Understanding Night Landings and Logging Requirements
For pilots, maintaining night landing currency isn’t merely paperwork—it’s crucial for safe operations. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations specify that these landings can only be logged during a precise window: from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise.
This timing distinction matters. Here’s why: The FAA defines ‘night’ differently depending on the purpose. While you can log general night flight time once civil twilight ends, currency requirements demand stricter adherence—that one-hour buffer ensures genuine experience in complete darkness.
Adhering to these specific timeframes ensures pilots accurately document their experience while maintaining the legal currency essential for carrying passengers after dark.
FAA Regulations for Night Landings
The FAA’s regulations create an important distinction between logging general night flight time and logging landings for passenger currency. For general night hours, FAR 1.1 defines night as the period between evening civil twilight’s end and morning civil twilight’s beginning.
Under FAR 61.57(b), takeoffs and landings for passenger recency must be conducted during the period from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. This is stricter than the general definition of night and ensures pilots have experience operating in fully dark conditions. All aircraft must operate with lighted position lights from sunset to sunrise, regardless of whether the flight is being logged as nighttime.
Commercial operations under Part 135 face heightened requirements. Pilots must complete three landings and takeoffs to a full stop in an aircraft of the same category and class, personally manipulating the flight controls, to maintain night landing currency. These strict regulations acknowledge that night operations present unique challenges far beyond daytime flying—and commercial pilots must demonstrate consistent proficiency.
Logging Night Flight Time
This regulatory framework leads to some noteworthy situations. A flight might qualify for night flight time but not landing currency. Consider this: sunset occurs at 8:32 PM, civil twilight ends at 9:01 PM. A flight from 9:02 PM to 9:31 PM counts as night flight time. However, since the landing happened before 9:32 PM (one hour post-sunset), it won’t count toward your three required currency landings.
Regularly logging night flying time offers benefits that go well beyond meeting regulatory requirements:
Currency Requirements for Night Landings
To maintain night currency for carrying passengers under Part 91, a pilot must meet the following requirements within the preceding 90 days:
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Three Takeoffs & Landings: Must be made to a full stop.
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Timeframe: Operations must occur between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.
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Pilot Role: The pilot must be the sole manipulator of the flight controls.
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Aircraft: Operations must be in an aircraft of the same category and class.
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Lapsed Currency: If currency lapses, it must be regained before carrying passengers at night.
Part 121 airline pilots operate under distinctly different requirements. They lack the specific night currency mandates outlined for general aviation pilots. Instead, CFR 121.439 requires them to perform at least three takeoffs and landings in their aircraft type—but these can occur anytime during daylight hours and may include qualifying simulator sessions.
This difference shows aviation’s diverse approaches to maintaining proficiency. General aviation pilots must specifically demonstrate night competency to carry passengers after dark. Airline pilots, however, operate within a framework emphasizing type-specific proficiency regardless of lighting conditions—with night-specific training typically integrated into comprehensive recurrent programs.
Night Flight Planning and Safety Considerations
Night flight planning demands heightened safety considerations:
Proficiency remains the cornerstone of safe night operations. Pilots should spend considerable time preparing and practicing for night flights—including mastering partial panel flying and carefully reviewing potential approach illusions before each landing.
Common Night Flight Errors to Avoid
Night flying introduces distinctive challenges that can trigger serious errors. Pilots must remain vigilant against:
Reducing these risks requires careful execution. Maintain a systematic instrument scan. Trust your instruments over potentially deceptive visual cues. Utilize all available visual aids like VAST/PAPI systems. Keep cockpit distractions to a minimum. Most importantly, regular practice in good conditions builds the skill foundation needed for safe night operations.
Additional Resources and Tools for Night Flying
Multiple resources exist to enhance night flying skills and streamline currency tracking:
