The challenges of night flying such as limited visibility and relying on instruments become the stuff of memories when you have your night rating. Adding a night rating injects greater flexibility into your schedules and extends piloting skills to include navigation, communication and situational awareness.
Here’s a rundown of the night rating and what it’ll bring to your flying.
What is the Night Rating?
The night rating is an optional privilege you train for and attach to your Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) to allow you to fly under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at night. This rating doesn’t expire so you’re set once you have it. In contrast the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t have a night rating and instead incorporates it into the regular PPL flight training.
Why do I need a Night Rating?
The benefits of a night rating are varied and clear. First thing is safety. Daylight flying doesn’t challenge with blinding sunsets or light-levels that make landmarks hard to spot like flying at night. Your night rating will help you handle that and supply plenty of personal development by showing you how to master challenges.
Also, add a night rating to your flight training and there’s no need to rush dessert at lunch or miss out on afternoon tea in order to get home in daylight. And perhaps the most important motivation for your night rating is that flying in the dark is awesome! You’ll find the airspace quieter, air traffic controllers more relaxed and stunning illuminated skylines.
Is it easy to get a night rating?
Compared to your full PPL, yes absolutely. Your flight instructor will lead you through the set syllabus of practical and theory elements that are broken down like this:
- A half-day of theory, focusing on flying at night and refreshing you on the instrument flying details of the PPL.
- Then enjoy 5 hours of flying that cover:
- A minimum 1-hour cross-country flight
- All areas of general aircraft handling
- Circuits with take-off, crosswind and downwind legs, a base leg and final approach
- And Solo Circuits handling all that on your own.
How do I get my night rating submitted to the CAA?
There are a number of elements to get right when making your submission and if it helps Echelon Air can happily handle it all for you.
What’s needed is:
- The CAA online form SRG1126
- Night Rating Course Completion Certificate
- Certified copy of your PPL licence
- Certified copy of your logbook
- A copy of your medical certificate
- The Application fee which was £127 as of 2024
