Short Final: Bright Lights; Big City

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Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 08:40 PM ET

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Credit: Unsplash: Venti Views

Key Takeaways:

A student pilot on a night cross-country flight near Atlanta struggled to see the runway lights.
The pilot initially requested air traffic control to turn on the runway lights, and then to increase their intensity, only to be told they were already on and at maximum brightness.
The true challenge was the overwhelming brightness of the surrounding city lights, which made the runway lights appear dim and difficult to distinguish.

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A student pilot was on a night cross-country in the Atlanta area.

Cessna 1234Y: “Peachtree Tower, Cessna One Two Three Four Yankee. Turn on the runway lights now please.”

Peachtree Tower: “Cessna Three Four Yankee, the runway lights are on.”

Cessna 1234Y: “Well, could you turn them up please?”

Peachtree Tower: “Sir, the runway lights are up to maximum intensity now.”

Cessna 1234Y (in a very meek voice): “Peachtree Tower, Cessna Three Four Yankee. Could you turn off the city lights, please?”

From an IFR Magazine reader who prefers to remain anonymous