To what altitude must the aircraft climb before the sterile flight deck light is turned off?

• A. 5,000 feet
• B. 10,000 feet
• C. 15,000 feet
• D. 20,000 feet

Answer: (B)

The idea behind a sterile flight deck is to eliminate nonessential conversations and distractions during the most demanding phases of flight. The light serves as a visible cue that only essential duties and communications should occur.

This restriction generally stays in effect through taxi, takeoff, and the initial climb until the aircraft climbs through 10,000 feet. Once you pass 10,000 feet, the workload typically allows normal communications to resume, so the sterile flight deck light is turned off at or after reaching that altitude. That 10,000-foot mark is chosen because it’s when the flight often transitions from the high-workload phases to cruise or more stable operations.