Unless your a professional pilot, chances are your night flying experience is fairly limited. You got 3 hours of night training for your private pilot license, and have not been up at night since. Even if you are a commercial rated pilot you are only required by the FAA to add a whole 2 additonal hours to your night training experince. 3 full stops landings at night in the last 90 days may make you night current, but are you really proficient to carry friends and loved ones on a long night cross country?
Here are three simple ways to get current and stay current if your night currency has lapsed!
- Grab a flight instructor and go for a fun night flight to a desired destination! Who said training has to be boring. Take an instructor and a friend out of town for a dinner & fly back home at night. Add in some training and a great view, now you are not only night current but more proficient for future night flights.
- Stretch your skills. If your night current, consider stretching your night skills. Flying over mountainous terrain or less densely populated areas can allow you to hone your navigation and instrument flying. Take along an instructor as a safety pilot to experience night illusions first hand.
- Train for an additional rating or certificate at night. If your training for an additional rating or certificate, why not make some training flights at night! By simply adding in a few night flights to your current training you can keep your night skills fresh.
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