II.J.

Night Operations____________________________________________________________
References:
1. FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook)
2. AC 61-23 (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)
3. FAA-S-8081-1 (Private Pilot Practical Test Standards)
4. Airman’s Information Manual pg. 8-1-1

Objective To develop the students understanding of Night Flight Operations as they pertain to aviation.

Elements 1. Aeromedical
2. Preflight
3. Ground operations
4. In-flight operations

Schedule 1. Discuss Objectives 03

2. Review Material 02
3. Development 20
4. Conclusion 05

Equipment 1. White Board / Markers

2. Model airplane
3. AIM
4. Airplane Flying Handbook
5. Private PTS

IP’s Actions1. Discuss lesson objectives

2. Present Lecture
3. Ask and Answer Questions

SP’s Actions1. Participate in discussion

2. Take notes
3. Ask and respond to questions

Completion This lesson will be complete when the student demonstrates an understanding of the elements related
Standards to Night Operations.

II.J. Night Operations

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II.J. Instructor’s Notes: Night Operations ____________________________________________
INTRODUCTION:

WHAT? – As defined by FAR 61.57, night operations are those which occur from sunset to sunrise.
WHY? – Certain considerations must be made when flying at night so as to guarantee safety.
OVERVIEW - This lesson will cover the basic elements pertaining to Night Operations, including:
1. Aeromedical
2. Preflight
3. Ground operations
4. In-flight operations

DEVELOPMENT:
HOW?
1.) Aeromedical
A.) The Human Eye
1. Good practice
a) Adapt eyes to night 30 min. prior to flying.
b) Close one eye when exposed to bright light to preserve night vision.
c) Do not wear sunglasses after sunset.
d) Maintain good physical condition.
2. Scan Technique
a) Move eyes more slowly.
b) Blink eyes when blurred
c) Force eyes to view off center.
3. Physiology
a) Rods- See black and white. Concentrated in peripheral vision
(1) Rodopsin- visual purple; activates rods at night
b) Cones- See color, concentrated in fovea (center of retina)
c) Cones 100,000 times more sensitive .
d) When exposed to light, it can take up to 30 minutes to restore.
(1) Extreme Light (like on a mountain glacier) can take up to 3 days!
e) Eyes are very o2 sensitive-
(1) Use o2 above 5000' at night
f) Good health required
(1) -smoking, alcohol, drugs can ruin this
4. Night Illusions
a) False horizon- occurs when natural horizon is obscured or not readily visible.
(1) Road or Coastal lights
b) Autokinesis- when a light is stared at for a period of time it will tend to move around.
c) Night myopia- (featureless terrain) starring out into void space will give a tendency to focus on
a spot approx. 30' in front of pilot.
d) Runway slope-
(1) Up-sloping runway can give the illusions of being high on approach
(2) Down-sloping runway can give the illusion of being low on approach
e) Ground lighting-
(1) Lights on a road can be mistaken for runway
(2) Lights on a moving train can be mistaken for approach lights
(3) Bright runway lights give the illusion of being lower than actual
(4) Terrain with few lights give the illusion of being high

