An airplane cannot depart from an airport at night if which condition is unserviceable?

• A. the landing light on the aircraft is unserviceable
• B. the runway lighting is unserviceable
• C. the PIC does not have an Instrument rating
• D. the PIC has not met the night currency requirements of 12 months

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that night departure safety relies on the airport’s lighting being operable. If the runway lighting is unserviceable, you can’t reliably see the runway, its markings, and the surrounding area during takeoff, which makes departing at night unsafe and typically not permitted.

Landing lights on the aircraft help visibility but aren’t a required condition to begin a night takeoff in many regulations, so their being unserviceable doesn’t automatically stop a night departure. The instrument rating is about what you’re allowed to fly, not whether the airport systems are working. Night currency is a pilot qualification requirement, again not a piece of equipment or airport facility being inoperable.