PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Considerations at Night
View Single Post
Old 23rd January 2010 | 20:51
  #3 (permalink)  
IO540
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 13,787
Likes: 0
From: EuroGA.org
Very easy to get lost at night, not least because illuminated areas on the ground don't correspond well with the shapes of towns on the map.

I've done a few night flights with instructors (i.e. without GPS) and I think we got lost on every one of them, so he couldn't really fail me

Night flight is IFR in all senses of the word. Radio navigation capability (GPS, VOR/DME) is essential, and IMHO nobody should do it unless instrument flight capable because - on a proper night (not the UK night logging night which starts 31 minutes after SS) - one can wonder into IMC and end up doing a "Kennedy".

On many nights, the temp and dewpoint tend to be pretty close and risk of fog is high, so carry extra juice for long diversions.

Backups are also more important e.g. a torch, a handheld radio, a GPS if flying WW2-style, etc.
IO540 is offline  
Reply