Night Qualification Diary
Spicy Meatball
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If you are ever cleared to a position on an airfield and you encounter a red light stop bar ALWAYS inform ATC. It is possible that either yourself or ATC have made a mistake.
A head torch would be ideal would it not? Even if you do look a complete idiot
I aint even finished my PPL yet and I getting itchy to fly at night - good work and keep up the posts.
Maz
Join Date: Dec 2001
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The aircraft that I'm flying actually has a map light mounted on the underside of the yoke which is dimmable with a thumbwheel (also on the yoke).
Mazzy, you're onto something there. Let's see if there's a cheap online mining gear outlet... Then we just need to attach a dimmer switch and cover it with Christmas wrapping paper and we have the perfect illuminatory implement.
Spicy Meatball
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I like the LED torches now available, particularly the small, keychain types eg the Photon II microlight. All mine have momentary & lockable ON. I have one with a red LED for general cockpit use and another few with white for ground & inflight ice inspections or when I want a bit more white light inside. If I want a fair bit more light I now have an 'AA' sized barrel type that has 12 white LEDs.
Beats the hell out of bulb type torches and have replaced my maglights.
Beats the hell out of bulb type torches and have replaced my maglights.
Avoid imitations
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"At a large airfield this is exactly what'd I'd expect. What if you're at an airfield without ATC, like Nottingham (Tollerton), for example. They have RWY lighting but no ATC (just A/G). Is there a red line of lights before the RWY warning you that you're about to taxi onto it or are there no warning lights other than the RWY designator board?"
Unfortunately, not! So take extra care with this.
Unfortunately, not! So take extra care with this.
Jezbowman, the standard light marking for a holding point uses amber coloured lights. There could be one or two on each side of the taxiway or a couple/few of them make a short bar across the centreline of the taxiway.
If the taxiway uses blue sideline lighting then it will usually be easier & cheaper for the airport owner to use amber sideline lights ie replace a blue light on each side with an amber one abeam the holding point. If green centreline lights are used then amber lights - often three of them in a short crossbar arrangement - replacing a green light at the holding point is usually easiest & cheapest.
If the taxiway uses blue sideline lighting then it will usually be easier & cheaper for the airport owner to use amber sideline lights ie replace a blue light on each side with an amber one abeam the holding point. If green centreline lights are used then amber lights - often three of them in a short crossbar arrangement - replacing a green light at the holding point is usually easiest & cheapest.
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LESSON THREE
Last week was cancelled due wx. The wind was gusting 15kts across the RWY and the training limit is 10kts so we didn't bother. However, this week the wind was just on the limit so I could go and do my hour of solo night circuits!
Already it seems night is arriving later in the day. At 1630 I arrived in good daylight and checked the aircraft out without the aid of a torch while watching a most splendid sunset. I was actually looking forward to this sortie, even though it was only circuits.
In the briefing we went though the basic rules. Nav lights on the apron, flash the landing light before engine start, taxi with taxi light, fly with landing light, etc. The flying brief was to complete a minimum five take-offs and full stop landings - i.e. not touch and go's. More like "stop and go's". Since this isn't correct RT phraseology I decided to explain to the tower when I booked out that this flight was my solo circuit bashing for the NQ and that I'd be coming to a complete stop on the runway for a few seconds before commencing another take-off. However I'd be calling for 'touch and go' on the radio. It all seemed to make sense - to me anyway!
So armed with the trusty flash light I ventured off into the dark, got started up and taxied off. It felt really good to get airborne at night SOLO and was it was quite a buzz on the first circuit. Not quite as good as that first solo (PPL) but similar in the sense of "Excellent, I'm up here on my own, it's dark and I feel comfortable with that". It puts some perspective into the training which the IMC course doesn't have - but can't have for practical reasons.
In terms of traffic at EMA, there was very little going on in the hour. I think two jets landed and three left. My circuits fitted perfectly with those departures/arrivals and since I was the only a/c in the circuit there was no orbiting or extended d/w legs so I flew all of the circuits with 1.5nm finals to keep the time down and managed to do six circuits in the 55mins I was airborne. I didn't see the point in doing a seventh as only five were required and I'll get the extra 5mins on the nav work we'll be doing next.
