Regulation Text
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.
[Docket 27806, 61 FR 5171, Feb. 9, 1996]
Research Notes
Section 91.209 governs the use of aircraft lights — when position lights, anti-collision lights, and landing lights must be on.
Position lights (paragraph a): No person may, 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 SM), operate an aircraft unless the aircraft's position lights are lighted. The red, green, and white nav lights must be illuminated from sunset to sunrise.
Anti-collision lights (paragraph b): No person may operate an aircraft equipped with an anti-collision light system in flight unless the anti-collision lights are turned on. EXCEPTION: paragraph (b)(1) allows the PIC to turn off the anti-collision lights if in the PIC's judgment, safety considerations dictate so (e.g., during cloud penetration when strobe reflections cause disorientation).
Landing lights (paragraph d): Aircraft operated for compensation or hire (specifically Part 121/135 ops, and certain Part 91 operations) must operate landing lights when operating below 10,000 MSL within 10 NM of any airport. § 91.209 does NOT require landing lights for general Part 91 personal flights — but the FAA's safety guidance and common practice is to use them in the traffic pattern for collision visibility.
Lights for ground operations: Per § 91.209, position lights must be on at night. Anti-collision lights are also required for ground operations from sunset to sunrise per common interpretation (the reg is somewhat ambiguous here; the AIM provides clearer guidance).
Reference: AIM 4-3-23 on aircraft lights.
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