3. Why Do Planes Dim Their Cabin Lights During Takeoff And Landing?
No, this isn't just so you get a good view out of the window, it's actually in case the plane comes screaming out of the sky in a deathly fireball. Hope none of you are scared of flying. The reason why the lights are dimmed during take off and landing at night is so that your eyes become acclimatised to the dark should you need to evacuate. Takeoff and landing are by far the most dangerous parts of the flight (largely because this is when there's an actual human in charge of the plane) and you're much more likely to crash then. If you need to get out and get out quickly then having your eyes already acclimatised to the darkness outside (presuming the plane isn't up in flames) will mean that you can see where the hell you're going as you run screaming from the twisted wreckage. This is also why they ask you to open your window blinds. This rule is not so that the pilot can see out the back if he needs to reverse, but so that the emergency services can see in if the plane comes down. It's handy for the firemen to be able to see the state of your mangled corpse before they rush in to rescue you. Happy flying, folks.
