Ace the Skies in 2026: Take Off with the Ultimate Airline Transport Pilot Knowledge Quiz!

During night flight, the most effective way to use your eyes is to scan slowly to permit off-center viewing. This technique leverages the physiology of human vision, particularly the structure of the retina. The fovea, the area of the retina that provides the clearest vision, is not very sensitive to low light levels, which is why direct staring at lights can make it harder to see them due to the effect of glare and the limitations of night vision.

When you scan slowly, you allow your peripheral vision, which has better sensitivity to low light, to pick up on details that might otherwise be missed if staring directly at a light source. This off-center viewing helps in detecting and interpreting lights, terrain, or other aircraft in the environment more effectively. This is a crucial skill in night flying, where visual cues are limited and distinguishing between different light sources is important for navigation and safety.

Rapid scanning, direct focus on lights, or keeping eyes fixed on a single point can hinder overall spatial awareness and limit the ability to read the environment effectively, especially under low visibility conditions that often accompany night flights.