Night Fever

[strafer]

Couple of questions which I can't find the definitive answer to:

1) I've got 3 hours dual and 1 solo night flight (my landing light blew during my solo) gained 18 months ago. As the night rating is no longer a rating and is now a qualification, then all I have to do is another hour's solo at any time to gain the qualification?

2) If I can do this before I go to the States, then can I night fly on my temporary FAA cert, based on my JAA night qualification?

[FlyingForFun]

1. Can't remember the exact requirements - isn't there some requirement for some cross-country time too? But yes, I think you will just need to complete the course without duplicating the stuff you've done already - as long as your instructor is happy with your flying in this short period, of course. Not 100% sure on this, though.

2. Yes, that's right, as long as you get the updated page of your license back from the CAA before you go to the States. Your FAA license will allow you to fly within whatever rules are the most restrictive of the FARs and your own license. The FARs allow private pilost to fly at night, so if your license allows you to fly at night, then you will have that privilege on your foreign-based license.

FFF
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[Julian]

The reason for this is the FAA PPL contains night flying as part of the training.

I have just got back from US and a student was actually cut loose on his solo(circuits) at night! Apparently allowed as long as adequate training/briefing has been given beforehand.

As FFF says though yuo will need the piece of paper in your hand before you can exercise the right. I think there is a XC requirement as well but if I remember rightly this can be undertaken as part of the 3 hours with the instructor and then you could spend the remaining 2 hours solo required doing touch-n-gos if thats what you felt like...

[2Donkeys]

The answer is but one mouseclick away at:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/Lasors_Section_E.pdf

Under E4.2 the requirement is listed as:

5 hours overall night training

3 hours dual night to include at least 1 hour dual night nav

All of this must incorporate 5 night take off and full stop landings.

[strafer]

Thank you gentlemen - appreciated as always.

I've got the one hour nav and 8 night landings (including one on Daytona Intl's 10,000ft runway - v. cool). So all I have to do is try and get another hour in before I go. Any one have any idea roughly how long the CAA would take to process this? I reckon quarter of an hour's work - so, say 5 weeks?

PS Just read 2Donkeys' post properly. Only have 3 full stop landings as PIC, so that's 2 more.

[Charlie Zulu]

Hi strafer,

The CAA will relieve you of £67 and around a 4 week wait for a replacement piece of paper to insert into your brown coloured folder.

Just to be pedantic the FAA PPL includes a night qualification as standard but for obvious reasons those those residing and training in Alaska are relieved of the Night flying requirements for a year by which time they have to have completed the training and have the FAA issue another certificate. lol. :-)

Julian,

remaining 2 hours solo required doing touch-n-gos if thats what you felt like...

In reality shouldn't they be take offs and landings to a full stop? That is what I was told when I did my night rating back in the good old days. Thus a quick stop on the runway and off I went again. :-)

Best wishes,

Charlie Zulu.

[Julian]

CZ,

Yes the 5 landings must be full stop (and taxi back) but after that you can do what you want, you dont have to go dissappearing off into the night if you dont want to. You can quite happily bum about in the circuit until you fall out of the sky with boredom :O

I spent my 2 hours doing a combination of this and flying off to the practice area for a bit of fun and then trying to find the airport again on the way back.

Some airports however wont let you do TnGs at night (mainly due to noise abatement) so best check before you do or you may upset them.

Still think flying at night is some of the nicest to do, very quiet on the radio and generally pretty smooth. Have fun!

Julian.

[Charlie Zulu]

Hi Julian,

If I'd known that I would have stayed out in the practice area for a bit longer than I did rather than boring myself stupid doing stop n goes on the runway. ;)

My home base is a 24 hour international airport anyway, all they ask is for us to fly downwind at 1000' instead of the day time circuit of 800'.

Actually I quite liked the stop n goes at night. As you say flying at night is one of the most pleasurable experiences that one can have flying light aircraft.

Definately learnt about the wind gradient at night being a bit stronger than day time - calm wind on the ground and I had a heck of a crab on final initially.

Best wishes,

Charlie Zulu.