Many pilots remember their first time flying at night. Whether it is over the open ocean, under the stars in rural areas, or over city lights, flying at night has an allure to most aviators that keep them coming back for more. However, with this new viewpoint comes new obstacles and challenges. Flying at night can be downright dangerous to someone without the right equipment, knowledge, or planning.
Can private pilots fly at night? The answer is yes, private pilots can fly at night, but depending on where you get your license, different procedures are required. For example, upon licensure in the US, private pilots are authorized to fly at night, while most European pilots must take an additional night rating.
In this article, we’re going to discuss who is designated to fly at night, what equipment they must have to do so successfully, and the main challenges pilots must overcome when flying at night. We’re also going to look at different license designations and what they mean, as well as safety factors to consider as a passenger on a night flight.
Table of Contents
Night flying requirements (US and EU)
In the US, to become certified, the FAA requires that a private pilot must have 3 hours of night training that includes at least one flight over 100 nautical miles and 10 takeoff and 10 landings to a full stop at an airport at night. Upon licensure, the private pilot is authorized to fly at night under something called visual flight reference (VFR) rules.
In the EU however, upon certification as a private pilot, the EASA requires an additional night rating to fly at night. The requirements for this are determined separately by each country, but most are similar to what the FAA requires (they’re just tagged on as an optional rating). The most common requirements are a total of 5 hours night flying, including 1-hour cross-country navigation, 5 solo flights, and 5 full-stop landings.
What is a private pilot?
A private pilot’s license or PPL is a certificate issued under a governing aviation agency (FAA for the US, EASA for the EU currently) that designates privileges to pilots who are flying without monetary remuneration.
A PPL will have designations for categories and classes specified on it.
Examples of categories are:
- airplane
- glider rotorcraft
- powered parachute
These categories are then sub-divided into classes, such as:
- ‘single-engine land’ airplane
- ‘helicopter’ rotorcraft
- powered parachute
- sea.
So for example, if you did your flight training on a Cessna-172 airplane, your private pilot designation would read ‘Private Pilot, Single-Engine Land, Fixed Wing’.
A license such as the one above requires approximately 40 hours of flight training minimum and several examinations, sign-offs, and flight maneuvers approved by certified flight instructors. Many of the 40 hours are spent flying solo under flight plans that have been carefully reviewed and approved by a flight instructor.
Endorsements
You can also have endorsements, which do not require any testing to acquire. As they sound, they are simply an endorsement by a certified flight instructor.
Examples of endorsements include:
- tailwheel airplane
- complex aircraft
- night vision goggle operations.
All of this is to demonstrate why a commercial rating is not required to operate a plane at night. Many private pilots have hundreds or thousands of hours of experience but do not hold a commercial license to collect payment for flight services.
A private pilot’s license doesn’t necessarily restrict pilots to small planes, it just means they are not allowed to make monetary gains for your services as a pilot.
To fly jet engine planes, a pilot is required to have an instrument rating but does not necessarily need to be a commercial pilot. For example, check out John Travolta’s license below:
What is different about flying at night?
A lot. Just about every part of the process is at least a little different for a night flight than a day flight. Here are some examples:
Pre-flight inspection
After planning, every flight begins with a preflight inspection. This usually consists of a careful walk around of the aircraft following a set checklist of specific items to inspect. Much of what you’re looking for requires special attention to detail, something made all too difficult by the dark.
The best solution for most pilots is to do a thorough pre-flight inspection before the flight in the daylight. If for whatever this reason is not an option, pilots will do their inspection with a high powered flashlight.
Inside the cockpit
Just as behind the wheel in a car, the cockpit of an airplane looks much different at night than during the day. The slight glow of an instrument panel does not restore the normal visibility. This means that experience and standardization play a key role in knowing where all controls and equipment are.
Flying
Flying at night is a beautiful thing for many pilots. Even with all the extra tasks and potential dangers, it is still worth it. Aside from the extra availability (think to rent a plane) and often less busy landing patterns, nothing beats the views of a setting sun transitioning into an inky black sky, while the plane hums around you. There is something very special about the solidarity found in flying at night.
The enchanting views have their dangers as well. Mountains can become invisible, street lights overwhelming, and two airports close to one another once distinguishable can easily become confused.
Landing
Despite general perception, landing is not necessarily more difficult than any other part of a flight to experienced pilots. It is made up of a series of checks and processes just like every other aspect of flying.
However, certain precautions are taken at night. Optical illusions can appear to make the runway look closer or further than it is in the dark. Care must be taken to not pull the airplane nose up too early when landing, a common problem amongst many student pilots.
Special attention must also be paid to the runway and taxiways upon landing, because the night is when more wildlife is active and likely to be in an airplane’s path, especially on remote airstrips.
Do Pilots use special equipment when flying at night?
Absolutely. First, flashlights are a staple for every pilot flying at night. In the event of a simple electrical failure, or even a bulb going out on the instrument panel, a flashlight or headlamp is critical to maintaining altitude and knowing your direction, as well as keeping track of fuel consumption and flight orientation.
FAA regulations state
“…during the period from sunset to sunrise operating aircraft are required to have a functioning anti-collision light system, including a flashing or rotating beacon and position lights”.
Airplane position lights are arranged similarly to those of boats and ships. A red light is positioned on the left wingtip, a green light on the right wingtip, and a white light on the tail.
This is for pilots and ground control to be able to determine the orientation of an airplane in relation to them (example: a red light sighted on the pilots left with a white light behind it means another plane is overtaking)
Additionally, some pilots do get an endorsement to use night vision goggles (NVG’s) to use in areas where there is little to no other ground reference. This is not at all required to fly at night, and special training is required.
Airport Lights
Airports have individual procedures for lighting their airstrips at night. Many remote airports are ‘uncontrolled’, meaning they do not have a tower directing incoming and outgoing flights. At these airports, the runway lights are activated in several different ways, including the pilot turning them on by keying up their microphone a certain number of times on a designated frequency.
Many runways are also equipped with lights meant to indicate the angle of approach, which are visible for several miles from the air. These tell the pilot if their approach is too steep or shallow.
Is it Dangerous to Fly At Night?
The FAA requires that any private pilot carrying passengers must have done three landings and takeoffs at night within the last 90 days. If you’re considering riding in a plane with a private pilot, it may be worth asking if they’re within their currencies.
As far as airlines go, flying at night has shown no statistical data to be more or less safe. The combined experience of the pilots, as well as the multiple redundant systems onboard large airliners for navigation, communication, and flight maneuvers make flying at night on an airline the same as flying during the day.
Conclusion
Flying at night is a commonality amongst all pilots, even those with a private pilot’s license. In the US, the training to fly at night is built into the initial requirements to attain a PPL, whereas, in the EU and UK, an additional add-on is required to the initial license.
Lots of extra planning, precaution, and attention to detail are done by pilots who choose to fly at night. This is to manage the many obstacles and potential dangers that flying in reduced visibility presents. However, with these added or adapted techniques, pilots can enjoy a view of the world many people never see.
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