Night Vision.

[airbrake42]

I find every one has their own idea on how BRIGHT or dim the cockpit lights should be, and would like to here people's oppinions on the matter.

If anyone has any supporting documentation that would be even better.

[AMRAAM]

Lights too bright

AB42

I personaly start with my lights up full and adjust them as my night vision gets better. Having fairly good sight and a person who must wear my sunnies during the day, find that I have fairly good sight at night and tend to adjust my side down a fair bit further than the other side of the cockpit. Most of the Capts. that I fly with have there lights up a fair bit brighter, may be thier age and/or that packet of winnie blues before work.

The reason for having the individual pots is to adjust for individual persons best viewing intensity. So how ever you want them is the best.

I am not aware of any regulatory requirments, but do know some companies have prefered setup and shutdown positions for cockpit lights. From a few years ago I had this list for instructing to NVFR and IFR students.

1. Lights bright to start, or if EOD approaching full bright.
2. Adjust as night sight becomes better (10 minutes initialy, then over an hour or two).
3. NAV and cockpit lights on 10 minutes before local (WX incl) EOD
4. You flying - you adjust lights.

not really relevant, but always remember the lights (Nav and Cockpit) also adjust the intensity of U/C & other equip with auto intensity lights, so at the end of the flight always reset all lights to full intensity.

Have you ever had trouble with the aerodrome lights on a good night. Several of the CTZs that I fly into now, seem to heve their lights set on stage 3 as a defult, which I find to bright on a good vis night. Constantly asking for them to be turned down a stage when on final, usualy followed by a hurumph from the left side about that he or she now can't see the bloody things.

[Hugh Jarse]

I have them on just bright enough to make the instruments fully legible without confusion in the dark. Same with the CRT's if I'm operating an A/C so equipped.

This is a fairly subjective topic, as everybody has their own personal preference. In the Dash, I prefer to have the Storm Lights on very low so as to make my depth of field perception to the flight instruments easier (and to read the TOLD card). Some prefer to have them off.

It's a matter of preference, so do what feels right for you.

[Capt Claret]

I'm with Jarse, lighting just bright enough to see comfortably. I find that many of the Effos I fly with have them brighter than me .... must be their baby eyes!

The biggest benefit for Jarse is that in his Dash he's got about 6 lighting knobs to play with, I've got 43!

[5 Left & Right]

More Knobs the better I guess.

Dim in the cruise - brighter in the terminal area.

Cockpit lighting reflects really well off perspex so turning it down or off improves 'out the window' vision a lot.

give it a go - you'll get the idea.

Cheers

[Hugh Jarse]

Now, now Clarrie. You know it's not how many knobs you have, but how big they are

Bloody Pommie aeroplanes. You're lucky the 146 don't have electrics from that fine British electric company, Lucas "The Prince Of Darkness". Otherwise you'd need to bring yer torch!

Or do they?

[exmexican]

For those of us still flying NVFR, who have to occasionally look out the window. Having lights up "high" will not only cause reflection on interior surfaces, but make your eyes work harder when changing from inside to outside views. The stark contrast may even render small or dimly lit things outside invisible. Check out how much you can see from your lounge out the window at night with lights on and off inside. Eye muscles eventually wear out, look after them.

[john_tullamarine]

... bear in mind that, for many of us as age advances, there is only the one lighting position .... labelled "not bright enough"

[airbrake42]

Thanks guys,
I am also one for the just bright or dim enough to read the instruments, however, a lot of the F/O's I fly with have their lights so bright it affects the lighting in the whole cockpit.

I was really looking for some info on how night vision is improved with the lighting dim in contrast to burning the back of your eye balls out. Maybe the flying school night VFR types may have a reference.

AMRAAM
In no way was I suggesting that there may be, or should be regulations covering this type of thing. More medical facts to back up what has already been stated.

What do you guys think about the attitude that we are IFR and don't need to be able to see out the window at night, hence should have the lights up bright?

[Throtlemonkey]

I always fly night with the lights on low so I can see outside, on one or two occasions ive been alone in a single at night in crap weather and tunred the interior lights up to make myself feel a little more secure.

[flyby]

Over the last year and a half ive logged over 700 hours night a mixture of VFR and IFR. Ive found that not unlike some replys it varies greatly on the circumstances, for example during the wet season in Darwin it was not uncommon to fly my entire route under the gentle strobing of thunderstorms.As you can imagine even with the lights dimmed i could not percieve a great deal outside which is a bit of a nuisance when you dont have a weather radar and have to pick your way around cells for 3&half hours.Generally i would as much as possible lower my internal lights too allow the greatest possible outside accuity especially in the last half an hour before landing or with traffic around.

[Cougar]

I gradually dim as time passes. Have had some interesting instances (read: two) where cockpit lights not dimmed enough, immediate instrument approach after departure, and in the flare not being able to pick the usual flare cues as they are all washed out due to cockpit lighting. Not good. So i go for as dim as practicable to still read everything accurately.

[alphaball]

I am a 'dim as possible' sort of bloke.

100% Oxygen markedly improves night vision. Worth trying if you have it available.

[yowie]

Definatley dim the the lights as the eyes adjust(the rods,as a dim memory from HF).No point having everything full bright trying to fumble your way through a circling approach at some dimly-lit ****ty outpost when you cant see outside the screen!

[Tinstaafl]

As low as possible but often adjusted up & down - even off at times - for different tasks & situations.

[clear to land]

It depends on what your destination is like. When flying 'back side of the clock', I found that lights on as bright as possible really reduces fatigue. If going to an ILS equipped, or even just a well lit airport this presents no problems, and the fatigue reduction is a real bonus. If going somewhere more remote eg flares etc, I would turn the lights down approx 30-35 min from ETA, which gives time to adjust, whilst still allowing reasonable fatigue combat. Operationally this never presented a problem, even on a moonless night. As someone else has said, it is also of real benefit to suck a few minutes of gas if its available, again especially after 0200. Note: This refers to ops above 10000 so see and avoid isn't a real issue.