When you’re cleared for takeoff, using the checklist “Lights, Camera, Action” can be useful to remember to turn on the applicable lights [lights] and transponder [camera] before you take off [action]. While that’s a helpful memory tool, what does “lights” mean? It’s not like turning on and off the headlights of a car… there are multiple kinds of lights that have different requirements for each, both day and night.
To be sure I was doing my “Lights, Camera, Action” checklistcorrectly I did some further research on the specific requirements for eachlight on the aircraft to build a helpful outline below. If you want theverbatim regulations from the FAA those are at the bottom. My plain Englishsummary will come first.
Aircraft Lighting Requirements
Rotating Beacon Requirements
There is no published requirement for rotating beacons that I could find in the regulations. However, AIM 4-3-23 on the use of aircraft lights (copied below) suggests using the rotating beacon anytime the aircraft is in operation. From a practical perspective it’s most prudent to always have your beacon on so that people on the ground know that the airplane is underway (if they can’t hear you) or the engine is about to be started.
I have also heard mixed feedback on whether you should just always leave your beacon switch on so that you don’t forget it and so that also you’ll be able to see if you left the master battery switch on as you’re walking away from the airplane.
The counter argument to that is that you get in the habit of leaving switches on and in the event there is a fault in the master battery bus you could end up draining your battery with the beacon. Personally I leave the beacon switch on so that I don’t forget it and that so people know I am about to start the engine as soon as I turn the master battery switch on.
Based on my interpretation of the regulations I believe thatthe rotating beacon can technically be considered part of the anti-collisionlight system, which we’ll cover next. If so, then the best case is to alwayshave your beacon on anytime the aircraft is operational (ground or air).
Anti-Collision / Strobe Light Requirements
14 CFR 91.209(b) says that if you have an anti-collision light system installed, it needs to be used (day or night) unless the pilot deems it unsafe (taxiing, fog, etc.). From a practical standpoint I really don’t like it when pilots use their strobe lights prior to takeoff, particularly during taxi or run-up. One quick stare into a strobe light of a passing King Air and you’ll be seeing blank spots for a few minutes in your field of vision. I like to have strobe lights as part of my “lights, camera, action” checklist when I’ve been cleared for takeoff. On the ground, leave them off as a courtesy to other pilots.
Position / Navigation Light Requirements
14 CFR 91.209(a) says that you must use position (navigation) lights from sunset to sunrise. There is an exception in Alaska (since the sun sets during the summer but it’s still quite light outside) that you must use position lights if you can’t see an object 3 statute miles away or if the sun is more than 6 degrees below the horizon.
Landing / Taxi Light Requirements
There aren’t any published regulations about the use of a landing or taxi light. Operations for hire at night require a landing light to be installed but there’s no regulation saying that it actually must be used. AIM 4-3-23 suggests that you landing lights them when taking off, landing, within 10 miles of the airport, or below 10,000 feet. It also suggests turning on the taxi light only when ready to taxi to indicate to other airplanes you intention to move (but you can leave it off while stationary and just have your rotation beacon).
Logo Light Requirements
There is no requirement for the use of a logo light. AIM 4-3-23 suggests turning these on during taxi to indicate intent to other pilots that you are moving.
Practical Suggestions
Now that we’ve covered the actual regulations (there reallyaren’t that many of them when you look at it), let’s cover some practicalsuggestions. There is some room in the regulations for the discretion of thepilot and we’ll cover a few of those below.
Manage Your Alternator Load
The regs don’t ever say that you can’t use a particular light in any given time; they cover when youneed to use lights. In my earlierdays as a pilot to avoid missing a regulation, and in an effort to make theairplane as visible as possible, I would always just fly with all of the lights on. There’s notnecessarily something wrong with that, other than that in certain airplanes itmight put an undue load on your alternator.
I learned this the hard way when I bought my first airplaneand shortly after takeoff my alternator failed. I was so frustrated to havethat kind of failure having just bought the airplane hours before. Long storyshort I was just overloading the alternator and it was overheating and thecircuit breaker would pop and turn the alternator off.
Overloading the alternator can also be easy to do if you areusing pitot heat. So if you are flying IFR and need pitot heat, try to bemindful of your alternator and consider turning off non-essential lights forthe time being.
Along this topic is a second practical suggestion…
Upgrade to LED
I upgraded my taxi and landing lights from traditional bulbs to LEDs, partly because of my alternator woes mentioned above. They are MUCH brighter and use WAY less energy and they also don’t create any heat. Unfortunately this isn’t a cheap upgrade (each bulb was $300-400) but it has been very worth it in the long run. If you want better lighting performance and want to save some energy and heat in the process, consider swapping over to LED lights.
Don’t want to upgrade all of your lights to LEDs? Considerstarting with just the landing light since you will likely use this much morethan your taxi light. You’ll be shocked by how much farther you can see with anLED light than a traditional bulb, too. So it comes in real handy on thosenight landings.
