I live near a major airport and see commercial planes with huge front headlights shining in the night sky. What could they be good for way up in the sky, though? I get that when they are taking off/landing headlights are necessary. Why not give them lights like a boat, with a green in front and a red in back?
Expired VFR pilot here.
When driving at night a car has lights on the front, sides, and rear. All of them, including the headlights, are present so that others can more easily maintain visual seperation from that car to avoid a collision.
Aircraft have lots of incredible technology and talented air traffic controllers that help keep pilots and passengers safe. But, with a single exception, pilots will ignore everyone and everything to maintain visual seperation.
From one aircraft it’s often hard to see another aircraft, even during the day. There’s lights on aircraft so they can be seen, just like cars.
The exception is a TCAS RA.