When the pilot radio is tuned to the correct PCL frequency and the pilot presses the radio’s PTT button, the aircraft radio will send out a carrier wave signal for the entire time the button is held. Each airport will have a designated frequency for the pilot-controlled lighting or it will be monitoring the regular airport radio frequency. The system works by monitoring a specific radio frequency ‘Carrier Wave’. Once the lights are on the pilot can then click a further 5 clicks to reduce the lights to medium intensity, and 3 clicks for low intensity. Seven clicks will put the lights on to maximum intensity. To activate the PCL lighting system, the pilot clicks their radio transmit button up to seven times in a 5 second period. Type J System – This requires 5 clicks of the radio PTT button to turn on to the maximum intensity.Type K System – This requires 7 clicks of the pilot’s radio ‘Push-To-Talk’ button to turn on the lights to the maximum intensity.There are two main types of PCL systems in use in North America: There is an electronic device at the airport that is constantly waiting for a signal from a pilot to initiate turning on the lights. Whichever term pilots use it is all the same type of system. There are many terms used to describe remote-controlled airport lighting.ĪRCAL – Aircraft Radio Control of Aerodrome Lighting Let’s find out how it’s done! What is Pilot-Controlled Airport Lighting? There was just a large black void by the city lights and when my instructor turned on the airport lights it was an incredible sight! From that point on I always waited until I had a good view of the airport before turning on the lights! To this day I can still remember my first cross-country night flight when I was back in flight school and it was to Salem airport in Oregon. It is only available at airports listed in the Chart Supplement. When flying at night and nearing the destination seeing the airport all lit up is a wonderful and relaxing sight, but what happens if the air traffic controller has gone home or there was never one there, to begin with? Are the lights on all the time? Are they on some kind of dusk/dawn sensor?ĪRCAL is Aircraft Radio Control of Aerodrome Lighting and it allows the pilot to turn on the airport lighting system for 15 minutes by clicking their microphone transmit button 5 or 7 times within 5 seconds on the designated frequency.
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