UK PPL Night Rating abroad in a SEP

[RedsBluesGreens]

UK PPL Night Rating in Belgium in a SEP

Hi all,

I am planning to spend a day in France or Belgium soon, with a return at night. I fly a G-registered single engine a/c.

As I understand it, many European countries do not allow night flying in a SEP unless you file an IFR flightplan. I don't have an IR, but can I file an IFR flightplan and still fly in VMC? Would that even get round the issue of flying at night in a SEP until I get to the UK FIR boundary?

Any feedback and advice on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[dublinpilot]

I can't help you with your query which centres around France and Belgium, but just wanted to make sure that you know that the answer to night flight is very country specific.

In France I understand (but don't really know the night rules) that night VFR is allowed at least under certain circumstances. In the UK there is no night VFR but you can fly under IFR in VMC.

In Ireland there is no night VFR, only special VFR in a controlled zone, and you need an IR to flight under IFR, even in VMC.

So while it doesn't answer your question, I just wanted to be sure that you understand that any answer in relation to France or Belgium will not necessarily apply in other countries.

dp

[BackPacker]

I don't have an IR, but can I file an IFR flightplan and still fly in VMC?

I can't answer your question fully, but I know that the UK is the odd duck in here with regards to night flying. In the UK, a night flight (except in a control zone or something like that) is conducted under IFR, but an IFR flight is legally allowed for a pilot without IR, as long as he/she maintains VMC.

In most of the rest of the world, VFR at night is just that: VFR. There are, as said, specific regulations with regards to altitude, routings and such which should all be detailed in the relevant AIP, but the base set of rules is VFR, not IFR. IFR is only legally allowed if you have an IR.

So if you make an international flight, and you file a flight plan, it would have to be a VFR plan for the portion up to the FIR boundary, and an IFR plan for the UK part. (I always forget whether that's a 'Y' or 'Z' plan.)

The Netherlands doesn't allow VFR at night whatsoever, except police, SAR helicopters and the like. So all flying at night takes place under IFR, and requires an IR.

(The latter is really awkward since the IR requires a night qualification as a prerequisite. But you cannot legally fly solo at night until you have that IR, so you can never obtain the required five solo landings for the NQ. The IVW has solved that with some creative bending of the rules...)

Oh, and it doesn't matter how many engines you have, BTW. Zero, one or more, the rules are the same.

[RedsBluesGreens]

Thanks for all your advice so far.

DP, I did realise that things change from country to country, hence my limiting it to just France and Belgium. It would be so much easier if all countries did the same! (Or would it...EASA...?)

Backpacker I hope to have at least one engine operational, but that's an interesting point you make.

I have found this in my Pooleys:

Belgium VFR at night (SS+30 to SR-30) in Belgian airspace is permitted only when specifically authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority, by the local authority responsible for the aerodrome and, if any, the ATS.

When authorised, VFR flights at night may operate:

• within the aerodrome traffic circuit when continuously in sight of the TWR or its substitute;
• at or below 1000' SFC;
• surface visibility of 5km with ceiling 1500ft.

It seems they only want you in the local aerodrome area and below 1000'. Am I being dense? Any frequent Belgian flyers out there?

[RedsBluesGreens]

Any more thoughts anyone?

Since it's a G- registered aircraft, would I still just be able to file an IFR flightplan but maintain VMC like in the UK?

Your thoughts are very much appreciated.

[Whopity]

I think its fair to say that if you have to file an IFR flight plan you must have an IR. Certainly under the new EASA rules you will not be able to fly anywhere in Europe on an IFR flight plan without being the holder of a valid IR. So you will not be able to fly back from France or Belgium at night.

On a recent Clarkson program, he raced James May, who was flying a Cesna back to the UK from somewhere around the Mediteranean. James May had to land as night approached because was not qualified to continue at night, he obviously didn't have an IR.

would I still just be able to file an IFR flightplan but maintain VMC like in the UK?

If you don't have an IR or IMC you have no choice. Remember ATC don't know you limitations in such cases, so it might be as well to include your limitations in item 19. Clear of cloud, in sight of the surface. Until Part FCL comes into force it is still legal for holders of a UK licence to fly IFR without an instrument qualification so long as you obey the limitations of your licence, but EASA will put an end to that.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Interesting discussions.

If it's not a daft question, and anybody knows the answer, what's the point then of the JAA NQ if it apparently can't get used without an IR on a JAR PPL or CPL outside of UK airspace?

G

[Adrian N]

France is easy. Just file a VFR flight plan, respect the weather minima that are available online in the AIP, be aware of some recommended (or very occasionally mandatory) VFR night routings that must be somewhere in the AIP (and are certainly published in the supplement to the French VFR charts), and in many parts of the country enjoy the profusion of nice airports with pilot controlled lighting.

Oh, and remember to close your flight plan.

[RedsBluesGreens]

This certainly seems to be puzzling people!

I think I may have found the answer though (finally) thanks to signing up to Belgocontrol and being able to look at their AIP:

8.1 VFR flights at night

In Belgium
Balloons, gliders, DPM and ULM exempted, VFR FLTs at night are authorized from and to agreed airfields approved for night OPS:

Within controlled airspace:
in respect of the CLRs provided by the involved ATC unit
with transponder equipped ACFT

Outside controlled airspace:
between 1 000 ft AGL and 4500 ft AMSL on the regional QNH and, above 3 000 ft AGL, at a level in accordance with the semi-circular VFR cruising table
in two-way radio contact with the unit providing FIS
only with transponder equipped ACFT

So it seems that I can do night VFR in Belgium as long as I meet those criteria (which I would do anyway).

So what I need to do is file a flightplan with Z marked in flight rules for VFR to IFR.

Unless there's something else I've missed...this seems to go on and on!

[BackPacker]

That's what I said. The bit outside UK airspace is done on a VFR plan, under VFR rules (and conforming to any local rules wrt. NVFR). The bit inside UK airspace is done under IFR, on an IFR plan, but maintainng VMC.

One way that means a 'Y' flight plan, the other way a 'Z' flight plan, with the change of rulesets at the FIR boundary.