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For Scott Dahlgren:
     It is best to have all red lights on the instrument panel for night
vision purposes, but that really means all lights.  If you have anything in
the cockpit that isn't red, for instance, a color moving map or a white
kneeboard light; then making everything else red is sort of a waste of time.
Colors other than red or particularly white light will spoil your red night
eye adaptation.  The rods or the cones on your retina (I forget which it is)
see red light best at night, but any white light spoils that adaptation.
Night eye adaptation probably would make no difference flying over LA at
night , but over the desert at night or out to sea it will make a
significant difference.  On the F/A-18 displays we have a green P26 phosphor
color and the moving map is multicolor so it was useless trying to night
adapt 30 minutes before a night launch.  Most general aviation airports in
metropolitan areas have so much white light around I'm doubtful you could
adequately night adapt your eyes anyway.  I still believe it is a good idea
to night adapt your eyes before flying after dark and I use the red lens in
my flashlight when I preflight.  It is probably just as important to be able
to adjust the lighting to very low intensities, just enough to be able to
read the gauges.  I personally prefer internally lighted instruments, but
post lighting works very well and is less expensive.  My 2 cents.

Cheers,
Pete





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