Night Currency

[WDD]

Hadn't flown at night for several months, and now that the days are shorter thought it a good time to do the 3 take off / full stop taxi backs the other night.

Glad I did - feels good to kick the night rust off. Little things like flashlight batteries needed to be replaced were taken care of.

First time in the pattern, it took 3 seconds to "see" the runway, although I was looking right at it. A strip of dark in a sea of suburban lights. Then yep, there's the MALSR.

So besides being able to carry passengers at night, it was a great tune up if I find myself out out night.

 

[Lndwarrior]

Just a thought - have you tried actually flying with whatever flashlights you have with a dark panel/cabin?

When I tried this some years ago it was not so simple as I thought it would be.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

Just a thought - have you tried actually flying with whatever flashlights you have with a dark panel/cabin?

When I tried this some years ago it was not so simple as I thought it would be.

For this reason exactly I put a little strip of LED lights under my glare shield. They just connect to a little USB charger that I put a rocker switch on so in the event that something significant happens I have this as a backup option.

 

[WDD]

Just a thought - have you tried actually flying with whatever flashlights you have with a dark panel/cabin?

When I tried this some years ago it was not so simple as I thought it would be.

I actually did as a matter of fact. In addition to the regular red pilot flashlight I wore a red led headlamp. Main instruments (6 pack) were dark.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

For this reason exactly I put a little strip of LED lights under my glare shield. They just connect to a little USB charger that I put a rocker switch on so in the event that something significant happens I have this as a backup option.

View attachment 122268

I tried that last year and the sticky on the LED strip lights wasn’t strong enough and after about a month they started sagging and lost grip completely.

What did you use to stick yours on? What material on your plane did you stick it to?

The underside of my glare shield is vinyl.

 

[Gary Ward]

I am still flying with factory lighting, well mostly original factory. In the piller light which always stays red and faces the panel only I found a red led that worked better than the red painted bulbs that were original.
In the overhead light I tried a led and it was too bright, and the light was too focused, really bad glare and annoying. Yes I still use the original rheostat to raise and lower the lights. At any level this particle led was too pin pointed.
So the stock bulb works the best for me. As a result I like a dark cockpit at night.
I turn my I pad off at night when I am in the pattern because I want all the night vision I can have. I run the i pad as low as it can go light level at night.
If you turn on a bright white or even a bright red light at night just for a second you can ruin your night sight for many minutes.
I fly a lot at night including tonight.

Might not look cool but works well at night for me.

 

[asicer]

Hadn't flown at night for several months, and now that the days are shorter thought it a good time to do the 3 take off / full stop taxi backs the other night.

Me too, although I've done a few flights in the time between civil twilight and 1 hour after sunset.

First time in the pattern, it took 3 seconds to "see" the runway, although I was looking right at it. A strip of dark in a sea of suburban lights. Then yep, there's the MALSR.

With a MALSR, the sequence flasher would probably be one of the first things I'd try to find. And if the field is non-towered, flick the PTT to cycle the runway lights.

So besides being able to carry passengers at night, it was a great tune up if I find myself out out night.

Yup. Feels good to be officially official. Last was around this time last year.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

I tried that last year and the sticky on the LED strip lights wasn’t strong enough and after about a month they started sagging and lost grip completely.

What did you use to stick yours on? What material on your plane did you stick it to?

The underside of my glare shield is vinyl.

The underside of mine is um I think carbon fiber. The whole piece feels like fiber glass.
It came off in a few spots when it got really hot. a couple dabs of gorilla glue helps.

 

[Kritchlow]

For this reason exactly I put a little strip of LED lights under my glare shield. They just connect to a little USB charger that I put a rocker switch on so in the event that something significant happens I have this as a backup option.

View attachment 122268

Looks like you’re trying to achieve the rainbow there.
Just sayin’….

 

[Gary Ward]

During the hot summer days I don't take off until an hour before sunset. Get to witness a bunch of sunsets.

Low approach only to a new airport that was not opened yet.

As you know the air is usually smooth at night and cooler during the summer.
T&Gs right before dark during the winter. I already hopefully cleared the runway of wildlife with a low approach first.

 

[Gilbert Buettner]

One thing I kept in my airplane was a cyalume. The low light and lack of batteries made it a good choice for illuminating instruments.

 

[midwestpa24]

I've taken to flying with a red headlamp if I'm up at night. There was one time that I thought having a flashlight with a red lens would be enough, until I had to use it. Very hard to fly while holding a flashlight.

 

[eman1200]

I use this

 

[WDD]

Just call him “Lt. Commander La Forge EMan”.

 

[jsstevens]

I keep a couple of LED keyring lights on a lanyard around my neck. The lanyard has a breakaway connection in the back so if I got hung up on something it'll come apart. I also keep a red/white choosable headlamp close.
The last night flight I did was Jan 31st. The C-172 I flew then has a glass cockpit (Garmin G500 I think) and the dang thing is brighter than I'd like even when turned down.

John