What are aircraft navigation lights and what do their colours mean?
Aircraft navigation lights explained: learn what red, green and white mean, how they show direction, and how they differ from beacons and strobes.
Aircraft navigation lights, also called position lights, show an aircraft’s orientation at night: a steady red light marks the left (port) side, green marks the right (starboard) side, and white faces aft. Their viewing sectors help other pilots judge whether the aircraft is approaching, crossing or moving away.
In real-world aviation — the focus of our Aviation & Real-World Flying library — these lights are primarily for conspicuity and orientation. They do not illuminate the aircraft’s path and should not be confused with landing lights, flashing anti-collision lights or airport approach lights.
What do red, green and white aircraft lights mean?
| Colour | Standard position | What it tells an observer |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Left or port wingtip, shining from ahead around the left side | The observer is viewing the aircraft’s port side |
| Green | Right or starboard wingtip, shining from ahead around the right side | The observer is viewing the aircraft’s starboard side |
| White | Tail or aft-facing wingtip positions | The observer is generally behind the aircraft |
A typical installation gives each coloured wingtip light a horizontal arc of roughly 110 degrees and the aft white light a rear arc of roughly 140 degrees. Exact lamp positions vary: the white light may be on the tail, tail cone, wingtips or a combination of locations, provided the required coverage is achieved.
A common mistake is to assign left and right from the observer’s viewpoint. They always refer to the aircraft itself. When an aircraft faces you, its red port light normally appears on your right and its green starboard light on your left.
Can navigation lights show which way an aircraft is flying?
The visible combination gives a useful indication of the aircraft’s aspect, although it cannot provide an exact heading or prove that a collision risk exists.
- Red and green together: the aircraft is approximately facing the observer and may be approaching.
- Red only: the port side is visible, usually indicating movement from the observer’s right towards the left.
- Green only: the starboard side is visible, usually indicating movement from the observer’s left towards the right.
- White only: the aircraft is being viewed from behind and is generally moving away.
Bank angle, turns, haze, distance, blocked lamps and reflections can change what is visible. Near the boundary between lighting sectors, more than one colour may appear briefly. Pilots therefore combine the lights with apparent movement, visual lookout, radio information and traffic systems rather than making an avoidance decision from colour alone.
Are flashing beacons and strobes navigation lights?
No. Navigation lights are normally steady, while beacons and strobes are anti-collision lights intended to attract attention.
| Light | Typical appearance | Main purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation or position | Steady red, green and white | Shows orientation and direction |
| Anti-collision beacon | Flashing or rotating red | Warns that the aircraft is active; many operators use it around engine start and operation |
| Strobe | Intense flashing white | Makes the aircraft conspicuous in flight and around runways |
| Landing or taxi light | Bright, forward-facing white | Illuminates the path and improves visibility to others |
Red-and-white PAPI indications belong to the airport, not the aircraft. They show whether an approaching aircraft is above, below or on the intended glide path; our visual-approach explanation covers how to interpret those PAPI colours.
When must aircraft navigation lights be on?
Navigation lights are normally required during legally defined night operations, but the precise period and any exceptions depend on the aviation authority and type of operation.
Operators may use them for longer than the minimum requirement, including during daytime operations. Their presence on the ground does not by itself mean that the engines are running; the red anti-collision beacon is usually the stronger warning of an imminent or running engine, though procedures differ between aircraft and operators.
Why do navigation lights look wrong in flight simulators?
If navigation lights are missing, reversed or entirely white in a flight simulator, first separate an electrical or switching issue from an aircraft-model or rendering problem.
- Check power and controls. Ensure the battery or relevant electrical bus is powered and the switch labelled
NAVorPOSis on. - Verify the aircraft’s left and right. Viewed from the cockpit looking forward, red belongs on the left wing and green on the right.
- Change the viewing angle. Directional light sectors may make a correctly modelled lamp disappear when viewed from behind or from the opposite side.
- Compare another aircraft. If default aircraft work properly, the fault is likely confined to the add-on’s model, light definitions or effects. If every aircraft is affected, examine lighting, exposure and bloom settings.
For a practical example, this FSX Twin Otter lighting implementation separates navigation lights, beacons and landing lights. Older simulators can render oversized or excessively bright points at night, so lower-intensity FS2004 position-light effects may look more convincing than highly saturated replacements.