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Pilots holding a CAA or JAR-FCL PPL(A), as well as those training for
the JAR FCL licence may undertake the training required to be issued with a
night qualification.
Pre-requisites
The
only pre-requisites to begin training towards a night rating are to either
hold one of the aforementioned licences or, if undertaking training towards
the JAR-FCL PPL(A), have completed a minimum of 25 hours dual instruction
and 10 hours supervised solo time, which shall include 5 hours solo cross country
and successful completion of the qualifying cross country flight.
Course Requirements
In
order to be able to exercise the privileges of a PPL at night you must
complete a minimum of 5 hours instruction at night. This will include a
minimum of 3 hours dual training and a navigation flight of at least 1
hour. The solo requirement is 5 take offs and full stop landings.
Course Progress
The
course will begin with a long brief which will endeavour to explain what to
expect. Everything looks very different at night and the visual cues to
which you have become accustomed have all but disappeared. The briefing is
followed by a familiarisation flight of about one hour to allow you to get
acclimatised to the new conditions, and concluding with a few circuits.
Subsequent flights will involve navigating and circuits until the student
is deemed to be at a standard acceptable to permit supervised solo flight.
Privileges of the Night
Qualification
Holders of a night qualification are permitted to fly at night in visual
meteorological conditions under instrument flight rules.
Revalidation Requirements
There
are no revalidation requirements for this rating. Once it is attached to
the licence it remains valid indefinitely. However, in order to carry
passengers under night operating conditions it is necessary to be in
compliance with the ninety day rule, which includes having conducted one of
the required take offs and landings at night (unless an instrument rating
is held).
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