How can you determine you are in an overtaking position with respect to another aircraft at night?

In aviation, the identification of an overtaking position during night operations is crucial for maintaining safe separation between aircraft. When determining if you are in an overtaking position with respect to another aircraft, the correct observation is the white light.

Aircraft are equipped with navigation lights that serve specific purposes and convey their relative position and orientation. In this context, seeing a white light indicates that the aircraft you are observing is likely either flying ahead of you or is significantly above or below your own flight path. This is consistent with regulatory standards which dictate that aircraft must display certain lights at night to indicate their position.

In contrast, the other lights have different meanings. A red light is typically observed on the left side of an aircraft (port side), while a green light is found on the right side (starboard). Seeing these lights would indicate that you are approaching the aircraft from the side or head-on rather than overtaking from behind. Flashing lights may indicate specific operational statuses such as being in a non-standard flight operation, but they do not definitively indicate an overtaking situation.

Overall, understanding these light signals enhances situational awareness and aids in the safe navigation of aircraft, especially during nighttime operations.