Definition
A small light, usually mounted on the side of the fuselage, that illuminates the leading edge of the wing at night so the pilot can visually check for ice accumulation in flight.
Plain English
A light pointed at the wing's front edge so you can see whether ice is forming on it when flying at night.
Context Anchor
Seen in anti-ice and deice system discussions, especially for night operations or flight in visible moisture and freezing temperatures.
Why Pilots Care
These lights let pilots spot ice forming on the aircraft at night before it affects lift, control, or performance, allowing timely use of anti-ice systems.
Intuition Check
Ice detection lighting does not remove ice or prevent ice from forming. It only helps the pilot see ice that may already be building up.
Example Sentence 1
After entering cloud at night, the captain switched on the ice detection lighting and saw a thin rime layer forming on the wing leading edge.
Example Sentence 2
With the ice detection lighting active, the crew could immediately see rime ice forming on the leading edge and activate the deice boots.