Lights

Lights - How to manage your exterior lights for safety and to meet the FAR requirements

References

• • FAA Runway Safety brochure section on Aircraft Lights

  • FAA AC 91-73B Procedures During Taxi Operations,

  • AIM, section 4−3−23 Use of Aircraft Lights

  • FAR 91.209 Aircraft Lights

  • FAA Murphy 2011 Legal Interpretation

  • Cessna C172S POH for aircraft with RECOG/TAXI light feature

Lights

The following is how to manage the use of your exterior aircraft lights, day or night.

Note that there is a difference between the operational requirements as specified in the FARs and the FAA recommendations for safety. The information below follows the safety recommendations AND meets the FAR requirements.

• • Beacon = Engine running

  • Strobe = On during all operations (From AIM 4-3-23. Use of Aircraft Lights: In addition, aircraft equipped with an anti-collision light system are required to operate that light system during all types of operations (day and night). However, during any adverse meteorological conditions, the pilot-in-command may determine that the anti-collision lights should be turned off when their light output would constitute a hazard to safety (14 CFR Section 91.209). Supplementary strobe lights should be turned off on the ground when they adversely affect ground personnel or other pilots, and in flight when there are adverse reflection from clouds.)

  • Nav/Position = Prior to commencing taxi

  • Taxi = While taxiing or otherwise moving (turn off when stopped, yielding, or as a consideration to other pilots, drivers or ground personnel — don't blind the ramp agent guiding you in ) (see note on recognition lights, below)

  • Landing = Cleared for takeoff / on the takeoff roll, when crossing a runway, whenever airborne below 10,000' (AIM 4-3-23 (c)), until clear of runway upon landing (see note on recognition lights, below)

  • Recognition (RECOG) - Some aircraft have a recognition feature that provides additional in-flight visibility by producing a pulsing or wig-wag effect of the taxi and/or landing lights. If your aircraft is so equipped you should follow the manufacturer's recommendation. For example, in the case of Cessna aircraft (with the recog feature) the switch should be in the RECOG/TAXI position rather than the Landing position in order to activate the wig-wag feature. (When in the RECOG/TAXI position the Cessna system automatically switches between TAXI or RECOG lights based on airspeed.)

The following graphic is from page 18 of the FAA Runway Safety brochure section on Aircraft Lights brochure: