What preparation should a pilot make to adapt their eyes for night flying?

To properly prepare for night flying, pilots need to ensure that their eyes are adapted to low-light conditions. Avoiding bright white lights at least 30 minutes before the flight is crucial because exposure to these lights can hinder the natural process of dark adaptation. When bright lights are encountered, the eyes take time to recover and adjust to the reduced light levels, which can compromise visibility and overall safety during night operations.

Maintaining bright cabin lights or looking directly at bright lights not only disrupts this adaptation process but can also create temporary blindness or glare, greatly affecting a pilot's ability to see the runway and other critical visual cues. The use of blue light filters on devices may help reduce eye strain, but they don't directly support the adaptation process needed for night flying. Therefore, avoiding bright white lights optimally prepares the pilot’s vision for the challenges of nighttime conditions, allowing for better visibility and awareness during flight.