What is the recommended practice for night-eye adaptation before flight?

• A. Avoid bright white lights at least 30 minutes before the flight
• B. Use bright white lights to train night vision
• C. Keep cabin lights on during the entire preflight
• D. Wear night-vision goggles at all times during flight

Answer: (A)

Night vision improves when your eyes have time to adjust to darkness, especially for night flights. Bright light before you go aloft can reset or suppress that dark adaptation, making it harder to see in dim conditions once you’re airborne. Giving your eyes about 30 minutes without bright white light lets the rods in your retina adapt to the dark, increasing your sensitivity to low light and helping you spot obstacles, terrain, or wind indicators more clearly. If illumination is needed, use low-intensity, red-tinted lighting because red light preserves night vision better than white light.

Choosing bright white lights before the flight would actively hinder this adaptation, keeping the eyes in a less sensitive state. Keeping cabin lights on during preflight would have the same effect, and night-vision goggles aren’t a standard requirement or practical for typical balloon preflight procedures.