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Night Flight:
The phoneme of night poses a risk for all pilots regardless of experience but the inexperienced pilot is especially at risk. 72% of our flying information comes through the eye and the eye is easily fooled at night. The darker the night, the absence of a horizon and lack of recency are danger signals. The inexperienced pilot has from 20 seconds to three minutes before losing control after the onset of spatial disorientation.
Once the eye lacks required information, the brain seeks information from the inner ear sensors and the proprioceptive system of our flesh and bones. When there is nothing for the eye to focus on it defaults to about four feet. We will not see at a distance unless the eye is made to look into the distance. It is possible for an aircraft to turn so slowly that the body senses will not recognize it.
Science now has an electronic jacket that will give the body sensory perceptions arising from our aircraft instruments. An enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) is coming that gives vocal warnings of what is happening and what to do about it.
Night flying has a higher accident rate than identically day flying. Airport weather reports are valid for five circular miles around an airport. Everything between airports will be different for better or worse. A PIREP is worth a dozen forecasts, especially at night. Since night clouds can be invisible, be prepared to go on instruments and make a 180. When your flight has made the 180 your only option your risk factor goes straight up.
Always have aircraft and flight kit prepared for unplanned night flight. Night causes usual visual flight aids to become nonexistent. Night visual and sensory illusions are unique to the conditions. Do not look directly toward the area where you expect to see best. Look slightly to one side or the other. This visual outlook applies to the landing flare as well as every other situation. The special skills of night flying can only be acquired and maintained by frequent night flights. Until the past couple of years I maintained a standard of 1/4 of my flying should be at night.
For night flying you must evaluate the relative risks of such a flight. I do not fly across the Sierras at night any more. I have several times made the flight and found the risks to be beyond my comfort level. A planned night flight is far less likely to make its planned departure time and arrival time. If schedule is going to be important, don't fly at night. Change either the flight or the schedule.
Failure to use oxygen above 5000' at night means that you accept the loss of 5% of your remaining night vision for every additional 1000 feet of altitude. An additional risk exists if the pilot fails to get an adequate weather briefing especially the one related to dew point - temperature spread. Reduce your night range so that you can refuel before dark and fly to an airport with 24-hour fueling. Two C-172s on a collusion course without anything other than navigation lights will fly over five miles in less than a minute, use your landing light.
Being lost at night is more critical than in the daytime just as will be an engine failure. Emergency landing situations at night can be improved to full-moon lighting conditions with the purchase of a night-vision monocular for about $200. Ten-times as many accidents occurring on dark nights as with moon light and nearly 30% of the fatalities and an additional 15% of the non-fatal accidents occurring at night where not quite 5% of the flying takes place the $200 spent for a night vision monocular seems to be a reasonable purchase for the pilot who chooses to fly at night.
19% of total fatale accidents occur at night because of power related forced landings. l4% occur during the day in similar power related fatal accidents. The disparity in these figures (they lie) is that only 4% of flying is at night. A high proportion of the fatal accidents were in twins while none were homebuilts or warbirds. Yes, a higher proportion of fatal accidents do occur at night. Evidence shows that in a well-maintained engine and aircraft the risk to life due to engine failure is slight.
Night Vertigo
Enter a steady standard rate turn and have student lean forward and look between his legs. After about 60-degrees of turn have student make one sudden one-way head movement. Have the student take control. Expect that incorrect inputs will give pilot weird feelings and reactions. Repeat exercise as before but emphasize that student should not turn head or look anywhere except at the instruments. By holding your head erect and scanning the instruments you can prevent vertigo
Night flight checklist
The FAA in its wisdom or lack of it depending on perspective has three different definitions of when it is night. FAR Part 91 says that night is from sunset to sunrise as far as the operation of position lights. Night, according to FAR Part 61 is from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise for purposes of night landing currency for carrying passengers. The official definition is in FAR 1.1.
Go or No-Go Decision
Media weather
Weather broadcasts
PATWAS (Pilot's automatic telephone weather answering service)
TIBS (Telephone information briefing service)
No
Saying, "No, we won't go." makes you a PIC. If you really know what you are doing you will know when to say "No!" The strongest voice in opposition to "No!" is time. Know your minimums and hold to them.
Flying at Night Is Not
Just like Flying in Daytime ...
The hazards of night flying are directly related to the physiological limitations of the human body not the aircraft. Humans do not perform well at night. Night flying will be different. Night flight is more stressful than day flying and very near to IFR flight without the required training. It should be. A moderate amount of stress will improve performance, keep the pilot awake and motivated. However, subtle events occur at night that would be easily detectable in daylight. The solo pilot at night is at greater risk than when flying with an attentive passenger. Night flight requires the pilot be very familiar with the area and have special knowledge that can be acquired only through experience. I very much suggest you get this experience along with a pilot who have already acquired the experience.
Night flight is so completely different from day that it requires careful introduction. Any pilot deficiencies become magnified at night. The night horizon is less visible and more indistinct. Night flight is semi-IFR with considerable reliance on the instruments. Clouds and terrain are from difficult to impossible to see. On monocles nights, the objects seen are those which are illuminated enough to stand out. There can be a gradual loss of visual clues when flying into darker terrain. This leads to disorientation and loss of control.
Night flight adds to the risk of single-engine flying. Emergency options are reduced. The new five-mile VFR minimums increase the impact of weather. Mandated preparation for the flight such as lights and flashlights make a difference. You will be much more able to cope if you maintain radio contact with ATC and have a readily available frequency list. I avoid night training flights that have less than 1/4 moon. Common mistake is flying when combination of pilot, conditions, aircraft, and preparation are not up to making the flight. AIM recommends supplemental oxygen at 5000' at night and at 10,000' daytime.
Flying a consistent profile is essential to safe night VFR. Be so aware that you do not descend below 1500' AGL until you are within engine out distance of the destination. Plan to make a standard 45 entry so that you will reach pattern altitude when turning downwind. If ATC gives you a straight in maintain pattern altitude until you are on two mile final. Fly a VASI or PAPI if available. If you know your ground speed, multiply it by five to get a 3-degree descent path.
In 1991 the night requirements for uncontrolled airspace were essentially raised to controlled airspace requirements. Not having the instruments easily visible/readable is bothersome. A 30-degree unobserved turn can cause complete disorientation. The absence of a horizon can cause loss of control. Both situational and geographic disorientation is more likely.
Our ability to make a truthful prediction of our next night flight is of extreme value. When night flying pilots flounder in hesitancy and indecision, we find that the successful outcome of any flight depends more on pilot confidence in his competence. Confidence is a byproduct of competence.
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