Solo Question

Seanaldinho

Seanaldinho

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I need another 1.7 hours of solo flying to finish the reqs for my PPSEL checkride. Would a night, solo XC be acceptable or are night solos not allowed?

I want to do more night flying and more xc (because I enjoy it more than bouncing around the training area for 1.7) so this would be a good way to do all of the above.
 
...doubt seriously your CFI will sign you off for a night solo or XC for that matter. Schools have too much liability there.

I agree, the few hours required to get a PPL aren't enough. I love flying at night - really enjoyed my dual night XC but I hadn't flown at night in months since that time and even after I had my PPL I got with my CFI to get night current. I was 99% confident I'd be OK, but wanted him there in case I needed the help but also just to 'instruct' while I knocked the rust off. :)

I did my first XC where I landed at night since I got my PPL a few months ago. Took off before dusk but it was a 1:40 flight home so by the time we landed it was dark. Thankfully, uneventful...actually one of my best landings. I love night flying - it suits me for some reason. I still can't help but get a little nervous when I can't see stuff on the ground anymore...but I'm always looking for the next airport and kinda find myself flying toward it. It's nice to get that beacon in view and get to a spot where you know you can make that one if anything happens.

Anyway, good luck - pretty sure you'll be doing your last 1.7 during the day.
 
I'm sure real-live CFIs will be along momentarily to give their two cents, but student pilot night solo flight is restricted by FAR 61.87o, which says:

A student pilot may not operate an aircraft in solo flight at night unless that student pilot has received:
(1) Flight training at night on night flying procedures that includes takeoffs, approaches, landings, and go-arounds at night at the airport where the solo flight will be conducted;
(2) Navigation training at night in the vicinity of the airport where the solo flight will be conducted; and
(3) An endorsement in the student's logbook for the specific make and model aircraft to be flown for night solo flight by an authorized instructor who gave the training within the 90-day period preceding the date of the flight.
Click to expand...

I suspect it comes down to instructor personality and insurance / flight school liability rules over whether it's worth asking to solo at night, but given the rules about night airport and local nav familiarization, I suspect it's unlikely any but the most go-for-it instructors could be convinced to sign off on a solo night x-c.

That being said, if you have 1.7 left to do, a night solo and a day x-c solo wouldn't be a bad way to get it, if you and your instructor are comfortable with both.

Definitely when you get your PPL, go out with somebody with night experience (your instructor or otherwise) and get comfortable with night flight and then do it as much as you can. Beautiful views, calm air, and bored ATC that everybody else is missing.
 
I agree with all of the above.

With 1.7 hours, you can do another solo cross-country. But in daylight. Go get a really good $100 burger.

Counting all the overheads, 50 miles each way will be just about right.

Are all your maneuvers up to PTS? If not, that's a better way to use your 1.7 hours.

If you can get an endorsement, a night cross-country is possible. But there are additional dangers at night that there aren't during the day, so I don't think your instructor is going to go for it unless there is a reason it's truly necessary. Like, you live in Fairbanks and there is 30 minutes of daylight per day.

Once you get your ticket, you don't need your instructor's permission (but do be prudent).
 
The day you get your ticket your free to go at night.with the limited night flying you get before the test,doesn't really make a lot of sense.
 
It is possible by the regs, but you'll need enough night XC training to make your instructor feel happy to sign you off to do one. Feel free to ask your instructor about that, but at least for this instructor, there isn't enough night XC training to get me to do agree to let a Student Pilot do that -- just not worth the risk for something that isn't required.
 
Yeah. I asked my instructor the same question about night solos. He said no way.
 
Seanaldinho said:
I need another 1.7 hours of solo flying to finish the reqs for my PPSEL checkride. Would a night, solo XC be acceptable or are night solos not allowed?

I want to do more night flying and more xc (because I enjoy it more than bouncing around the training area for 1.7) so this would be a good way to do all of the above.
Click to expand...

Most of my students get signed off for night solo, although none have requested solo x-c privileges.
 
I wouldn't do it as a student pilot. Every night VFR flight is partially IFR. I think as a student pilot you typically don't have enough experience for a safe night xc. There is a reason why FAA does not require any night solo flying.
 
I guess my first night solo was technically a x-c since the grass farm strip my CFI crop-dusted out of was unlit and I had to fly 20 miles to my home airport to land. His parting words were, "Lineup on the corn and get off before the pickup. I don't want to read about you in the paper tomorrow."
 
I was comfy with night flying, and I my maneuvers are to PTS so I thought this would be a more interesting/fun way to fill in that last 1.7.

Besides that I think it would be a safer first night xc because I will have an instructor at the ready should something come up. (Take off at 6 and Im done before 8). But I do understand the points you all make.

Ill talk it over with the CFI and see what his opinion is.
 
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