Night magic
Flying during the darkest hours
Chapter 11 of the FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook begins with a reassuring recognition: “The mechanical operation of an airplane at night is no different than operating the same airplane during the day.”
Whew, OK, good to know.
But then the handbook tells you about everything else that’s different, beginning with the pilot’s preparations for night operations, optical illusions you may encounter, all the way through the aircraft’s equipment requirements, logging night flight time in your pilot logbook, and dealing with emergencies during darkness.
As a student pilot, you’re required to fly at least three hours at night as part of your primary training, including a cross-country flight of 100 nautical miles or more and 10 takeoffs and full-stop landings (FAR 61.109). Afterward, you’ll need to complete three landings to a full stop within the past 90 days to remain current and be permitted to carry passengers (FAR 61.57(b)). Your aircraft must be outfitted accordingly, too.
But before we get to all of that, let’s remind ourselves what exactly the FAA means by “night.” There are three definitions, and don’t worry, I always get them mixed up too.
First, for aircraft lighting requirements, “night” is the period between sunset and sunrise. Full stop. That’s the easy one.
For the purposes of logging flight time, “night” is the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the start of morning civil twilight, as published in the Air Almanac, converted to local time. According to the National Weather Service, civil twilight is the time when the geometric center of the sun is at most 6 degrees below the horizon. In the morning, this twilight phase ends at sunrise, in the evening it begins at sunset. Both phases usually last about 30 minutes. Sunrise and sunset are the moments when the sun’s upper edge touches the horizon.
For night takeoff and landing experience required to carry passengers, “night” is the period defined as from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
Now let’s talk about some of the things you’ll see. Optical illusions are real and can make night flying dangerous. Both the city’s bright lights and the country’s inky black can cause spatial disorientation and affect your vision, making you see things that aren’t there, or distorting your depth perception. Runways could look longer or shorter, wider or narrower than what you are accustomed to. Just being aware of that is half the battle won.
When you’re preparing for a night flight, it’s useful to keep a flashlight or a headlamp with a red light (to protect your vision) at hand, and don’t forget the extra batteries. File a flight plan or ask for flight following, and the FAA encourages that you take supplemental oxygen if you are travelling above 5,000 feet msl for night vision and to help with fighting fatigue.
Speaking of fatigue, our circadian rhythm shifts during the time of year of diminished light. That can affect sleep patterns, mood, and energy levels. Make sure you’ve gotten the rest you need to be alert and “on” when you’re piloting.
Like every flight: have a plan, and a backup plan, and maybe a backup for your backup, just to be safe. Make sure the aircraft is properly equipped for night flight (FAR 91.205(c)) and that the airports you are planning to use have the appropriate lighting for what you are doing.
Night flying demands greater precision; it will certainly improve your cockpit discipline and increase situational awareness—all useful skills and abilities for daytime flight operations.
Flying during the winter months is very different from a summer sortie, and the longer nights give you the perfect opportunity to experience something magical. With the correct preparation, training, and awareness, allow your night-time adventure under the winter stars to enchant you.
