|
Night Qualification Diary
Okay so it's not quite as interesting as a PPL or IMC diary but I though I may as well start since the PPL and IMC ones have made excellent reading. I have started my course this evening and must say it was EXCELLENT! :ok:
Oooh - bit about me - 25yo, PPL(A)+IMCR, 115 hours, C172, EGNX. Right that'll do. Anyway... LESSON ONE I arrived shortly after nightfall and the aircraft was still out on the previous slot so my instructor and I disappeared into a briefing room to talk through some procedures involved with night. Firstly we need to be much more careful around the apron area at night. Moving props are harder to spot and walking into one could easily ruin the night. Objects like tie-down ropes and chocks must also be stored correctly as the movement area must be clear of such items - we won't see them when taxiing. The next thing was the torch. It was suggested to carry at least two torches, spare batteries and a spare bulb. If that lot fails then it's really just tough luck. The little Maglites are excellent for night flying. The torch was going to aid the walk around checks, which would be no different to normal but would be more difficult - especially checking fluid levels. The next thing to remember was that when it came to engine start we need to ensure the area is clear, turn on the beacon and nav lights then flash the landing light three times before calling "clear prop". Off I went to check out the aircraft. It was slightly more difficult trying to juggle the torch between free hands while performing a thorough check. It soon became reasonably simple when the torch went in my mouth! During the walk round it became apparent that, due to the lack of lighting, it would be easier to do the trim tab check on the walk round rather than once in the aircraft before start-up. One last check of the weather was made before we headed out. The first hours lesson is a 'local area familiarisation' flight. After start-up (with the new, extra safe procedure) we began our taxi. The first thing to become accustomed to was the taxiway lighting. The first part (from the flying school to the alpha taxiway) is edge lighting only, then on the alpha at mike it becomes centre line only, then later centre and edge. Taxiing was easy as usual, but it was easier to end up faster than it feels. It was much easier to judge taxi speed with edge lighting than centre line only. At the hold we did the normal power and control checks, using the torch to ensure correct sense of the flying surfaces. Finally, before taxiing onto the runway, taxi-lights off, landing light on, strobes on. On take-off I was instructed to track the centre line to rotation, then go immediately onto instruments until reaching 300ft. At this height we'd check there is a real world horizon then fly visually if there was. Take off was non-eventful and we were soon heading north out of the circuit. Now, the view was AMAZING! To the left, Derby and to the right, Nottingham. In-between a solid red and white snake - M1 in rush hour! We climbed as per our SVFR clearance to 2000ft through to the zone boundary. Once clear of the zone we headed across towards Mansfield, flying directly overhead Hucknall airfield. The flying did not strike me, unsurprisingly, as being an different to daytime VFR. But this may have been aided by the fact I've just completed my IMCR. At Mansfield we turned round, headed back to EMA to re-enter the zone and do a touch and go. The initial approach was easy using the PAPI's to get the aircraft onto the glidescope. We flew a 3nm final which was nice and comfortable - perhaps the slowest approach I've flown in a long time. Maintaining the GS was of course easy but the tricky bit was to be the landing. Before we had taken off my instructor had suggested I took a mental picture of how the runway looks on the ground, in terms of how the runway edge lighting looks in perspective. Now, on the landing, I could use that picture to know how to judge the flair. The system worked quite well, and I found judging the height easier than expected, resulting in a relatively good landing (if I say so myself). Then it was time for a quick clean up and my second night take off. This time we headed to the south of the zone, over Shepshed / Loughborough then down to Markfield. At Markfield we returned to East Mids for a second approach and landing - slightly better than the first one. And that was it! So that one hour flight taught me the basics of take-offs and landings, how the local areas to the north and south of the aerodrome look at night and plenty of new things to think about both on the ground and in the air. The format of the next four (hour) lessons should be something like: :eek: - Circuit bashing with different a/c configurations and different runway lighting combinations (i.e. no centre line or no PAPI's) :uhoh: - Solo circuits. :ooh: - Dual navigation exercise to the north. :E - Solo navigation north. Next session booked for Jan 2nd! Jez |
Okay so it's not quite as interesting as a PPL or IMC diary FFF ------------------ |
Great read. Looking forward to the rest of it.
dp |
We flew a 3nm final which was nice and comfortable - perhaps the slowest approach I've flown in a long time. Do you usually vary your approach speed in the 172? |
I interpreted "slowest" to mean "longest"....
