A lighting apparatus for a liquid crystal display. The apparatus includes an array of light emitting diodes disposed alongside the liquid crystal display, which illuminate the display. Light pipes transmit the light from the light emitting diodes to the display, which light pipes span across a plane parallel with the liquid crystal display. A filter is disposed between the array and the light pipes for filtering out infra-red light from the light emitting diodes. This apparatus has special applications in the cockpit of an aircraft where the pilot is wearing infra-red light filtering goggles and needs to see outside the aircraft as well as read the instruments. The color of the light emitting diodes may be switched from red, to green to blue, depending upon the type of goggles the pilot is wearing.