Aircraft navigation lights are placed in a way similar to that of marine vessels, with a red navigation light located on the left wingtip leading edge and a green light on the right wingtip leading edge. A white navigation light is as far aft as possible on the tail or each wing tip.[3] High-intensity strobe lights are located on the aircraft to aid in collision avoidance.[4]
Navigation lights in civil aviation are required to be turned on from sunset to sunrise. High-intensity white strobe lights are part of the anti-collision light system, as well as the aviation red or white rotating beacon. The anti collision light system (either strobe lights or rotating beacon) is required for all airplanes built after March 11, 1996 for all flight activities in poor visibility, and recommended in good visibility, where only strobes and beacon are required. An example of this would be just before push back, (push and start) the beacon lights are required, to notify ground crews that the engines are about to be started. These beacon lights will stay on for the duration of the flight. While taxiing, the taxi lights are activated. When coming onto the runway, the taxi lights are deactivated and the landing lights and strobes are activated. When passing 10000 feet (or FL100), the landing lights are no longer required, and can be turned off at the pilot's discretion. The same cycle works when landing, but in reverse order. There are also other non-navigational lights on civilian commercial airliners. These include logo lights, which illuminate the company logo on the tail fin. These lights are optional to turn on, though most pilots switch them on at night to increase visibility from other aircraft. Modern airliners also have a wing light. These are positioned on the outer side just in front of the engine cowlings on the fuselage. These are not required to be on, but in some cases pilots turn these lights on for engine checks and also while passengers board the aircraft for better visibility of the ground near the aircraft.