Airplane General - Emergency Lighting
The aft flight deck dome light (one bulb only), passenger cabin interior and exterior lights are powered by the emergency lighting system. These lights provide illumination for evacuating the airplane.
Emergency lighting is controlled by the Emergency Lights Switch on the overhead panel. The switch can be used to manually activate or arm the system for automatic operation.
Flight Deck Emergency Lights Switch
When the system is armed, automatic operation occurs if:
- DC power fails or
- DC power is turned Off.
Passenger Cabin Emergency Lights Switch
The Emergency Lighting system can also be controlled by the Flight Attendants Emergency Lights Switch.
- ON - All passenger cabin and exterior emergency lights illuminate, regardless of the position of the Flight Deck Emergency Lights Switch.
When the emergency lights switch on the flight deck is ARMED and the slide arming lever is in the SLIDE ARMED position, moving the door handle to the OPEN position will cause the exterior emergency lights on that side of the airplane to illuminate.
The Emergency Lighting system is powered by remote batteries. Battery charge is maintained by the airplane electrical system. A fully charged battery provides at least 15 minutes of operation.
The UNARMED light illuminates and the EICAS advisory message EMER LIGHTS is displayed if:
- the Emergency Lights Switch is not in the ARMED position or
- the Emergency Lights Switch is in the ARMED position and the Emergency Lights are activated by the switch at a flight attendant panel.
Interior Emergency Lighting
Interior Emergency Lighting consists of door, aisle, escape path, exit lights and luminescent exit signs.
Escape Path lighting consists of seat mounted locator lights spaced at intervals in the aisle and exit indicators by each door. When illuminated, escape path lighting provides visual guidance for emergency evacuation if all sources of lighting more than four feet above the aisle floor are obscured by smoke.
Battery powered exit lights are located at each cabin exit.
Exterior Emergency Lighting
Exterior Emergency lights are located at each entry door and emergency door. Lights are also installed in each slide to illuminate the ground at the end of the slide.
