Navigation light - wikipedia Navigation light It has been suggested that Aircraft external lights be merged into this article. ( Discuss ) Proposed since March 2017. A British Airways Boeing 757 - 200 lands. The port wing tip carries a red navigation light. Combined green and red navigation light at the bow of a sailboat A navigation light, also known as a running light, is a colored source of illumination on a waterborne vessel, aircraft and some spacecraft, used to signal a craft 's position, heading, and status. Commonly, their placement is mandated by international conventions or civil authorities. Contrary to the name, these lights are not used for navigating. They indicate the craft 's relative position and are thus often called position lights. Navigation lighting systems include : Right - of - way lights -- A red light is mounted on the left, or port, side of the craft and a green on the right, or starboard, side, where `` left '' and `` right '' are from the perspective of someone on the craft facing forward. In a situation where the paths of two power - driven watercraft or aircraft cross, these lights help each crew determine the other craft 's direction and who has priority. When two craft have crossing paths, each sees a red or green running light. If both are power driven vessels the craft on the port side is the `` give - way vessel '' and sees the red light on the other craft, while the craft on the starboard side, which is the `` stand - on craft '', sees the green on the other. Strobe lights -- On aircraft primarily, strobe lights flash a high - intensity burst of white light, to help other pilots recognize the aircraft 's position in low - visibility conditions. Contents 1 Marine navigation lights 1.1 Basic lighting 1.2 Lights of special significance 2 Aviation navigation lights 3 Spacecraft navigation lights 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links Marine navigation lights In 1838 the United States passed an act requiring steamboats running between sunset and sunrise to carry one or more signal lights ; color, visibility and location were not specified. In 1848 the United Kingdom passed regulations that required steam vessels to display red and green sidelights as well as a white masthead light. In 1849 the U.S. Congress extended the light requirements to sailing vessels. In 1889 the United States convened the first International Maritime Conference to consider regulations for preventing collisions. The resulting Washington Conference Rules were adopted by the U.S in 1890 and became effective internationally in 1897. Within these rules was the requirement for steamships to carry a second mast head light. The international 1948 Safety of Life at Sea Conference recommended a mandatory second masthead light solely for power driven vessels over 150 feet in length and a fixed sternlight for almost all vessels. The regulations have changed little since then. The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea established in 1972 stipulates the requirements for the navigation lights required on a vessel. Basic lighting Basic lighting configuration. 2 = a vessel facing directly towards observer ; 4 = vessel facing away from the observer. To avoid collisions, vessels mount navigation lights that permit other vessels to determine the type and relative angle of a vessel, and thus decide if there is a danger of collision. In general sailing vessels are required to carry a green light that shines from dead ahead to 2 points ( 22 ⁄ ° ) abaft the beam on the starboard side ( the right side from the perspective of someone on board facing forward ), a red light from dead ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side ( left side ) and a white light that shines from astern to two points abaft the beam on both sides. Power driven vessels, in addition to these lights, must carry either one or two ( depending on length ) white masthead lights that shine from ahead to two points abaft the beam on both sides. If two masthead lights are carried then the aft one must be higher than the forward one. Hovercraft at all times and some boats operating in crowded areas may also carry a yellow flashing beacon for added visibility during day or night. Lights of special significance In addition to red, white and green running lights, a combination of red, white and green Mast Lights placed on a mast higher than all the running lights, and viewable from all directions, may be used to indicate the type of craft or the service it is performing. See `` Quick Guide '' in external links. Ships at anchor display one or two white anchor lights ( depending on the vessel 's length ) that can be seen from all directions. If two lights are shown then the forward light is higher than the aft one. Boats classed as `` small '' are not compelled to carry navigation lights and may make use of a handheld torch. Aviation navigation lights 1 ) Navigation lights 2 ) Aft light 3 ) Anti-collision strobe lights 4 ) Logo light Aircraft navigation lights are placed in a way similar to that of marine vessels, with a aviation red navigation light located on the left wingtip leading edge and a aviation blue light ( from a distance looks green ) on the right wingtip leading edge. A white navigation light is as far aft as possible on the tail or each wing tip. High - intensity strobe lights are located on the aircraft to aid in collision avoidance. In civil aviation, pilots must keep navigation lights on from sunset to sunrise. High - intensity white strobe lights are part of the anti-collision light system, as well as the red rotating beacon. All aircraft built after 11 March 1996 must have an anti-collision light system ( strobe lights or rotating beacon ) turned on for all flight activities in poor visibility. The anti-collision system is recommended in good visibility, where only strobes and beacon are required. For example, just before pushback, the pilot must keep the beacon lights on to notify ground crews that the engines are about to start. These beacon lights stay on for the duration of the flight. While taxiing, the taxi lights are on. When coming onto the runway, the taxi lights go off and the landing lights and strobes go on. When passing 10,000 feet, the landing lights are no longer required, and the pilot can elect to turn them off. The same cycle in reverse order applies when landing. Civilian commercial airliners also have other non-navigational lights. These include logo lights, which illuminate the company logo on the tail fin. These lights are optional to turn on, though most pilots switch them on at night to increase