Pilot Control Lighting - Update

Whiteplains pilots,

The VASI and pilot-controlled lighting system is back to being operational. We have replaced the receiver module with a design that is more advanced and which should be less succeptible to false alarms (lightning, etc.).

Some important changes have been made, so please read this e-mail carefully.

The system is now activated with three clicks within five seconds. This should help those who previously had some difficulty establishing a click rhythm with five.

However, the system will not make a decision until the five seconds have expired, so... if you squeeze off three clicks in a hurry, it may be three or four seconds before the lights go on. Don't get impatient and click again immediately. The system will continue to look for (and count) clicks until the five seconds are elapsed.

Between now and the end of the year, I have temporarily wired the system to accept either three or five clicks. This is gives us time to get the word out, update our web site, etc. After December 31, I will remove the five-click code and offer it to our friends at Gilbert International (with whom we share 122.9) for their lighting system. There should be no mutual interference between us and them.

To summarize the operational logic:

Runway lights come on at low intensity at dusk and remain that way until midnight.

Three clicks on 122.9 mHz does the following:

Between dawn and dusk: activates the VASI at full brilliance

Between dusk and midnight: raises runway lights from low to high intensity and activates the VASI at reduced brilliance

Between midnight and dawn: turns on runway lights at high intensity and activates the VASI at reduced brilliance.

In the event of a total system failure, there are emergency switches located outside of the control box, on the left-hand side. The switch labelled Runway Lights turns the lights on at high intensity. The one labelled VASI turns on the VASI at full brilliance. If you ever have a need to use these switches, be sure to turn them off when you are done.

Please call or e-mail me if you have any questions.

Ken

P.S. If you are in an airplane partnership with a pilot who does not own property at Whiteplains, be sure to forward this e-mail to them.