Pilot explains why cabin lights must be dimmed for take-off and landing

During take-off and landing, the cabin crew staff will do a number of procedures to ensure the process is safe for the passengers.

One of the most important steps they have to take onboard is to dim down the lights of the aircraft.

While you may not have noticed it, others will have clocked on to this certain safety precaution.

So, why do flight attendants have to dim down the lights for take-off and landing?

Some theories are that this is to reduce light pollution in the sky, but that’s not the case.

Pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential Patrick Smith revealed that this is actually a precaution in case of an emergency.

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He explained: “Dimming the lights allows your eyes to pre-adjust to darkness, so that you’re not suddenly blinded if something happens and the power goes out, and you’re dashing for the doors in darkness or smoke.

“The emergency path-lighting and signs will also be more visible. And it makes it easier to see outside, which helps you to maintain at least a basic sense of orientation – i.e. which way is up.”

Meanwhile, Cadet Pilot Rohan Bhatnagar explained on Quora that dimming the lights is a safety measure which must be carried out.

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He wrote on the site: “It is a safety procedure for the aircrafts. The probability of crashing is higher during the take-off and landing.

“During a crash when the lights go out it takes time for the human eye to adjust to a complete blackout, so the lights are dimmed such that in case of an emergency, the passengers can be evacuated quickly.

“It is also dimmed so that in case of emergency the fluorescent directing lights in the aisle come on and are clearly visible to the passengers.”

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