visibility from other aircraft. Modern airliners also have a wing light. These are positioned on the outer side just in front of the engine cowlings on the fuselage. These are not required to be on, but in some cases pilots turn these lights on for engine checks and also while passengers board the aircraft for better visibility of the ground near the aircraft. Spacecraft navigation lights Cygnus 5 approaching International Space Station. Navigation lights can be observed towards the rear of the spacecraft. A yellow light on bottom of vessel is not visible. In 2011, ORBITEC developed the first Light - emitting diode ( LED ) lighting system for use around spacecraft. Currently, Cygnus spacecraft, which are unmanned transport vessels designed for cargo transport to the International Space Station, utilize a navigational lighting system consisting of five flashing high power LED lights. The Cygnus displays a flashing red light on the port side of the vessel, a flashing green on the starboard side of the vessel, two flashing white lights on the top and one flashing yellow on the bottom side of the fuselage. The Dragon cargo spacecraft from SpaceX also features a flashing strobe along with red and green lights. Notes Jump up ^ abaft : to the rear / closer to stern / ' aft ' References Jump up ^ Handbook of the Nautical Rules of the Road Llana and Wisneskey Jump up ^ The International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea, Part C, Lights and Shapes Jump up ^ `` 14 CFR 25.1385, `` Position light system installation '' ``. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 09. Jump up ^ `` 14 CFR 23.1401, `` Anticollision light system '' ``. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 09. Jump up ^ `` ORBITEC Delivers First - Ever LED Lighting System for Orbital Science 's Cygnus Module Spacecraft Navigation Lighting ''. Retrieved 2013 - 04 - 13. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Navigational lights. Marine Vessel Navigation Lights - quick guide Aircraft components and systems Airframe structure Aft pressure bulkhead Cabane strut Canopy Cruciform tail Dope Empennage Fabric covering Fairing Flying wires Former Fuselage Hardpoint Interplane strut Jury strut Leading edge Lift strut Longeron Nacelle Rib Ring tail Spar Stabilizer Stressed skin Strut T - tail Tailplane Trailing edge Triple tail Twin tail Vertical stabilizer V - tail Y - tail Wing root Wing tip Wingbox Flight controls Aileron Airbrake Artificial feel Autopilot Canard Centre stick Deceleron Dive brake Electro - hydraulic actuator Elevator Elevon Flaperon Flight control modes Fly - by - wire Gust lock Rudder Servo tab Side - stick Spoiler Spoileron Stabilator Stick pusher Stick shaker Trim tab Wing warping Yaw damper Yoke Aerodynamic and high - lift devices Active Aeroelastic Wing Adaptive compliant wing Blown flap Channel wing Dog - tooth Droop Flap Gouge flap Gurney flap Krueger flap Leading edge cuff LEX Slats Slot Stall strips Strake Variable - sweep wing Vortex generator Vortilon Wing fence Winglet Avionic and flight instrument systems ACAS Air data computer Airspeed indicator Altimeter Annunciator panel Attitude indicator Compass Course deviation indicator EFIS EICAS Flight data recorder Flight management system Glass cockpit GPS Heading indicator Horizontal situation indicator INS Pitot - static system Radar altimeter TCAS Transponder Turn and slip indicator Vertical Speed Indicator Yaw string Propulsion controls, devices and fuel systems Autothrottle Drop tank FADEC Fuel tank Gascolator Inlet cone Intake ramp NACA cowling Self - sealing fuel tank Splitter plate Throttle Thrust lever Thrust reversal Townend ring Wet wing Landing and arresting gear Arrestor hook Autobrake Conventional landing gear Drogue parachute Landing gear Landing gear extender Oleo strut Tricycle landing gear Tundra tire Escape systems Ejection seat Escape crew capsule Other systems Aircraft lavatory Auxiliary power unit Bleed air system Deicing boot Emergency oxygen system Entertainment system Environmental control system Hydraulic system Ice protection system Landing lights Navigation light Passenger service unit Ram air turbine Weeping wing Lamps Lighting Concepts Accent lighting Color temperature Efficiency Glare Lamp Light fixture Light pollution Lightbulb socket Task lighting Methods of generation Incandescent Regular Halogen Nernst Parabolic aluminized reflector ( PAR ) Luminescent Fluorescent Fluorescent lamp ( compact ) Fluorescent induction Photoluminescent laser lamp Chemiluminescent Solid - state LED bulb Cathodoluminescent Electron - stimulated Electroluminescent field - induced polymer Combustion Acetylene / Carbide Argand Candle Carcel Diya Flare Gas Kerosene Lantern Limelight Oil Rushlight Safety Tilley Torch Electric arc Carbon arc Klieg light Yablochkov candle Gas discharge Deuterium arc Neon Plasma Sulfur Xenon arc Xenon flash High - intensity discharge ( HID ) Hydrargyrum medium - arc iodide ( HMI ) Hydrargyrum quartz iodide ( HQI ) Mercury - vapor Metal - halide ceramic Sodium vapor Theatrical Cinematic Floodlight Footlight Gobo Scoop Spotlight ellipsoidal reflector Stage lighting instrument Stationary Aircraft warning Balanced - arm lamp Chandelier Emergency light Gas lighting Gooseneck lamp Intelligent street lighting Light tube Nightlight Neon lighting Pendant light Recessed light Sconce Street light Torchère Track lighting Troffer Mobile Flashlight tactical Glow stick Headlamp ( outdoor ) Lantern Laser pointer Navigation light Searchlight Solar lamp Industrial Scientific Germicidal Grow light Infrared lamp Stroboscope Tanning Display Decorative Aroma lamp Black light Bubble light Christmas lights Crackle tube DJ lighting Electroluminescent wire Lava lamp Marquee Plasma globe Strobe light Related topics Bioluminescence Chemiluminescence Electroluminescence Laser Photoluminescence Radioluminescence Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Navigation_light&oldid=799418466 '' Categories : Nautical terminology Aerospace engineering Aircraft external lights Optical communications Hidden categories : Articles to be merged from March 2017 All articles to be merged Wikipedia articles needing clarification from September 2015 Talk Navigation Contents About Wikipedia Български Dansk Deutsch Español Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano Nederlands Norsk Norsk nynorsk Русский Slovenščina Svenska ไทย 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 7 September 2017, at 16 : 25. 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Question: where is the red navigation light located on a boat
Answer: on the left, or port, side