Start night rating tomorrow

[iainpoll]

Think the title says it all, any comments, tips, or memories?

Will certainly be strange being the 'studie' again!:)

[Sensible]

Eat plenty of carrots! :D

[wysiwyg]

In the flare look at the far end of the runway, not just ahead of the aeroplane.

[What a Loop]

Enjoy it. The world looks a different place at night, Suddenly all of the funny shapes of towns and cities on the map makes sense, as the yellow area is how they look at night.

:eek: :eek:

Did get a bit concerned when the CFI checked me out and he first covered the ASI, then switched off the cockpit panel lights the landing light and asked for the PAPI's to be turned off, then said try this. I did think at this point he had flipped:eek: :eek:

But it certinaly made you concentrate on the approach, getting the speed right and the flare.

Good fun though did enjoy the peace and quite of night flying

[distaff_beancounter]

and asked for the PAPIs to be switched offPAPIs .... they makes night approaches far too simple. :D

Its much more challenging with the dear old fashioned LITAS. Also it does not make much difference, when the instructor does ask for them to be switched off! :D

[PeterBruh]

Hi

I did my night rating last week.

After a couple of hours, as we climbed out from a touch and go, the instructor says "ooh, look the interior and panel lights have gone out". No problem, just fly with a torch. "Ah, says the instructor, the torch doesn't work".

I then flew a circuit and landing in total darkness using only familiarity and engine sound for cues. Hard work, but inspires no end of confidence, once you realise you can do it!

PeterBruh

[Rusty Cessna]

Just a quick tip,

With regards to map prepping, and you may get taught this, but I always found it helpful to draw around all major conovations and landmarks within a sensible distance either side of your intended route, I find it helps to minimise "heads in" time and makes recognising things a bit easier. It always got me the way the lovely helpful map turned into an A4 sized run of colours.

Have fun, night flying is ace.
Rusty.

[DB6]

Get conversant with the wing-down method of crosswind landing. While crosswinds are generally much lighter at night (less thermal mixing), when you do meet them it's often difficult to know exactly when you're going to touch down so judging the right moment to yaw straight can be difficult. For the aforementioned reason, while there may be a very light wind on the surface it doesn't follow that it will have dropped at 1000', so don't get caught out by that in the circuit.
Also be aware that there is no VFR flying at night (DON'T confuse this with VMC); in practice this has little or no effect below 3000' (you have to fly quadrantals above that under IFR) but it does mean that you have to enter class D etc. airspace under a SVFR clearance. Again, normally little practical difference but it can prompt a small degree of mild panic of you're not expecting it.