Most passengers look out the window and notice blinking red lights, glowing wingtips, or bright beams during takeoff, but few truly understand what they mean. These lights are far more than decoration ...

No, they’re not setting the mood for mile-high club hopefuls. Dimming the lights during takeoff and landing on night flights might seem like a superfluous measure to facilitate passenger sleep.

Landing is one of the most difficult aspects of flight. Most airplanes require a long runway and relatively stable winds to attempt to land. Doing so at night requires runway lights, approach lights, ...