FAA PPL night flight requirement - does it have to be DUAL?

This might be nitpicky, but nothing in the AIM is a
"requirement". Technically the AIM is not the law,
the FAR is.
Nonetheless, the AIM is incredibly important - I know.
It seems subtle, doesn't it?

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 13:11:00 +0100, Peter
wrote:


Reading FAR/AIM 2004 it isn't entirely clear to me because different
sections refer to day and night cross country, and I don't think the
description of a day cross country applies to the night flight; the
distances are 150nm and 100nm respectively.

I have night flights with an instructor which exceed 100 miles in
total distance, and I have a solo night flight which exceeds 100nm
which was done between two airports whose direct line spacing is
119nm.

I suspect that the information on the basis of which I did the last
flight was bogus and I don't meet the FAA PPL requirement.

Can anyone suggest the FAR/AIM 2004 sections which could clarify this?

You want the FAR, 61.109(a), paragraphs 2 and 2(i) - "Except as
provided in 61.110 of this part, 3 hours of night flight training in a
single-engine airplane that includes (i) One cross country flight of
over 100 nautical miles total distance; and (ii) 10 takeoffs and 10
landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the
traffic pattern) at an airport."

You meet the night cross country requirement with either flight listed
above. There's no requirement for a solo night cross country of any
distance in the regs. If you've done 10 night takeoffs and landings
you meet the requirements for that part of the reg.

The long solo cross-country (150nm) is 61.109(a)(5)(ii) - 150nm, 3
stops, one segment of which needs to be between 2 airports 50NM apart.
If you happened to do this at night, great - the reg doesn't say it
has to be done during the day, but the solo flight mentioned above
doesn't count unless it was over 150NM (the 119NM apart meets the 50NM
distance, but not the total flight distance and 3 landings).

Luck,
P

"Peter" wrote in message
news

Reading FAR/AIM 2004 it isn't entirely clear to me because different
sections refer to day and night cross country, and I don't think the
description of a day cross country applies to the night flight; the
distances are 150nm and 100nm respectively.

I have night flights with an instructor which exceed 100 miles in
total distance, and I have a solo night flight which exceeds 100nm
which was done between two airports whose direct line spacing is
119nm.

I suspect that the information on the basis of which I did the last
flight was bogus and I don't meet the FAA PPL requirement.

Can anyone suggest the FAR/AIM 2004 sections which could clarify this?

The solo night flight counts only if your instructor has conducted the
required training for student solo night flight required by FAR 61.87(o) and
specifically endorsed your logbook for student solo night flight; otherwise
the flight was illegal and cannot be used for meeting any aeronautical
experience requirements. FAR 61.109(a)(2)(i) says that your night training
must include a night cross country of 100 miles total distance. Since this
is training, not solo, your instructor must go with you.

You must also have a solo cross country flight of 150 miles total distance,
with three full stop landings and one segment between stops at least 50
miles long, per FAR 61.109(a)(5)(ii). This flight could be conducted at
night if your instructor has signed you off for solo night flight, but few
instructors will allow that and most students do the flight during the day.

You must also have a solo cross country flight of 150 miles total
distance,
with three full stop landings and one segment between stops at least 50
miles long, per FAR 61.109(a)(5)(ii). This flight could be conducted at
night if your instructor has signed you off for solo night flight, but few
instructors will allow that and most students do the flight during the day


The XC landings need to be full stop? Oops...

"Bob Martin" wrote in message
...
You must also have a solo cross country flight of 150 miles total
distance,
with three full stop landings and one segment between stops at least 50
miles long, per FAR 61.109(a)(5)(ii). This flight could be conducted at
night if your instructor has signed you off for solo night flight, but
few
instructors will allow that and most students do the flight during the
day

The XC landings need to be full stop? Oops...

I almost got that wrong too during my primary training. I made one stop for
fuel, but at the second airport I'd planned to do a touch and go (as I'd
done on my training XCs and my two practice solo XCs). I hadn't reviewed the
appropriate regulation, and my instructor didn't catch the problem either
during the pre-flight briefing. Luckily, for some reason, the tower was only
able to accommodate full-stop landings at the time.

--Gary

I almost got that wrong too during my primary training. I made one stop for
fuel, but at the second airport I'd planned to do a touch and go (as I'd
done on my training XCs and my two practice solo XCs). I hadn't reviewed the
appropriate regulation, and my instructor didn't catch the problem either
during the pre-flight briefing. Luckily, for some reason, the tower was only
able to accommodate full-stop landings at the time.

Well, mine was two and a half years ago... don't think it really matters
anymore. And come to think of it, I never made a full-stop at a towered
field either... so I don't know how to talk to ground (and haven't flown
out of/landed at a towered field since the long XC in my training).

Bob Martin wrote in message ...

Well, mine was two and a half years ago... don't think it really matters
anymore. And come to think of it, I never made a full-stop at a towered
field either... so I don't know how to talk to ground (and haven't flown
out of/landed at a towered field since the long XC in my training).

I can see how you could get by with a T & G on the cross-country,
depending on how you logged it. In fact, full stop landings on the
long XC have not always been required. When I did mine in '88, I did
a T&G at one airport. Back then, the reg only required that you
"land" at the other airports. I can't remember when it changed.

I am surprised that you made it past the DE without 3 full-stop
landings at a towered field. It's a clear requirement and they
usually check those off on a checklist while going through your
logbook.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)