U.S. commercial pilot Rick Redfern was preparing to land at Reagan Washington National Airport about a decade ago when he spotted a bright red Coast Guard helicopter hovering about 15 meters above the Potomac River.
Air traffic control promptly warned the helicopter pilot to stay clear, and Redfern said he used evasive maneuvers to avoid it and avert a potential disaster — and that was in daytime, when visibility was clearer.
At night "the light can disorient you as to what you might think you are seeing as to what you actually are seeing," Redfern said.
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