Definition
A method of activating pilot-controlled airport lighting by keying the aircraft radio microphone a specific number of times within a few seconds on the published Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) or designated control frequency. Typically, seven clicks within five seconds selects the highest lighting intensity, five clicks selects medium intensity, and three clicks selects the lowest intensity or turns the lights on at low.
Plain English
Pressing the push-to-talk button on the radio several times in quick succession to switch on the runway and approach lights at airports where the lighting is controlled by the pilot rather than by a controller.
Context Anchor
Used when approaching, landing, or taxiing at an airport where pilots can control runway or taxiway lights from the aircraft radio.
Why Pilots Care
Enables pilots to obtain runway lighting on demand, directly improving safety and situational awareness at remote or unstaffed airports.
Grounding Statement
At a dark airport, the pilot may tap the radio transmit button several times so the airport lighting system turns on before arrival.
Intuition Check
Microphone clicks are not a spoken radio call. They are the act of pressing and releasing the radio transmit switch so the lighting system can count the taps.
Example Sentence 1
On final approach to the unlit field, the pilot tuned the CTAF and gave seven quick microphone clicks to bring the runway lights up to full intensity.
Example Sentence 2
After landing, three microphone clicks extinguished the taxiway lights to conserve energy until the next arrival.