Can we takeoff or land at night on a runway without lights?

• A. No
• B. Yes
• C. Sometimes allowed with prior approval
• D. Only if there are special lights

Answer: (A)

At night, you rely on runway lighting to see the runway and judge your position, alignment, and distance. Runway edge lights, centerline lights, touchdown zone lights, and approach lighting provide essential depth perception and obstacle awareness during takeoff and landing. Without these cues, you can’t safely perform the maneuver, so operation on an unlit runway isn’t permitted. If the runway isn’t lit, you would delay, reroute, or choose an alternate airport with proper lighting rather than proceed. The idea of approvals or special lights might exist in some contexts, but standard night takeoff or landing requires the runway’s lighting to meet the required visual cues.