Objective:

To develop the student's ability to maintain aircraft control and orientation while flying at night with limited visual reference.

Elements:

1. Discuss factors related to night vision
2. Proper adjustment of interior lights
3. Importance red lens lighting
4. Preflight inspection for night operation
5. Taxiing and orientation on an airport
6. Flight attitude by reference to flight instruments
7. Disorientation and night optical illusions
8. Recovery from unusuall attitudes
9. Emergencies such as electrical failure, engine malfunction, and emergency landings
10. Approaches and landings with and without aircraft landing lights
11. Discuss runway optical illusions at night
12. Runway light intensities and the effects on depth perception

Common Errors:

1. Not having a flashlight for the preflight with 'D' cells.
2. Using a white light in the cockpit and not red filtered.
3. Inadvertent cloud entry (Cloud clearances for night operations)
4. Not calling ahead to make sure destination airport, if closed, offers services after hours.
5. Failure to recognize changes in depth perception

References:

• Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) - Chapter 2
• Airplane Flying Handbook, pp 10-1 – 10-8
• Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge pp. 15-10 through 15-12

Notes:

30 min. night adeptation
Night blind spot (Cones focal point)
Rods vs. Cones

VFR Night
F uses
L anding light
A nti-collision
P osition lights
S ource of energy

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