Turn Strobe Lights Off in Low Visibility
Anti-collision / strobe lights become optional when the useof such causes any safety concern to the pilot. A practical time that you mightwant to turn strobe lights off is in the clouds or fog. In these low visibilitysituations the strobe tends to light up the entire area surrounding the plane,like lightning in a cloud, and can be distracting and even disorienting as apilot. Plus, if you are in that low of visibility no one else is really seeingyour strobe lights either. Consider giving them a break until the visibilityimproves.
Be Courteous to OtherPilots
One of my pet peeves if when other pilots have strobe lightsblaring on the taxi way or especially the run-up area. There’s nothing thatwill ruin your night vision and eye pupil adjustment to nighttime operationslike a flashing white light right in your face. Wait until you are cleared fortakeoff to turn the strobes on. And if you’re doing a run up with an airplanein front of you (or there’s one coming down the taxiway that is pointed atyou), consider turning off your taxi light so that it isn’t shining directlyinto their co*ckpit. They’ll still be able to see you just fine with your beaconand nav lights on.
Verbatim Aircraft Lighting Regulations
Below are the specific regulations from both the FAR and the AIM that I used to summarize above.
No person may:
(a) During the period from sunset to sunrise (or, in Alaska, during the period a prominent unlighted object cannot be seen from a distance of 3 statute miles or the sun is more than 6 degrees below the horizon) –
(1) Operate an aircraft unless it has lighted position lights;
(2) Park or move an aircraft in, or in dangerous proximity to, a night flight operations area of an airport unless the aircraft –
(i) Is clearly illuminated;
(ii) Has lighted position lights; or
(iii) is in an area that is marked by obstruction lights;
(3) Anchor an aircraft unless the aircraft –
(i) Has lighted anchor lights; or
(ii) Is in an area where anchor lights are not required on vessels; or
(b) Operate an aircraft that is equipped with an anticollision light system, unless it has lighted anticollision lights. However, the anticollision lights need not be lighted when the pilot-in-command determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to turn the lights off.
AIM 4-3-23 Use of Aircraft Lights
a. Aircraft position lights are required to be lighted onaircraft operated on the surface and in flight from sunset to sunrise. Inaddition, aircraft equipped with an anti-collision light system are required tooperate that light system during all types of operations (day and night).However, during any adverse meteorological conditions, the pilot-in-command maydetermine that the anti-collision lights should be turned off when their lightoutput would constitute a hazard to safety (14 CFR Section 91.209).Supplementary strobe lights should be turned off on the ground when theyadversely affect ground personnel or other pilots, and in flight when there areadverse reflection from clouds.
b. An aircraft anti-collision light system can use one ormore rotating beacons and/or strobe lights, be colored either red or white, andhave different (higher than minimum) intensities when compared to otheraircraft. Many aircraft have both a rotating beacon and a strobe light system.
c. The FAA has a voluntary pilot safety program, OperationLights On, to enhance the see-and-avoid concept. Pilots are encouraged to turnon their landing lights during takeoff; i.e., either after takeoff clearancehas been received or when beginning takeoff roll. Pilots are further encouragedto turn on their landing lights when operating below 10,000 feet, day or night,especially when operating within 10 miles of any airport, or in conditions ofreduced visibility and in areas where flocks of birds may be expected,i.e., coastal areas, lake areas, around refuse dumps, etc. Although turning onaircraft lights does enhance the see-and-avoid concept, pilots should notbecome complacent about keeping a sharp lookout for other aircraft. Not allaircraft are equipped with lights and some pilots may not have their lightsturned on. Aircraft manufacturer’s recommendations for operation of landinglights and electrical systems should be observed.
d. Prop and jet blast forces generated by large aircrafthave overturned or damaged several smaller aircraft taxiing behind them. Toavoid similar results, and in the interest of preventing upsets and injuries toground personnel from such forces, the FAA recommends that air carriers andcommercial operators turn on their rotating beacons anytime their aircraftengines are in operation. General aviation pilots using rotating beaconequipped aircraft are also encouraged to participate in this program which isdesigned to alert others to the potential hazard. Since this is a voluntaryprogram, exercise caution and do not rely solely on the rotating beacon as anindication that aircraft engines are in operation.
e. Prior to commencing taxi, it is recommended to turn onnavigation, position, anticollision, and logo lights (if equipped). To signalintent to other pilots, consider turning on the taxi light when the aircraft ismoving or intending to move on the ground, and turning it off when stopped oryielding to other ground traffic. Strobe lights should not be illuminated duringtaxi if they will adversely affect the vision of other pilots or groundpersonnel.
f. At the discretion of the pilotincommand, all exteriorlights should be illuminated when taxiing on or across any runway. Thisincreases the conspicuousness of the aircraft to controllers and other pilotsapproaching to land, taxiing, or crossing the runway. Pilots should comply withany equipment operating limitations and consider the effects of landing andstrobe lights on other aircraft in their vicinity.
g. When entering the departure runway for takeoff or to “line up and wait,” all lights, except for landing lights, should be illuminated to make the aircraft conspicuous to ATC and other aircraft on approach. Landing lights should be turned on when takeoff clearance is received or when commencing takeoff roll at an airport without an operating control tower.
Blue skies!
