Thoughts?

Darren

Is that the view from Cameron Street? A mate used to live there and the view was unbelieveable.

[Darren Butterworth]

Sorry Jeff, just found this, the view is George St, but their are sooo many apartments around here.

Mind you, the view was a major deciding factor when buying.

Darren

[Bernie P]

So, Darren, when are we going to see a live stream of arrivals/departures from your place similar to that from LHR???

[Darren Butterworth]

As soon as my wife increases my pocket money.....