Who has a night rating?

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?

Marc

Night rated for just over a year now and no regrets. Lots of fun and gives
a bit of a fudge factor for leaving early or arriving late.

Brendan

"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?

Marc

Marc Lattoni wrote:

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

Well, the night rating comes as part of the PPC in the U.S.. I used to fly a
lot at night until I got married. Not lately, though. I don't hesitate to make
a night flight if necessary - the last one I made was returning from AOPA expo
back in October. I don't carry passengers, though, since I don't fly enough at
night to allow it under the U.S. regulations.

Flying VFR at night in the New York - Washington area is pretty easy, though.
It can get pretty nervous once you get away from the lights.

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.

"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