Who has a night rating?

"Marc Lattoni" wrote in message
news:Kmw1c.128621$Hy3.30256@edtnps89...
As a VFR only pilot, I thought it pointless to get a night rating due to
the
potential difficulties of encountering a "black hole" and not having the
skills to get back to safety. But our flight school encourages us to
experience the beauty of night flying on clear nights.

Just wondering, how many VFR only pilots have and USE a night rating?

All US private pilots may fly at night unless there is some kind of
restriction on their certificates. Night flight is very common.

It seems interesting that in Canada we learn to recover from spins and in
the US pilots learn to fly at night. (not to mention chandelles etc).

Wonder if one set of skills is preferable or whether pilots should learn
both.


"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...

"Marc Lattoni" wrote in message
news:Kmw1c.128621$Hy3.30256@edtnps89...
As a VFR only pilot, I thought it pointless to get a night rating due to
the
potential difficulties of encountering a "black hole" and not having the
skills to get back to safety. But our flight school encourages us to
experience the beauty of night flying on clear nights.

Just wondering, how many VFR only pilots have and USE a night rating?

All US private pilots may fly at night unless there is some kind of
restriction on their certificates. Night flight is very common.

"Marc Lattoni" wrote in message news:iYx1c.129200$Hy3.3305@edtnps89...
It seems interesting that in Canada we learn to recover from spins and in
the US pilots learn to fly at night. (not to mention chandelles etc).

Wonder if one set of skills is preferable or whether pilots should learn
both.

In the US we used to require spins before we figured out that more
students died with their CFI practicing them than actually ran into
problems. There are not enough CFIs out there that are qualified to
demo spins.

I do all most all of my night flying IFR. Personally, any night flight
out of the local area is IFR. I've lost one good friend who hit the
ground by accident at night (ref: NTSB N80720).
-Robert

"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

There are not enough CFIs out there that are qualified to demo spins.

I thought every CFI has to be able to demonstrate spins for the checkride?

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message ...
"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

There are not enough CFIs out there that are qualified to demo spins.

I thought every CFI has to be able to demonstrate spins for the checkride?

yes, but that does not make them safe to teach them. I did all mine inverted in a D!
-Robert, CFI

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

There are not enough CFIs out there that are qualified to demo spins.

I thought every CFI has to be able to demonstrate spins for the checkride?


No. You only have to show a sign-off that you have had spin training.

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...

I do all most all of my night flying IFR. Personally, any night flight
out of the local area is IFR. I've lost one good friend who hit the
ground by accident at night (ref: NTSB N80720).

Unfortunately the Commercial certificate makes you take at least one night
cross-country VFR. Is that inadvertently instilling bad habits? :-) Even
more annoying, you have to bring along some CFI-ballast.

(I did mine Tuesday; it was a nice night around here).

-- David Brooks

In article ,
"David Brooks" wrote:

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...

I do all most all of my night flying IFR. Personally, any night flight
out of the local area is IFR. I've lost one good friend who hit the
ground by accident at night (ref: NTSB N80720).

Unfortunately the Commercial certificate makes you take at least one night
cross-country VFR. Is that inadvertently instilling bad habits? :-) Even
more annoying, you have to bring along some CFI-ballast.

Not at all -- I have many 500+mile night trips under my belt (all VFR).
You just have to be extra careful about weather, so you don't get in
over your head.

Night w/low ceilings/poor vis + mountains = disaster.

"David Brooks" wrote in message
...
"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...

I do all most all of my night flying IFR. Personally, any night flight
out of the local area is IFR. I've lost one good friend who hit the
ground by accident at night (ref: NTSB N80720).

Unfortunately the Commercial certificate makes you take at least one night
cross-country VFR. Is that inadvertently instilling bad habits? :-) Even
more annoying, you have to bring along some CFI-ballast.


Not only that, but charter pilots are prohibited from filing IFR until they
meet minimum experience requirements. So you get a lot of low time scud
runners.

Recently, David Brooks posted:

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...

I do all most all of my night flying IFR. Personally, any night
flight out of the local area is IFR. I've lost one good friend who
hit the ground by accident at night (ref: NTSB N80720).

Unfortunately the Commercial certificate makes you take at least one
night cross-country VFR. Is that inadvertently instilling bad habits?

I don't think so. One just has to use good judgement and consider the
parameters of night flying. For example, if the weather is marginal for
day VFR, it would be a good idea cancel the night VFR.

Some positives:
* You can "see and avoid" traffic much easier, as you can see the running
lights from a lot further away than you can during the day.

* The air is typically much smoother at night.

* Landing is easier for some, because you can focus on more useful
indicators of your status.

Some cautions:
* Pilotage and map reading skills are important. Terrain is difficult to
see, so knowing where you are is more challenging.

* Finding an airport located within a city can be tricky.

Neil