All of the landings were good (and yes I'd say if they weren't - see the last lessons post if you don't believe me!). That cross-wind at 10kts kept them interesting enough and I did a variety of crabbed and wing-down approaches - both methods still work at night! I found the centre line lighting was useful on the cross wind approaches for the quickest indication of what the wind is doing to you in the flare - at those critical points, the relative movement of the edge lighting is less indicative. I feel that without the centreline lighting those landings may not have been as good - though it's hard to say without trying more approaches to other less equipped aerodromes in similar weather.
At the end of the six I taxied back to the school and put the plane to bed. So on now to the next section of training - night navigation. Hopefully that'll be next Sunday wx permitting!
Cheers!
Jez
Last week was cancelled due wx. The wind was gusting 15kts across the RWY and the training limit is 10kts so we didn't bother. However, this week the wind was just on the limit so I could go and do my hour of solo night circuits!
Already it seems night is arriving later in the day. At 1630 I arrived in good daylight and checked the aircraft out without the aid of a torch while watching a most splendid sunset. I was actually looking forward to this sortie, even though it was only circuits.
In the briefing we went though the basic rules. Nav lights on the apron, flash the landing light before engine start, taxi with taxi light, fly with landing light, etc. The flying brief was to complete a minimum five take-offs and full stop landings - i.e. not touch and go's. More like "stop and go's". Since this isn't correct RT phraseology I decided to explain to the tower when I booked out that this flight was my solo circuit bashing for the NQ and that I'd be coming to a complete stop on the runway for a few seconds before commencing another take-off. However I'd be calling for 'touch and go' on the radio. It all seemed to make sense - to me anyway!
So armed with the trusty flash light I ventured off into the dark, got started up and taxied off. It felt really good to get airborne at night SOLO and was it was quite a buzz on the first circuit. Not quite as good as that first solo (PPL) but similar in the sense of "Excellent, I'm up here on my own, it's dark and I feel comfortable with that". It puts some perspective into the training which the IMC course doesn't have - but can't have for practical reasons.
In terms of traffic at EMA, there was very little going on in the hour. I think two jets landed and three left. My circuits fitted perfectly with those departures/arrivals and since I was the only a/c in the circuit there was no orbiting or extended d/w legs so I flew all of the circuits with 1.5nm finals to keep the time down and managed to do six circuits in the 55mins I was airborne. I didn't see the point in doing a seventh as only five were required and I'll get the extra 5mins on the nav work we'll be doing next.
All of the landings were good (and yes I'd say if they weren't - see the last lessons post if you don't believe me!). That cross-wind at 10kts kept them interesting enough and I did a variety of crabbed and wing-down approaches - both methods still work at night! I found the centre line lighting was useful on the cross wind approaches for the quickest indication of what the wind is doing to you in the flare - at those critical points, the relative movement of the edge lighting is less indicative. I feel that without the centreline lighting those landings may not have been as good - though it's hard to say without trying more approaches to other less equipped aerodromes in similar weather.
At the end of the six I taxied back to the school and put the plane to bed. So on now to the next section of training - night navigation. Hopefully that'll be next Sunday wx permitting!
Cheers!
Jez
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On the subject of torches, I use a head mounted light (such as can be bought from camping shops) with a red filter - makes instrument scans much easier if you're flying an a/c with very few of the inst panel bulbs working. It also makes approaches a bit easier, when you're trying to set flap, throttle, attitude, move carb heat, trim the aircraft - juggling a torch ain't easy!! I also carry a Maglite with red filter, also one with white light (for checking things like oil levels, which is never too successful with red light!).
Night vision takes around 20 mins to establish and can be destroyed instantly if the a/c in front has his strobes on when taxying! Red light tends not to affect night vision, so if you do have to use white light, use your index / 2nd finger over it and just allow them to separate slightly so you get just a little dim white light (I've done a fair amount of night exercises in the RAF and had to do night navigation, so I've learnt the hard way!). To avoid mistakes in the air, if you're using identical torches for red / white light, then put some insulating tape around the base of one so you can feel which is the red and which is the white!).
Night vision takes around 20 mins to establish and can be destroyed instantly if the a/c in front has his strobes on when taxying! Red light tends not to affect night vision, so if you do have to use white light, use your index / 2nd finger over it and just allow them to separate slightly so you get just a little dim white light (I've done a fair amount of night exercises in the RAF and had to do night navigation, so I've learnt the hard way!). To avoid mistakes in the air, if you're using identical torches for red / white light, then put some insulating tape around the base of one so you can feel which is the red and which is the white!).
