Ground Lesson (Discussion):

  1. Aeronautical Decision Making for Night Flight
    1. Identifying Lakes, Fields, Forests, Cities, Roads
    2. Route Planning
    3. Altitude Planning
  2. VOR Navigation
    1. Introduction to VOR Navigation and How They Work
    2. VOR Presentation on the Garmin G5/CDI/HSI, OBS Mode
    3. Station Tuning, Identification
    4. Intercepting and Tracking Inbound and Outbound, Zone of Confusion
  3. Airport Lighting
    1. Airport Beacon
    2. Taxiway Lights
    3. Runway Lights and Pilot-Controlled Lighting
  4. Aircraft Lighting
    1. Regulations for Aircraft Night Flight
      1. Review of 91.205(c)
      2. Airplane Beacon
      3. Navigation Lights
      4. Taxi, Landing Lights
      5. Strobe Lights
      6. Interior Lights
      7. Personal Lighting (Headlamp, Flashlight, Smartphone)
    2. Courtesy Use of Aircraft Lights
      1. When to Use Taxi Lights, Landing Lights, Strobe Lights
  5. Airspace and Time-of-Day Limitations (KAHN Tower Closes at 8PM)
    1. Sectional Depictions vs. Chart Supplement
    2. Determining Hours of Operation of a Control Tower
    3. Determining Type of Airspace at Different Times of the Day (Class D vs. Class E)
  6. Operating Near Cities
    1. Nighttime Scenic Flights
    2. Towers, Guy Wires, Obstacles
    3. Emergency Planning

Night Flight Plan

Route of Flight

KPDK AHN KCPP CVC POSEY KLOWD KPDK

Distance: 151.4 NM

Discussion Items During Flight

  1. Leg One (KPDK - AHN)
    • Tune VOR and Set OBS Before Takeoff
    • Plan a radial to avoid KLZU Airspace
    • Determine Altitude for Direction of VFR Flight
    • Track Radial Inbound
    • Pilotage at Night versus Day (different visual references)
    • VOR Zone of Confusion
  2. Leg Two (AHN - KCPP)
    • Reset OBS, Track Outbound Course to KCPP
    • Discussion of “Darkness” and cockpit lighting, in-flight emergencies
    • Search for Airport Beacon
    • Pilot-Controlled Lighting (3-clicks, 5-clicks, 7-clicks)
      • Use 7 clicks to identify runway
      • Use 5 clicks to “turn down” lights for better visability in the pattern
  3. Leg Three (KCPP - CVC via I-20)
    • Use of Roads at Night
      • Visual References
      • Emergency Landing Sight
    • Maintain Situational Awareness with Pilotage
    • Using enroute airports and CTAF to turn on runway lights enroute
  4. Leg Four (CVC - POSEY - KLOWD)
    • Flying over Suburban Areas
      • Landing Sites
      • Hazards of Lasers
      • Obstacles (Stone Mountain)
    • Discussion of Airspace (Class B Shelves)
  5. Leg Five (Downtown Orbit, KPDK Return)
    • Flying over Urban Areas
      • Altitude Planning (3,000’ MSL)
      • Landing Sights
      • Hazards
      • Obstacles (Buildings, Towers)
        • Towers between Downtown and KPDK for 3L/3R
          • Risk of VFR Descent from Downtown to Runways on “Straight In” Path
    • PDK Night Operations
      • Night Curfew
      • Communications: CTAF versus Towered Operations