Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

4 Answers

what is the proper use of strobe light in the air and on the ground

Asked by: 3797 views FAA Regulations

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

4 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Dec 28, 2012

    The US rule is simple:

    ==============================
    91.209(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.
    ==============================

    It means what is says: all the time the aircraft is operating unless the PIC determines it would be safer off.

    The two most common “safer off” scenarios are taxiing where the strobes being on will blind other pilots (especially those taking off or landing) and the inside of a cloud or fog/mist where having them on will distract or blind you.

    Situations for not using the strobes is pretty similar to those situations where you would not use your high beams in a car – blinding others and reducing your own ability to see.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. jacob conell on Dec 28, 2012

    I fly out of a busy airport and usually I leave the strobes off until I am cleared to takeoff. Helps not blind the guys sitting next to you and behind you.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. lo_fly on Dec 29, 2012

    from the AC on night ops the FAA suggest strobe and landing light ON only when cleared for take off.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. JB on Dec 30, 2012

    Additionally, for night operations, it is not a bad idea to turn on your strobes when crossing an active runway and after receiving a clearance to “line up and wait” if tower reports traffic on final.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.