Take off question
I've just seen a picture of a Tornado accelerating down the runway at Kandahar Airfield last night, and I have a question.
I'm of the understanding that multi-engine aircraft approach and leave airfields in operational theatres in a complete blackout state at night so as enemy can not see the low level aircraft and subsequently fire upon it. How do fast jet pilots do this? I notice the taxiing light is still on, on the aircraft in the picture, and the aircraft is in full afterburner. Does the pilot switch off all lights and extinguish the afterburner just as/just before the aircraft gets airborne?