AA.II.D.K4FAA-S-ACS-11A · Nov 2023Knowledge
Appropriate aircraft lighting for day and night operations.
Appropriate aircraft lighting for day and night operations.
Bottom line
Exterior lights, such as landing and taxi lights, and wingtip strobes should be illuminated immediately prior to initiating the takeoff roll, day or night.
Key numbers
| Number | What it means |
|---|---|
| Required lighted from sunset to sunrise (in Alaska, when a prominent unlighted object cannot be seen from 3 statute miles or the sun is more than 6 degrees below the horizon) | Position lights |
| One electric landing light required if the aircraft is operated for hire | Night VFR for hire |
| Two landing lights, except only one for nontransport category airplanes type certificated after December 31, 1964 | Part 121 night |
| Flashlight with at least two size D cells or equivalent for night passenger VFR flights | Part 135 night |
| Strobe use normally deferred until taxiing onto the active runway | Day VFR strobes |
FAA references
- 14 CFR 91.209 (Aircraft lights.) — eCFR current as of 2026-03-05
- AFH ch. 13 (pp. 13-14–13-15) — FAA-H-8083-3C
- 14 CFR 91.205 (Powered civil aircraft with standard U.S. airworthiness certificates: Instrument and equipment requirements.) — eCFR current as of 2026-03-05
- 14 CFR 121.323 (Instruments and equipment for operations at night.) — eCFR current as of 2026-10-01
- 14 CFR 135.159 (Equipment requirements: Carrying passengers under VFR at night or under VFR over-the-top conditions.) — eCFR current as of 2026-03-05
- RMH ch. 3 (p. 3-7) — FAA-H-8083-2A
- SEA ch. 7 (p. 7-7) — FAA-H-8083-23
- 14 CFR 91.507 (Equipment requirements: Over-the-top or night VFR operations.) — eCFR current as of 2026-03-05
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