Night Rating or Qualification?
 

Could one of you nice instructor chappies please tell me what the difference is between a night rating and a night qualification ?

The training requirements for both seem to be identical according to various CAA/JAR docs and yet a 'night rating' gives one 3 hours off an IMC course, whereas a 'night qualification' does not. This is stated quite plainly in GID 15 as:

"An applicant with a PPL(A) which includes a Night Rating (not Night Qualification) may be exempt
from 3 hours of the flying instruction, including not more than 2 hours by sole reference to
instruments.*"

but nowhere can I find what the difference is between the two !

Any help appreciated :)

The 'night rating' is the pre-JAA way you got to fly at night and the course included some day-time instrument flying - hence the hours reduction for the IMC. The 'night qualification' is the JAA way and the course only requires you to fly in the dark - hence no hours reduction.

Thanks Stan, I might have guessed it would be a JAA thing. I note now that JAR FCL 1.125 talks about 'qualification' and not 'rating'.

The issue is compounded by many flight schools still referring to it as a night rating when it isn't if you are a JAA PPL holder, and there not being a JAA night qualification application form (unless recently amended).

I realise now that I have a night qualification, although the application to CAA was made on a night rating form

Looks like I'll be doing 15 hours IMC :rolleyes:

A rating has a validity period, a qualification does not, there are no night currency requirements for a night qualification; unless you wish to carry passengers.

You have not lost anything because the hours credited towards the IMC rating were additional hours you had to do for the night rating. No loss, no gain apart from not having to do the 5 circuits every 12 months.