LIGHTS!

"Landing lights on!" - CFI "But we're taking off!" - Student

The use of lights is in part regulated and in part courtesy. It's not uncommon for student pilots to confuse when/where lights are supposed to be used, especially if the lights used for takeoff are called "Landing" lights... So let's go through each light system on the aircraft, understand when it's required and what it's used for. Then, let's go through a fictitious flight in the day and in the night to see the flow of engaging/disengaging lights.

This article was written for FAA part 23 aircraft only and assumes you are flying a small trainer like a Piper PA28 or Cessna 172.

"Lucky" during a night preflight inspection

Position Lights

The position lights, also referred to as navigation lights or Nav lights, are used to help other aircraft see you in the sky and determine your direction of flight.

They are required per 14 CFR 91.205 (yes, the AUTOMATOFLAMES reg) only at night. Their design requirements are described in 14 CFR 23.2530 in paragraphs (a), (b), (c).

Position lights must consist of:

1. A red light on the port side of the airplane (left wing tip);

2. A green light on the starboard side of the airplane (right wing tip)

3. A white light facing aft, on the aft portion of the airplane (typically the rudder cap)

These lights are steady (not pulsating). The colors help pilots understand where other airplanes are headed. If you see the red light, the airplane is transitioning right to left. If you see the green light, the airplane is transitioning left to right. If you see the white light, the aircraft is flying away from you. If you see both red and green, well... it's flying at you...

The red and green lights on the wing tips

The aft white position light on the airplane's rudder cap (above the rudder)

As required, I will keep them on during the night only (that is, after the sun sets below the horizon). However, if the weather is kinda dark and gloomy (maybe a thick overcast layer), I will turn them on also during the day to be more visible. Safety first!

Anticollision Lights

The anticollision lights are exactly that - they are lights designed to make the aircraft more easily seen in the sky and help avoid collision. Imagine them as the "hey, I'm here, don't hit me!" set of lights. There are several types, the two most common being a rotating red beacon (typically on the tail), and the white stroboscopic lights (also referred to as strobes) located on the wing tips. Per 14 CFR 91.205, anticollision lights are required during both day (if the aircraft was certified after March 11 1996) and night. So, always.

I'll keep them on during the day also if the airplane was certified before 1996, because it always helps. There is however a bit of courtesy when it comes to the strobes at night. At night, I will keep them on except for these instances:

1. Right after engine start

2. During taxi

3. When holding short of a runway

So in essence, the beacon will always be on. I'll engage the strobes when I start the engine, but then turn them off once the engine is running. So I'm using them as a warning for people to "really see my starting the engine" and turn them off right after that. The strobes can be very disorienting to other aircraft, especially at night. So it's good curtesy to turn them off in critical moments where they could be potentially disorienting to other aircraft. For example, when holding short of the runway, you don't want to have an airplane landing be blinded by them. Also, the strobes can be confused for the Runway End Identified Lights (REIL), annoying an aircraft looking for the runway.

It's important to understand that the FAA allows you to turn them off in the interest of safety. This includes both other aircraft, as we've seen above, but also you, the pilot. For example, in IMC conditions, the high intensity of the strobes can cause flashes to propagate through the cloud, causing your view out of the cockpit to become a 1990s disco club. Kinda cool, but dangerous for spatial disorientation. As such, you are allowed to turn them off. Please remind me to tell you the story of me and Sam departing Hilton Head, SC during a storm... that's a fun "strobes" story...

Strobe engaged on the right wing tip.

A red rotating beacon on the tail.

Landing Lights

The landing lights are used for takeoff and landing. I like to compare them to "high beams" on a car. Per CFR 91.205, they are required for night VFR is used for hire, and day/night IFR. They serve the purpose of illluminating the ground, the runway, and make you way more visible during critical phases of flight.

Furthermore, the FAA activated a voluntary program called "Operation Lights On" (See the FAASTeam page). The program recommends pilots turn on their landing lights below 10,000 ft, within 10 NM of an airport, in conditions of reduced visibility, and where birds or other wildlife may be expected.