FFF -------------- |
With doing the IMC rating we've been shooting the approach maintaining 110kts until about 1nm then pulling the power back, dropping the first stage of flaps, wait for ASI into the white arc, second stage flaps, then maintain 75kts, dropping back to 65kts over the fence. That's pretty much what I do VFR daytime as well. I seem to remember being taught to get slowed down and trimmed to approach speed (65kts) on base leg when doing the PPL - all well and good when you're learning as you don’t want to be messing about on final with the trim, etc. But it makes the approach very slow.
For the night flying landings last night we went back to first principles (i.e. setting up on base), which meant getting the aircraft into the correct attitude a good way out so it wasn't an awfully 'nose down' approach (like a 110kt one would be). Varying the speed on final requires a change of attitude each time to maintain a constant descent rate - at night it's just another complication for me as a newbie to the environment devoid of daytime clues. |
I've had some fun trying to keep the speed up on approach in a 150/2. I always kept it pretty fast (if you can call 95kts fast) down to minimums, so that if i'm still blind then the go around is easier, plenty of speed and no flaps to worry about. They aren't exactly the hardest of aircraft to slow down, pull the power out, maintain rate of descent, flaps when in white arc, then adjust power and trim as required.
I was looking forward to getting some use from my night rating at EGNX, but since i've been flying there all my night trips have ended up being in IMC, which is pretty much the same by day or night. I'll be trying again in the new year so keep a look out jez! none of them fast approaches when i'm infront of you :ok: cheers, Owen Mc |
Cool. I did my first night detail last Sunday and it was dead good, although my circuits were crappy as I kept losing sight of the runway on crosswind and early downwind!
|
Jez - this is a fantastic thread, and well up there with any other diary readings! I have been hoping someone would write a night diary to be honest, as when I complete my PPL, it will probably be the next thing I do. Your diary will help me a lot and show me what to expect ;)
Well done and keep up the posting, I will follow you to the end! Best wishes, Maz :ok: |
Jez,
Cracking first write up. I'm looking to do my night some time early next year so keep it up so I can see what I'm in for. Obs cop |
Excellent stuff!
I've just finished my Night Qualification, it was really interesting compared to flying during the day! I found it a little bit harder to land with the PAPI's, Centre lights, approach lights and landing lights off though, I was tending to flair a bit to high, but I've nailed it now. The views at night are beautiful, however I missed some cloud cover (cb) on my way back from my 5 full stops and encountered the worst turbulence I've ever been in, we entered up-draughts, down draughts, where we had full power, climbing attitude and were still losing 50fpm. After about 4nm all was well and I'm now looking forward to years of night flying. |
LESSON TWO
Santa (okay my girlfriend really) has equipped me with a brand new Maglite of my very own, so I very much looked forward to this evenings chance to use it! I checked the aircraft out and all was in order, so we booked out into the circuit for an hour. I was a little concerned about the winds since, even after dark, the wind was quite gusty. This would not normally worry me, I enjoy the challenge of a good gusty approach, but not on my first circuit bashing session at night! Things were not too bad, the wind was 240/17 (RWY27). We taxied to the holding point and the noted that the red 'stop-bar' was illuminated. This is a line of red lights across the final hold line before entering the active RWY. Either end of the red line are two flashing amber lights. When we were ready, I made the call to the tower that we were ready for departure. As the tower gave us "line up 27" the stop bar lights at our holding point were turned off. The basic rule - never taxi over a red line. I'm sure this system is quite common at larger airports like East Mids, but I'm not sure what you'd have at a smaller aerodrome like Leicester or Nottingham - would there be cases there where you would have to taxi over a red line? We did six circuits in the hour: 1. Standard approach with 20deg flaps. Not too many problems with this, it's what we did last week on the two approaches. The landing was good but a little firm. 2. Flapless approach. The higher nose angle made this an interesting approach since some of the visual clues I'd enjoyed in the standard approach we're blocked by the 'nose higher' landing attitude. None the less it was a reasonable landing but probably more through luck with the wind than through good flying! 3. Fully flapped low approach and go-around. Trundling down at 65-70kts fully flapped was SLOW. I flipped the DME onto G/S on final and it indicated 45kts and despite the short final, it felt like we were flying a helicopter in the hover. With a descent rate of about 250fpm the approach proved a challenge to not drop below the glidescope, indicated by the PAPI's. We went around at about 100ft and I flew the go-around on instruments initially since with the nose high, just like take off, there were little visual references without a neck twist. Established back in the climb we headed back into the circuit. 4. Minimum lighting. First of all, on crosswind, we simulated an electrical failure in our cockpit by turning off all the instrument lighting. On went the torch, which was already clipped to my kneeboard, to provide a splodge of light in the centre of the instrument panel. Not ideal, but I could JUST read all the instruments, though I would have like to have more light on the ASI than I did! Next, on downwind, my instructor called the tower and requested minimal lighting. We now have no PAPI, no centreline and no approach lights. All we have is edge lighting and threshold lighting. It was to be a touch and go with two stages of flap. Despite the 'worse case' configuration the approach was uneventful. Without the PAPIs I managed to maintain a reasonable approach path by using the ‘picture’ of the runway. On the previous approaches I knew the ‘PAPI off’ approach was coming and had taken note of the perspective view of the runway on a 'on glidescope' approach. This worked. Since I hade been using edge lighting as a guide to flare height, nothing changed as this is the minimal lighting on any runway. I have taken a mental note to be careful the first time I land on another runway at night since if it's narrower than East Mids (46m) clearly I may flare too late using this method. 5. Now with the lights back on we climbed away for a fully flapped touch and go. All the issues I had with maintaining the G/S on the previous slow approach were addressed in this one and the landing was okay, despite the wind conditions not being ideal for a fully flapped approach. 6. One final approach with 20deg flaps. Good approach, terrible landing with float, balloon, approach to stall and a splodge onto the runway. Nothing serious by a long way, but not ideal. We taxied back and de-briefed. I'm now ready to complete an hour of night circuits by myself on the next lesson, which is scheduled for Jan 16th! Jez |
How's it going, Jez?
