Flying a known "flakey" aircraft, day or night isn't wise.
But the battery should keep plenty of juice for the time
required to get back to the airport, as long as the pilot
detects the alternator failure when it happens and takes the
proper actions promptly.

You need NAV lights and a radio is nice to have. You can
crank the gear down in a complex aircraft and turn off
landing lights, radar, autopilots, the stereo, ventilation
fans, etc.

In fact, if the alternator didn't fail, I'd be tempted to
pull the CB on it if the student had not seen what happens.
But a night checkout if carrying the proper flashlights, I
have LED headlights, penlights, full and mini Mag lights
(AA and D) and I carry the LED pen even in the daylight.

A "blindfold" cockpit check may not be a bad idea.


"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...
|
| "Morgans" wrote:
|
| The only time I ever got checked out in an unfamiliar
aircraft at night,
| the alternator failed.
|
| You must be living right. NOT ! ! ! g
|
| I'll bet you are ready to jump into another one, and do
it again, right?
|
| One's enough.
|
| The CFI who checked me out knew beforehand the alt. was
flakey and didn't
| tell me. As we have seen recently, having a CFI aboard
doesn't necessarily
| confer any extra safety.
|
| --
| Dan
| C172RG at BFM
|
|