Landing lights can also be used for taxiing. Even if aircraft are equipped with taxi lights (which I usually call "low beams" comparing them to a car), landing lights may provide you with enhanced visibility. So, in essence, use whatever lights you have available (taxi or landing lights) to see where you're going.

Landing lights are typically turned off when holding short of a runway, day or night. That is for multiple reasons. At night, your light can shine the runway at a weird angle, causing illusions for landing traffic. During day/night operations, the landing light is also used as an indication that the aircraft is entering the runway. This has actually saved me more than once, including a time which included a C-130 and a Gulfstream G700! So how does it work? Well, I will turn on the landing light only after I'm cleared on to the runway (takeoff, line up and wait, etc.).

There is an untold expectation that you will always use them when you land, especially at night. It's obvious, but it may not be. If for some reason you will land at night without landing lights, I recommend you advise ATC or the CTAF so that other aircraft or personnel look more attentively at final. For example "Statesboro traffic, Skyhawy 7TW on short final, runway 32, without landing lights" or "Savannah Tower, Skyhawk 7TW will land without landing lights".

Landing light illuminating ahead of the plane.

Taxi Lights

Not all aircraft have taxi lights. Most airplanes only have a landing light. Taxi lights are what I call "low beams" and landing lights "high beams". Taxi lights are helpful to taxi around and illuminate the close proximity of the aircraft. There isn't much guidance on these. The FAA just states that if you install a light of some kind, it must serve its function. I will turn on a taxi light when I'm taxiing, and turn it off if the aircraft becomes stationary. If you have marshallers around, it's also courtesy to turn off lights that may blind them.

Crossing Runways

There is a common practice of turning on ALL LIGHTS when crossing a runway, whether it's day or night. Might as well make you more visible when you're crossing an active runway, right?

Requirements during different Ops

Lights	Day VFR	Night VFR	Day IFR	Night IFR
Position NAV	-	Yes	Yes	Yes
Anticollision	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Landing		Yes (for hire)	Yes	Yes
Taxi	-	-	-	-

Scenario - Day

Let's assume I'm flying a Cessna 172 that has all four lights listed in the table, above. Before engine start, I will engage beacon and strobes. This is to signal that I'm about to start engines and bystanders should exercise caution. When I taxi, I engage the taxi light. If I stop somewhere for an extended period of time (ground run up, stop before crossing a runway, etc.), I will turn them off. When I reach the hold short point, I will turn off the taxi light. After I'm cleared unto the runway, I will engage the landing light. I will disengage the landing light during my climb checklist, unless I wish to abide by the Operation Light On program, esepcially if I'm in congested airspace or near untowered fields. So, I use my judgement. I will turn the landing light off during cruise. As I commence my descent, I will engage it again and keep it on throughout landing. When I clear the runway, I will disengage it and engage my taxi light, which I will turn off when I reach my ramp and park the plane. If there is personnel around, like a marshaller, I will turn off the taxi lights the moment I cross onto the ramp. I will keep my anticollision lights on until the engine is shut down.

Scenario - Night

Let's assume I'm flying a Cessna 172 that has all four lights listed in the table, above. Before engine start, I will engage beacon and strobes. This is to signal that I'm about to start engines and bystanders should exercise caution. After engine start, I will disengage the strobes to avoid blinding someone. When I taxi, I engage the taxi light. If I can't see well enough, I'll turn on the landing lights, too. If I stop somewhere for an extended period of time (ground run up, stop before crossing a runway, etc.), I will turn them off. When I reach the hold short point, I will turn off the taxi light and the strobes. After I'm cleared unto the runway, I will engage the landing light and strobes. I will disengage the landing light during my climb checklist, unless I wish to abide by the Operation Light On program, esepcially if I'm in congested airspace or near untowered fields. So, I use my judgement. I will turn the landing light off during cruise. As I commence my descent, I will engage it again and keep it on throughout landing. When I clear the runway, I will disengage both landing light and strobes and engage my taxi light, which I will turn off when I reach my ramp and park the plane. If there are marshallers or personnel around, I will turn off the taxi light the moment I enter the ramp. I will keep the beacon on until the engine is shut down.