Night Opperations

Definition of Night

The time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight, as published in the Air Almanac, converted to local time

• When the geometric center of the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon

Flight Experience

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as a pilot in command of an aircraft carrying persons or of an aircraft certificated for more than one pilot flight crewmember unless that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings within the preceding 90 days, and— • (i) The person acted as the sole manipulator of the flight controls; and • (ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel

Night takeoff and landing experience

Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying persons during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop ending 1 hour before sunrise, and during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and • (i) That person acted as sole manipulator of the flight controls; and • (ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required)

Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR

No person may begin a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed –– (1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or– (2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45 minutes.

Fuel Requirements for Flight in IFR

No person may operate a civil aircraft in IFR conditions unless it carries enough fuel (considering weather reports and forecasts and weather conditions) to –– (1) Complete the flight to the first airport of intended landing;– (2) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, fly from that airport to the alternate airport; and– (3) Fly after that for 45 minutes at normal cruising speed or, for helicopters, fly after that for 30 minutes at normal cruising speed

Instrument and Equipment Requirements

Visual Flight Rules (Night).

– (1) Instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (b) of this section.

– (2) Approved position lights.

– (3) An approved aviation red or aviation white anticollision light system on all U.S.-registered civil aircraft.

– (4) If the aircraft is operated for hire, one electric landing light.

– (5) An adequate source of electrical energy for all installed electrical and radio equipment.

– (6) One spare set of f uses, or three spare fuses of each kind required, that are accessible to the pilot in flight.

Aircraft Lights

No person may: (a) During the period from sunset to sunrise (or, in Alaska, during the period a prominent unlighted object cannot be seen from a distance of 3 statute miles or the sun is more than 6 degrees below the horizon) –– (1) Operate an aircraft unless it has lighted position lights

Operate an aircraft that is equipped with an anticollision light system, unless it has lighted anticollision lights. However, the anticollision lights need not be lighted when the pilot-in-command determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to turn the lights off

Basic VFR Weather Minimums

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, the following operations may be conducted in Class G airspace below 1,200 feet above the surface:– (2) Airplane, powered parachute, or weight-shift-control aircraft. If the visibility is less than 3 statute miles but not less than 1 statute mile during night hours and you are operating in an airport traffic pattern within 1/2 mile of the runway, you may operate an airplane, powered parachute, or weight-shift-control aircraft clear of clouds

Except as provided in § 91.157, no person may operate an aircraft beneath the ceiling under VFR within the lateral boundaries of controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport when the ceiling is less than 1,000 feet

Except as provided in § 91.157 of this part, no person may take off or land an aircraft, or enter the traffic pattern of an airport, under VFR, within the lateral boundaries of the surface areas of Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E airspace designated for an airport –– (1) Unless ground visibility at that airport is at least 3 statute miles; or– (2) If ground visibility is not reported at that airport, unless flight visibility during landing or takeoff, or while operating in the traffic pattern is at least 3 statute miles

Special VFR Weather Minimums

Except as provided in appendix D, section 3, of this part, special VFR operations may be conducted under the weather minimums and requirements of this section, instead of those contained in § 91.155, below 10,000 feet MSL within the airspace contained by the upward extension of the lateral boundaries of the controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport

Special VFR operations may only be conducted -– (1) With an ATC clearance;– (2) Clear of clouds;– (3) Except for helicopters, when flight visibility is at least 1 statute mile; and– (4) Except for helicopters, between sunrise and sunset (or in Alaska, when the sun is 6 degrees or more below the horizon) unless • (i) The person being granted the ATC clearance meets the applicable requirements for instrument flight under part 61 of this chapter; and • (ii) The aircraft is equipped as required in § 91.205(d).

Area of Best Vision during Nighttime

– If an object is in this area, it may not be seen. Use scanning technique—off center viewing.

– There is a “night blind spot” in the center of the field of vision.

• This absence of rods affects the central 5 to 10 degrees of the visual field.

• Consider looking 4° to 12° off side of object to perceive with rods

Night Vision Preventive Action

About 30 minutes is needed to adjust the eyes to maximum efficiency after exposure to a bright light.

• Use scanning technique (e.g., off-center viewing).

• Close one eye when exposed to bright light to help avoid the blinding effect when it is safe to do so.

• FAA recommends use of supplemental oxygen above 5,000 feet at night.

Cones

Color, Detail, Day

Rods

Grey, Peripheral, Day and Night

False Horizon

Cause– Sloping cloud formations, an obscured horizon, a dark scene spread with ground lights and stars, and certain geometric patterns of ground light

• Symptom– … can create illusions of not being aligned correctly with the actual horizon. The disoriented pilot will place the aircraft in a dangerous attitude.

• Preventive Action– Place more emphasis on instrument indicators.

Autokinesis

• Cause– In the dark, a static light will appear to move about when stared at for many seconds.

• Symptom– The disoriented pilot will lose control of the aircraft in attempting to align it with the light.

• Preventive Action– Use scanning techniques to expand visual field

Featureless Terrain

Cause– An absence of ground features, as when landing over water, darkened areas, and terrain made featureless by snow.

• Symptom (black-hole approach)– … can create the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it actually is. The pilot who does not recognize this illusion will fly a lower approach.

• Preventive Action– Peripheral visual cues & altimeter– Electronic glide slope or visual approach slope indicator (VASI)– When in doubt, execute a go-around.

Ground Lighting

• Cause– Lights along a straight path, such as a road, and even lights on moving trains can be mistaken for runway and approach lights. Bright runway and approach lighting systems, especially where few lights illuminate the surrounding terrain, may create the illusion of less distance to the runway.

• Symptom– The pilot who does not recognize this illusion will fly a higher approach. Conversely, the pilot overflying terrain which has few lights to provide height cues may make a lower than normal approach

Lost Communication Procedure

How to Acknowledge the Procedure– During day • ATC transmissions may be acknowledged by rocking the wings.– During night • ATC transmissions may be acknowledged by blinking the landing light