SAE ARP6161A-2025 PDF

Full title and description

SAE ARP 6161A-2025 — Flight Compartment Glare. This Aerospace Recommended Practice provides guidance to certifying authorities, flight deck crew station designers, instrument and lighting suppliers, and component manufacturers on identification, measurement, and mitigation of glare sources in the flight compartment arising from visible electromagnetic radiation. It is intended to help meet applicable regulatory requirements for pilot compartment view and instrument lighting while improving crew comfort and visibility.

Abstract

This revised Recommended Practice updates and consolidates guidance on flight deck glare: describes common glare sources (internal and external), explains relevant visual effects and human factors considerations, summarizes measurement and assessment techniques, and presents design and installation strategies to control and mitigate glare. The document also references applicable regulatory criteria for pilot compartment view and instrument lights to support certification activities.

General information

• Status: Revised / Active (ARP 6161A).
• Publication date: July 25, 2025.
• Publisher: SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers).
• ICS / categories: Aircraft and space vehicle engineering; Crew station lighting; Human factors; Interior visibility.
• Edition / version: Revision A (2025) — designated ARP 6161A.
• Number of pages: 12.

Scope

Provides practical guidance and recommended practices for evaluating and controlling glare in the flight compartment. Emphasis is on visible electromagnetic radiation that can impair pilot view or instrument readability; the document aids compliance with relevant airworthiness regulations (particularly provisions related to pilot compartment view and instrument lights) and supports ergonomic/design decisions for crew stations, instrument panels, and lighting installations.

Key topics and requirements

• Identification and classification of glare sources (internal cockpit lighting, reflections, displays, external reflections and sunlight).
• Human factors: visual performance, adaptation, and effects of glare on pilot tasks.
• Measurement methods and assessment criteria for evaluating glare in the flight compartment.
• Design strategies to reduce or control glare (panel finishes, placement and shielding of lights, glare-limiting features for displays and indicators).
• Recommendations for lighting installations, instrument illumination, and verification procedures to support certification and compliance with 14 CFR requirements referenced in the ARP.
• Guidance for test planning, inspection, and documentation to demonstrate acceptable levels of glare under operational conditions.

Typical use and users

Used by aviation certification authorities, aircraft and cockpit designers, avionics and lighting suppliers, human factors engineers, and certification test teams. The ARP is a design and assessment aid during aircraft development, retrofit, or modification programs where glare could affect pilot performance or regulatory compliance.

Related standards

Supersedes/revises SAE ARP 6161 (2017) and is related to earlier information reports on flight compartment glare (AIR 1151). It should be consulted alongside applicable airworthiness regulations and related SAE documents addressing crew station lighting and human factors.

Keywords

Flight compartment glare; cockpit glare; crew station lighting; instrument illumination; human factors; visibility; glare mitigation; 14 CFR 25.773; 14 CFR 25.1381.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: SAE ARP 6161A-2025 is an Aerospace Recommended Practice titled "Flight Compartment Glare" that provides guidance on identifying, measuring, and mitigating glare in aircraft flight compartments to support design and certification.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers sources and effects of glare, human factors considerations, measurement and assessment techniques, and practical design and installation recommendations to reduce glare and demonstrate compliance with relevant regulatory requirements for pilot compartment view and instrument lighting.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Certifying authorities, flight deck designers, avionics and lighting manufacturers, human factors engineers, test and certification teams, and organizations performing cockpit modifications or retrofits.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: Current — the document is a 2025 revision (ARP 6161A) published July 25, 2025, replacing the earlier ARP 6161 edition. It is listed as a revised SAE ARP in SAE's standards catalog.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It continues SAE's work on crew station lighting and related information reports (for example AIR 1151) and fits within SAE A-20A committee outputs addressing crew station lighting and interior visibility; it should be used in conjunction with other SAE and regulatory guidance on human factors and cockpit systems.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Flight compartment glare; cockpit lighting; human factors; instrument illumination; glare measurement; glare mitigation; crew station design.