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LESSON FOUR
Lesson four was on Sunday just gone. This session is the first of two hours of navigation training. All navigation for this part of the course is to be done visually, i.e. without the use of Radio Aids.
Route planning is exactly the same as always - drawing lines on the map, measuring track/distance and using the triangle of velocities to calculate headings and times. In the planning I looked carefully at obsticals on our route, but lit and un lit, as these pose a greater danger at night. However, to be on the safe side, I planned the flight for 3000', which kept us on the 'friendly' side of IFR and well clear of the ground.
Then it was out to the aircraft. After a normal 'night start' and departure we commenced our S-VFR clearance out of the zone. We were nicly level at 3000' passing over Trowell services, the first point of the plan. From here we should have taken 15mins to reach Chesterfield.
Flying conditions were excellent - not a cloud in the sky and smooth air above 1000' AGL. The aircraft felt like it was 'on rails'.
After about eight minutes my instructor asked "The town to the left of the nose. Where's that?" Consulting my map I decided it couldn't possibly be Chesterfield as we should only be half way there. Trouble was, there were no towns that big on track to Chesterfield. After a couple of guesses he told me it was indeed Chesterfield. So much for the wind-aloft forecast! We arrived overhead at 11 minutes - four minutes early! First lesson learnt - distance is deceptive at night. Overhead Chesterfield we turned for Gamston (without the VOR tuned!). This leg took us back over the M1 and towards much less densely populated ground. This actually made navigation easier since the lessened frequency of the towns made them easier to corrolate to the map. Again, the time was quicker than expected and I didn't fall for the same mistake as last time. "Where's that?" It looked very close but was the right shape in the right position next to the A1. "Retford". "Correct".
Gamston was closed and the only evidence of the airfield was the floodlights on the apron and the guy locking the main gate up on his way home. There was no indication of the runway enviorment as there was insufficient moonlight.
We turned overhead and this time the lack of wind messed up our track. We ended hitting the M1 on track about three miles north of our intended position, Trowell. Easily spotted from local knowledge so easily corrected.
One interesting aspect was that when we tried to get a zone clearance we were told to hold at the nothern zone boundary. This was due to an inbound 737 on five mile final. Normally, in those conditions, we'd be cleared into the zone then asked to hold on right base (for 27). I wondered if this was due to rules imposed by the issue of a S-VFR clearance?
A standard S-VFR join to the circuit was followed by a landing in strange winds that turned my landing into three quite distinct ones! Successful none the less!
Next stop - solo Nav, err tomorrow!
Jez
Lesson four was on Sunday just gone. This session is the first of two hours of navigation training. All navigation for this part of the course is to be done visually, i.e. without the use of Radio Aids.
Route planning is exactly the same as always - drawing lines on the map, measuring track/distance and using the triangle of velocities to calculate headings and times. In the planning I looked carefully at obsticals on our route, but lit and un lit, as these pose a greater danger at night. However, to be on the safe side, I planned the flight for 3000', which kept us on the 'friendly' side of IFR and well clear of the ground.
Then it was out to the aircraft. After a normal 'night start' and departure we commenced our S-VFR clearance out of the zone. We were nicly level at 3000' passing over Trowell services, the first point of the plan. From here we should have taken 15mins to reach Chesterfield.
Flying conditions were excellent - not a cloud in the sky and smooth air above 1000' AGL. The aircraft felt like it was 'on rails'.
After about eight minutes my instructor asked "The town to the left of the nose. Where's that?" Consulting my map I decided it couldn't possibly be Chesterfield as we should only be half way there. Trouble was, there were no towns that big on track to Chesterfield. After a couple of guesses he told me it was indeed Chesterfield. So much for the wind-aloft forecast! We arrived overhead at 11 minutes - four minutes early! First lesson learnt - distance is deceptive at night. Overhead Chesterfield we turned for Gamston (without the VOR tuned!). This leg took us back over the M1 and towards much less densely populated ground. This actually made navigation easier since the lessened frequency of the towns made them easier to corrolate to the map. Again, the time was quicker than expected and I didn't fall for the same mistake as last time. "Where's that?" It looked very close but was the right shape in the right position next to the A1. "Retford". "Correct".
