Question:
“I’m a relatively new pilot and have seen several different approaches to using the aircraft lights during the day. What do you recommend?”

Answer:
“Use of external lights during day visual conditions is hardly addressed in the regulations. However, there are many possible ways that external lighting may be used.

In addition to whatever is required per the POH and the regulations of the country I’m flying in, I follow what is the most common SOP for commercial operators:

• If Nav lights: On when master switch turned on.
• Beacon light (or strobes if no beacon is installed): On prior to engine start.
• Taxi light (or landing light if there’s no separate taxi light): On when the aircraft is about to start taxing, left on while the airplane is moving, and turned off when it is stopped.
• Strobe lights: On whenever entering a runway.
• Landing light: On when cleared for takeoff at a towered airport or starting the takeoff roll at a non-towered airport.

The order is reversed when arriving at the destination airport and taxing into parking. I also follow the FAA recommendation to leave the landing light on when in the vicinity of any airport to increase the visibility of the airplane.”

Tip Courtesy of PilotWorkshops

Brian’s Last Word

My procedure is a little different to what is outlined in this Pilot Tip.

My beacon is always left in the ‘ON’ position so when the Master Switch is turned on the beacon is operating. This accomplishes two things:

1. The flashing beacon warns persons in the area that the engine is about to start.
2. If I leave the Master Switch on after shutting down the flashing beacon tells me the Master Switch is still on. I always take a look back when leaving the hangar as a final check. It’s hard to miss the flashing beacon – ask me how I know! Leaving the Cessna 195 Master Switch on can damage the ignition system!

Nav lights are turned on before I start taxing and strobes are turned on when I enter the runway and am ready for take-off.

1. I don’t turn on my landing lights for several reasons:
2. The current draw is very large when at low power settings.
3. My landing lights are retractable and drop down when they are turned on and create unwanted additional drag.

Also, I don’t have a Night rating!

If I had flush mounted LED landing lights with a “Wig-Wag” feature I would certainly use them anytime I’m getting close to an airport for landing.

My Nav and Strobe lights are all LEDs.

Here’s the link to Pilotworkshops.com so you can read the discussions which follow the article:

https://pilotworkshop.com/tips/lights-for-day-vfr/

Brian