Night Flying
Night Flying and the JAR Night Qualification
Night Flying
SCOPE
• What is night?
• The JAR Night Qualification
• Night Vision
• Aircraft and Aerodrome Lighting
• Night Flying
• Night Navigation
Night Flying
MORE INFORMATION
• Trevor Thom
• Air Pilots Manual Volume 5
Night Flying
WHAT IS NIGHT?
• 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise• Times in AIP Gen 2.7 on www.ais.org.uk and Flight
Guides
Night Flying
JAR NIGHT QUALIFICATION
• Entitles PPL holder to act as PIC at Night
• Passengers can be carried if during previous 90 days at least one take-off and landing has been completed at night (assuming the 3 t/o and ldg in 90 days for passenger carrying normally is current!)
• Unless you hold a valid IR (not IMC!)
• No retest or renewal criteria
Night Flying
JAR NIGHT QUALIFICATION
• 5 hours overall night training to include:
• 3 hour dual night training– Including 1 hour dual night navigation
• 5 take off and full stop landings at night as PIC of aeroplanes
• NO TEST!!!
Night Flying
The eye contains visual receptor cells called cones (daytime) and rods (nighttime).
Eye requires about 30 minutes to adapt to dark.
Depth perception, sharpness, and color is lost at night.
The rods work best when you look off center at night.
Night Flying
Night Flying
Red light improves adaptation but interferes with chart reading and focusing on outside objects.
Use minimal white light as needed.
Bright lights ruin dark adaptation (close one eye when a light is used).
High altitudes (above 5,000 ft), smoking, carbon monoxide, and vitamin A deficiency impair dark adaptation.
Night Flying
AIRCRAFT LIGHTING
Left wing RED Right wing Green Tail white Anti-collision Landing light
Night Flying
Air Navigation Order Equipment requirements –
External LightsDevices for signalling if non-radioInterior LightingElectric torch for each crew memberLanding Light
Night Flying
.
Taxiway edge lights = blue and are used to outline the edges of the taxiways at night or in reduced visibility conditions.
Centreline = green
Taxiway turn off lights are steady green and define the curved path from the centerline to the taxiway.
TAXIWAY LIGHTING
Night Flying
Runway guard lights (wag lights) are steady yellow lights used to make the holding position more visible.
Night Flying
Note the Hold position is marked by double lights on one side of the taxiway.
Night Flying
Threshold lights are green. Runway edge lights
are white. Last 2,000 feet are yellow. Runway end lights
are RED!!!!
RUNWAY LIGHTING
Night Flying
• Lead in lights do not mark usable landing area – often outside airfield boundary
Night Flying
PAPIs
PAPI lights are typically visible 5 miles from the airport during the day and 20 miles at night.
Night Flying
VASIs
When using a 3-bar VASI and you see 2 red bars above 1 white bar. You are on the lower glide path. The VASI assures clearance within 10 degrees of the extended
runway centerline and out to 4 nautical miles from the threshold.
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Pre-Flight
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING• Pre-Flight
• Weather – especially: cloud base, temp/dewpoint, wind
• Torch x 2 – red filter, batteries• Diversions
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• External Checks
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• External Checks
• Check for obstacles, all lights working
• Use torch for external checks
• Cockpit management crucial!
• Takes time!
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Start-Up
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Start-Up
• Park brake on (movement difficult to detect at night)
• Anti-coll / Nav lights on to warn
• Check alternator / ammeter
• Adjust cockpit lighting to suitable levels
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Taxiing
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Taxiing
• Distance / speed perception is poor!
• Take your time and check route carefully
• Instrument checks
• Don’t blind other airfield users
• If in doubt – STOP!!
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Take Off
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Take Off
• The aircraft flys the same!
• Check on centre line
• Use runway edge lights to keep straight
• On rotation transfer to instruments
• When regain visual references transfer back (usually 3-400ft)
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Night Circuit
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Night Circuit
• Beware tendency to over-bank
• Use reference to runway lights and well lit ground features to position in the circuit
• Wind variation usually greater at night
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Night Approach and Landing
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Night Approach and Landing
• Use approach aids (PAPIs at Lyneham)
• Use runway lights to judge round-out
• DO NOT STARE AT LANDING LIGHT!
• Progressive round-out and power reduction
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Emergencies
• EFATO
• Electrical Failure
• Radio Failure
Night Flying
NIGHT FLYING
• Night Approach and Landing
• Use approach aids (PAPIs at Lyneham)
• Use runway lights to judge round-out
• DO NOT STARE AT LANDING LIGHT!
• Progressive round-out and power reduction
Night Flying
NIGHT NAVIGATION
• Ground Features- light patterns of towns
• Distance deceptive
• Radio Nav important
• Forced landing?
• No Night VFR – must fly IFR– Quadrantal Cruising Level above 3000’ AMSL– Safety Alt (1000’ above nearest obstacle
within 5nm of track)
Night Flying
Night Flying
Night Flying
Night Flying
Night Flying
Any Questions?
Let’s get night qualified!