Gamston was closed and the only evidence of the airfield was the floodlights on the apron and the guy locking the main gate up on his way home. There was no indication of the runway enviorment as there was insufficient moonlight.
We turned overhead and this time the lack of wind messed up our track. We ended hitting the M1 on track about three miles north of our intended position, Trowell. Easily spotted from local knowledge so easily corrected.
One interesting aspect was that when we tried to get a zone clearance we were told to hold at the nothern zone boundary. This was due to an inbound 737 on five mile final. Normally, in those conditions, we'd be cleared into the zone then asked to hold on right base (for 27). I wondered if this was due to rules imposed by the issue of a S-VFR clearance?
A standard S-VFR join to the circuit was followed by a landing in strange winds that turned my landing into three quite distinct ones! Successful none the less!
Next stop - solo Nav, err tomorrow!
Jez
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Just curious to know why you mention “solo navigation” as part of the Night Qualification. As far as I know the navigation bit requires just 1 hour dual night navigation – but maybe the requirements have changed?
Whatever the case, good luck and enjoy!
Whatever the case, good luck and enjoy!
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Very interesting thread - good reading.
I finished my Night Qual about a month ago after two attempts at the Solo XC.
The first was fine until I cleared to taxi, applied power, moved about two yards and was plunged into darkness up front as the landing/taxi light blew - doh! Onto the concrete, around in a circle and back onto the grass to parking, which earned the ATC comment "Well, that's the first bit of the cross country out of the way".
As for torches, I also use a head strap from an outdoor pursuits centre but I also carry a small hand torch with white light and sliding red and green filters - endless permutations, well, white, green, red and zilch, at least - and it only cost 99p off the web.
Good luck to anyone doing this, it's well worth it - I just love looking down at the towns and roads at night.
2close
I finished my Night Qual about a month ago after two attempts at the Solo XC.
The first was fine until I cleared to taxi, applied power, moved about two yards and was plunged into darkness up front as the landing/taxi light blew - doh! Onto the concrete, around in a circle and back onto the grass to parking, which earned the ATC comment "Well, that's the first bit of the cross country out of the way".
As for torches, I also use a head strap from an outdoor pursuits centre but I also carry a small hand torch with white light and sliding red and green filters - endless permutations, well, white, green, red and zilch, at least - and it only cost 99p off the web.
Good luck to anyone doing this, it's well worth it - I just love looking down at the towns and roads at night.
2close
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Solo Nav got cancelled last night due to some badly forecast weather. Never mind, it's scheduled for next Tuesday instead.
With regards to the Solo Nav thing - I think it comes down to the 'requirements' and the schools NQ course. My school chooses to do an hours solo nav as a confidence booster. At the end of the day you must have three hours dual including one hour nav, five hours total and five solo 'stop and go's'. That alone kind of sculptures the course out for all but one hour which could be dual or solo. I'm spending that hour doing a solo nav ex ...
... if the weather is ever okay.
With regards to the Solo Nav thing - I think it comes down to the 'requirements' and the schools NQ course. My school chooses to do an hours solo nav as a confidence booster. At the end of the day you must have three hours dual including one hour nav, five hours total and five solo 'stop and go's'. That alone kind of sculptures the course out for all but one hour which could be dual or solo. I'm spending that hour doing a solo nav ex ...
... if the weather is ever okay.
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Jez
Just to let you know you are not the only one waiting for the weather to improve.
I to am doing my night rating at present and seem to have as much luck!
Out of 17 attempts we have only managed 3 lessons so far since the middle of November all bar two cancellations being weather related.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Just to let you know you are not the only one waiting for the weather to improve.
I to am doing my night rating at present and seem to have as much luck!
Out of 17 attempts we have only managed 3 lessons so far since the middle of November all bar two cancellations being weather related.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
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Three out of seventeen? You're doing well; that's nearly 1 in 5!!
Today marks the official 3 month mark since I started - calls for some kind of celebration I think. Like a flight!
That's two of us.
Oh, and maz: .
Today marks the official 3 month mark since I started - calls for some kind of celebration I think. Like a flight!
Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Oh, and maz:
.