Night flying Europe

[Speedbird744]

I recently heard you can't fly at night in France without flying IFR. In other words, you need an Instrument Rating and can't alone fly Night VFR with a PPL?
Is this really true?
And does it apply to other European countries such as Austria?

thanks,
S744

[ThePirateKing]

Wow! A cornucopia of misunderstanding! I don't have a night rating, so this may be wrong...

You can't fly at night in the UK without flying IFR. However, a basic PPL is allowed to fly IFR. What they're not allowed to do is fly IMC.

So the restriction of only being able to fly at night by following the IFRs is no problem, provided that:

1) You have a night rating - otherwise your UK issued JAA PPL would not allow you to fly at night in another state, regardless of whether that state allows basic PPLs to fly at night
2) The state you are flying in recognises your JAA night rating - which it should, assuming it's a JAA state
3) The state you are flying in doesn't additionally require a full IR to allow night flight.

So, that's my misunderstanding of the situation!

TPK

[Chilli Monster]

France

Night VFR IS permitted, but only at specified airfields (see Bottlang / Delage) and on specified night VFR routes. No instrument rating is required, but if you're flying on a UK licence then you'll need a night qualification.

You'll have to check on whether other countries allow it country by country - most do (again - see Bottlang or similar) but will have differing regulations and requirements. However, if they don't then the only option is IFR, and unless you have an IR then that's a big no no (It's the UK who is the 'odd one out' in this respect).

[Speedbird744]

Actually second thoughts, of course you can fly IFR in the UK without holding an Instrument Rating, but at night in France there are a load of restrictions. Not sure why.

[dublinpilot]

If it helps, there is no VFR at night in the Republic of Ireland either.

Furthermore there is no IFR flight without an IR.

There is however Special VFR at night within control zones only, assuming you have a night qualification. Note that that's "control zones", not "control areas".

Makes a night qualification pretty useless here really

dp

[Speedbird744]

Of course you can file IFR in the UK without an IR. Outside airways etc.
Thanks for your replies.

[deing]

In Belgium, VFR night is allowed since a year of two, flightplan is required for all night crosscountryflights.

In Holland it's not allowed, but in Germany you can fly VFR night

Deing

[WestWind1950]

Yes, night allowed in Germany as long as you have a night qualification. No IFR required, no special routes.

Flight plan requirement has only been required since a couple of years ago, before that you could fly freely within G airspace.

Not many "normal" airfields with night flying after 2000 local time, even very few night possibilities after sun set at all! And quite steep landing and/or night fees.

Westy

[Spitoon]

OK, here's the UK deal from a simple controller's perspective.

At night you cannot fly VFR - it has to be IFR or, in certain bits of controlled airspace, SVFR.

Outside controlled airspace a pilot is complying with IFR if the flight is made below 3000 ft, clear of cloud and in sight of the surface.

SVFR enables a pilot to enter or leave a control zone in circumstances which preclude flight under VFR but without having to comply with the relevant IFR. But you have to do it in accordance with conditions set by ATC. And ATC will ensure that a SVFR flight is separated from all other aircraft - which is what the pilots of other aircraft are entitled to expect given the airspace and time of day/wx conditions.

[Kyprianos Biris]

In Greece vight VFR is only permitted for SAR special (medevac, police etc.) flights and on very rare ocasions for local private flights that will remain only within the airport's traffic pattern.

After some (3) fatal crashes of Medevac helicopters (civilian company under contract with state) flying VFR at night during the last 3~4 years the second part got almost impossible to be granted. Nowdays only SAR & Medevac (no private) flights are allowed and they are only executed by the Hellenic Air Force.

[deice]

You can fly VFR at night with a Night Qualification in Sweden.

Considering there's only 30-45 minutes of light up north in the winter it sounds quite reasonable.

[FougaMagister]

You can DEFINITELY fly at night in France in VFR. I was a little confused myself and asked the CFI at a French aeroclub and he said "of course you can", as long as you have a Night Qualification. Whatever restrictions there might be may have to do with the amount of MIL night flying around in the French countryside (a.k.a. NATO's happy hunting ground)...

I think, however, that you must file a flight plan to fly VFR at night (but then again, I might be wrong).

A number of airfields in France have Pilot-Controlled Lighting, like in the US.

Cheers

[Bernd Podhradsky]

Hi!

And does it apply to other European countries such as Austria?

At the moment (Austria still is - although the change is near - a non-JAR-FCL-Country) you need a special Night VFR rating or an Instrument Rating (which includes permission for night flying).

This will change with JAR-FCL where - I think - Night VFR is a part of the standard PPL course and you just have to do it.

Bye,
Bernd

[supik]

In Slovak Republic, VFR-night flights are allowed, as long as your AC is properly equiped (2 altimeters) and u have the VFR-night or IFR rating..