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2.) Preflight
A.) Equipment
1. Required equipment for night flight- far 91.205
a) Position Lights (Nav lights)
b) Anti-collision lights
c) Landing light (if operated for hire)
d) Adequate source of electricity (alternator or generator)
e) Spare fuses
(1) Cadet uses Circuit Breakers
2. Also recommended:
a) Individual instrument lighting
b) Adequate cockpit lighting
c) attitude indicator
d) Flashlight necessary for night pre flight
e) All lights should be carefully checked for night flight
B.) Proper cockpit management prior to flight will make flight easier.
C.) Check ramp prior to taxi, harder to see obstructions at night than during day.
D.) Importance of colored flashlight
1. Use non-glaring color.
2. Red is not the best choice- allows for magenta and other colors on maps to be non-visible.
3. Blue, orange and very low-soft white is best
E.) Engine Starting
1. Make sure prop area is clear.
F.) Lights
1. Good idea to use strobe lights during night start also
2. Must use position lights.
3. Maintain smallest electrical load while not operating with engine running.
3.) Ground operations
A.) Remaining Orientated
1. Always taxi slower at night
2. Good idea if possible to taxi with landing, navigation, and anti-collision lights off
a) helps preserve yours and other pilots night vision
3. Be familiar with airport layout prior to taxi cover ground ops lighting
4. Make sure brake is set - difficult to notice forward movement.
B.) Proper interior lighting
1. Use low-intensity lights.
2. Keep lights low enough so as to allow for adjustment and maintenance of eyes.
3. Do not suddenly introduce bright lights.
4.) In-flight operations
A.) Takeoff and Climb Out
1. Always clear final area prior to takeoff- (controlled and uncontrolled ops)
2. Make sure that as you taxi onto runway your are aligned with centerline of runway lights.
a) (rule of thumb- to maintain centerline if no line exists look down runway at edge lights)
3. Integrated method is very critical here
a) During climb out- critical to reference instruments due to lack of outside visual references

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B.) Cruise
1. in-flight Orientation
a) Proper flight planning is very important
(1) Proper checkpoint selection is key- towns, rotating beacons, highways
b) Operations over water must be done with care
c) horizon hard to distinguish, stars reflecting, (integrated scan very important)
d) Exercise caution about flying into clouds haze
(1) if lights get halos you're in the soup.
(2) vertical visibility is usually greater than horizontal.
e) VFR MEANS VFR - DON’T TRY TO FLY AT NIGHT IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS.
f) Aircraft position lights and right of way rules:
(1) red-left
(2) green-right
(3) white-tail
2. IMPORTANCE OF REFERENCE TO FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS
a) Because vision is restricted and because of the various night illusions, must refer to and rely on
instrument indications.
3. RECOVERY FROM CRITICAL FLIGHT ALTITUDES
a) Refer to unusual attitude training
(1) Nose up
(a) Add power
(b) Lower nose
(c) Level wings
(2) Nose Down
(a) Reduce power
(b) Level wings
(c) Raise Nose
4. EMERGENCIES
a) Electrical
(1) Electrical loads must be reduced so as to preserve bat. power (increased elec. load from
lighting)
b) Engine failure
(1) Maintain positive control
(2) Complete checklists (Attempt Restart. This is a bad situation)
(3) Decide toward or away from city lights
(a) No site, maintain stabilized descent to ground
(b) Proceed with power off landing
C.) APPROACH AND LANDING
1. TRAFFIC PATTERNS
a) When entering the TPA you should have runway and airport lights identified ASAP.
b) If lighting is not visible proceed to the rotating beacon.
c) To fly a correct sized TP always maintain visual
(1) Reference with the threshold lights.
d) More importance must be placed on instruments- - (altitude,
attitude, speed)
e) Fly a normal traffic pattern

2. Common mistake is to fly the approach with too much airspeed

a) Once you are aligned with centerline and wind drift is established
(1) pitch = a/s
(2) power = altitude
(3) Round out and flare should be made when tire marks become visible.
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 b) W/out landing light, when distant runway lights rise above you, flare.
3. Go-Arounds
a) Perform as normal however, use above technique
b) Don’t forget CTAF callout if applicable

CONCLUSION

OVERVIEW
Discuss Elements, to include:
1.) Aeromedical
2.) Preflight
3.) Ground operations
4.) In-flight operations

PRIVATE PTS
1.) Night Preparation
A.) Physiological: vision, illusions
B.) Light systems
C.) Airplane Lights
D.) Equipment required
E.) Orientation, charts, emergencies
2.) Night Flight
A.) Preflight
B.) Taxi
C.) Takeoffs and climbs
D.) Navigation in VFR
E.) Approach, landing

COMMERCIAL PTS
Not Applicable

COMPLETION STANDARDS:
This lesson will be complete when student has adequate understanding of Night Operations.

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