|
Your wetting my appetite ! That's got to be my new year resolution , did the IMC last year.
Good luck with it and keep us posted. EL :D |
A quick question on torches.... I have been told that using a red (filter) bulb is best in the cockpit as easier for the eyes to adjust. But have also heard that is not a good idea as you can't see anything drawn red on the maps?
Thanks. |
Question: "would there be cases there where you would have to taxi over a red line?"
Answer: Basic airmanship says Definitely NOT. 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. If it is clear to proceed the bar will be switched off. Worth bearing in mind that the worst aviation accidents ever was caused by an aircraft on the ground going somewhere it shouldn't, in poor visibility. Two B747s collided, (Las Palmas) killing 560 people. I did cross a lit bar once but only after we had stopped and queried it. ATC told us they couldn't switch it off due to a malfunction. :ok: |
lets_go_flying:
In response to what you say about the red light, yes, in my v. limited experience it definitely helps with night vision to use red light on maps/checklists and, yes, it becomes really hard to see anything red on the map when you do! Given that roads are one of the most useful features at night, this can be a bit unhelpful! I was advised to go over anything I would need in a black marker on the map as part of my pre-flight, paying attention to the shapes of towns in particular. Another example of where you have to pay a bit more attention to detail by night, I suppose. |
Torch colour is very much personal preference. I prefer a dim (i.e. cheap) white torch, used as little as possible - but the best idea is to try out various options (no need to do this while flying, just try it at home one night with the lights off, in a broom cupboard if necessary) and see which you find easiest.
Incidentally, if you do decide to go for a red torch, the cheapest way (might be too late by this time of year, not sure) is to buy some red tissue paper, which is very easy to find around Christmas! Just tape some of this over the end of your white torch, and hey presto - a cheap red torch! FFF ------------- |
Nah, rear cycle light. A tenner and less faff. ;)
|
If you are ever cleared to a position on an airfield and you encounter a red light stop bar ALWAYS inform ATC. As I said before - next night flying session for me is Jan 16th. Yesterday would not have happened as the wind was across the RWY and gusty. I was on the back row of a 737 landing at EMA at 2230 and the landing was slightly more eventful than normal. Even 737's can float in a gust and splodge on to the RWY! I'm planning to stop with a white torch. The idea of highlighting town outlines with black marker has been suggested by my instructor since yellow on white is harder to identify in dim artificial light. 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). This light is slightly too focused and you find that you have to move the map around to read it - not ideal. But it is easier that the torch as it's on all the time. |
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 :8 I aint even finished my PPL yet and I getting itchy to fly at night - good work and keep up the posts. Maz :ok: |
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. :O |
|
Oh my, I'm salivating! :8
Just add the headset and a look of pained concentration on short final and pray the ATCO doesn't have binoculars. :D |
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. |
"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. |
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. |
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 |
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!). |
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 |
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! |
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 |
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. |
... if the weather is ever okay |
I also use a head strap :E |
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. |
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! Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Oh, and maz: :8 . :D |
I got really lucky, out of six lessons booked I managed five and I'm now the owner of a NQ!
Good luck to all who are in the process of training just now. |
Yet another no go tonight.
Two more sessions booked for Monday and Tuesday next week and at the moment they dont look to promising !!!! |
Attempt number 19 abandoned as a no go with a 14G27 wind straight across the runway who knows where I would have ended up!!
Hopefully tomorrow |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 21:39. |
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.