Night circuits in the daytime?

[SouthXross]

A question for all our knowledgeable colleagues. (Please note that this is not a flame, so my apologies to anyone offended or the pilot flying the twin…

Last Saturday I return to Cranfield at about 20:30 to join the circuit to find a twin doing night circuits (he was as 1200’ as opposed to the regular 800’. The airport ATC has closed, the sun it still in the sky, no clouds, no runway lights are switch on, so in more or less words its effectively still daytime.

So here is the question, was that legal not to mention safe?

SX

[ 07 August 2001: Message edited by: SouthXross ]

[TooHotToFly]

I'm a bit confused about the question. Are you assuming that he was doing night circuits because he was at 1200'? If it's not official night, he wasn't doing night circuits.

[Icarus Wings]

The only way it could be illegal is if they were logging night time when it was still day time.As for is it safe, well the higher you fly the safer it is (generally) and a twin engined aircraft is likely to fly bigger circuits. (maybe you had your altimeter set incorrectly)

[Kermit 180]

Evening Civil Twilight to Morning Civil Twilight = night time.

Kermie :rolleyes:

[You want it when?]

It was my understanding that circuits were not permitted once the airfield has officially closed? You can land but touch and goes etc. are not allowed.

I've heard on the RT before, traffic advising that they wanted to do some circuits after 19:00 and the controller reminded them that they were not permitted - the aircraft changed its request to land only.

Circuit height at Cranfield is 800' irrespective of type, for noise abatement procedures - I should know as once again I attempt to smooth out the threshold at R22 in my never ending spiral :D

[SouthXross]

ToHotToFly -The reason why I say he was doing night circuits is because he was very upset that I was a 800' while he was and I quote "The night circuit at night at Cranfield is 1200'"... go figure

[TooHotToFly]

Whoa there SouthXross - I was simply asking you to qualify the question so I could help give you an answer. The MEP Class Rating training syllabus is designed to include a night go-around and landing. Due to the fact that official night is still so late, it can sometimes be a struggle to fit that in. If the instructor was trying to get away with doing it during the day, then I doubt he would have exposed himself over the RT. The only answer I can think of is that you were wearing night vision goggles and didn't realise that it had got dark.

[foghorn]

Was he gliding? I seem to remember that the Cranfield glide circuit is at 1,200ft on the QFE.

[SouthXross]

TooHottofly, sorry mate I did not mean to seem agro, not at all, my apologies if it seem like it. Thanks for your input...

[Noggin]

There is no requirement in the MEP course to do a night landing. That went out with the 1179.

[Mr Benn]

Half an hour after official sunset is night (consults official looking book).... official sunset beginning of August is 1950 UTC, 2050 local time.

[TooHotToFly]

Noggin - So why does the LST SPA (Part 2) section 4 include 'Night go-around and landing without landing lights (night qualified pilots)