At night, how can you determine if you are in an overtaking position with respect to another aircraft?

To determine if you are in an overtaking position with respect to another aircraft at night, observing the white light is crucial. Night-time visibility relies on recognizing the navigation lights of other aircraft, which follow a standardized color-coding system.

When you see a white light from an aircraft, it typically indicates that the aircraft is either approaching from behind or is level with your altitude but moving in the same direction. In the context of overtaking, you would not see the colored navigation lights (red or green) clearly associated with other aircraft's positioning. Instead, the absence of the colored lights and the presence of a white light signifies that you are in an overtaking position.

The colored lights serve different purposes: red typically indicates the left side of an aircraft, and green indicates the right side. A yellow light does not correspond with standard aircraft navigation lighting. Understanding these light signals is essential for maintaining situational awareness and avoiding potential collisions in flight.