Night Time

Question 1

When do you need Nav Lights/ Position Lights?

Answer 1

Sunset to Sunrise

Question 2

Nav Lights

Answer 2

Red = Left
Green = Right
White = Tail / Strobe

Question 3

What are the Anti Collision Lights?

Answer 3

The beacon and the strobe lights makes the aircraft more visible

Question 4

When is twilight?

Answer 4

30 mins after sunset
30 mins before sunrise

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE NIGHT CURRENT TO FLY AT THIS TIME

Question 5

Legal Definitions of Night

Answer 5

Sunset to Sunrise Nav Lights
The End of Evening Civil Twilight to the Beginning of Morning Civil Twilight Night Flight Log
1hr After Sunset to 1hr Before Sunrise To Log Night Landings

Question 6

Pilot Controlled Lighting

Answer 6

3 5 secs
5 5 secs
7 5 secs

Check sectional for what frequency it is used on (under services)

Question 7

Chemicals the Brain Creates for Sleep

Answer 7

Melatonin: promotes sleep and maintains sleep wake cycle (responds to darkness)

Adenosine: promotes sleepiness (cleared after rest)

Serotonin: helps to produce melatonin

Question 8

Anatomy of the Eye

Answer 8

Light enters the eye through the cornea, and into the pupil

The iris controls the opening and closing of the pupil (this controls the amount of light let into the eye)

The retina contains the rods and cones

Question 9

Rods and Cones

Answer 9

Cones (more of them): used for day or high intensity light vision, detect vision, perceive color, and identify far distance objects (central vision)

Rods: 10,000 more sensitive to light, used for low light vision, detect movement in shades of grey

Question 10

Types of Vision

Answer 10

Photopic: daytime, central vision perceive and interpret images and the color of objects
Mesopic: dawn, dusk, of full moonlight decreases visual acuity and color vision uses central and peripheral vision
Scotopic: during nighttime, partial moonlight, central viewing will create a BLIND SPOT! Peripheral vision is the only provides the only means of vision

Question 11

Night Blind Spot

Answer 11

In LOW light the blind spot can affect the 5 to 10 degrees of the central vision, increasing with distance hiding larger objects

Question 12

Dark Adaptation

Answer 12

30 mins in dim light/darkness for the eyes to develop Night Vision

Dark adapted eyes can be affected by bright light for 1 sec or more.

Question 13

Hypoxia Concerns

Answer 13

Retinal rods use more oxygen consumption causing hypoxia at lower altitudes. Rhodopsin is a protein that powers the retinal rods

Above 10,000 feet Day and Above 5,000 at Night (recommended use of supplemental oxygen)

Question 14

Red Light vs White Light

Answer 14

White for preflight and chart reading (dimmed)
Red for flight deck operations

Question 15

FAR Reg for Night Lights

Answer 15

VFR night flight is required to have approved anti-collision lights BUT the PIC can choose to turn off the anti collision lighting in the interest of safety

Landing Lights are used when operating within 10 miles of an airport and below 10,000ft (applicable day and night)

Question 16

Rotating Beacons

Answer 16

Airports
Land = w,g,w
Military= w,w,g
Water= w,y
Helicopter= w,g,y

Red flashes indicate obstructions or areas considered hazardous to aerial navigation
High intensity white lights mark supporting structures that stretch across rivers, chasms, and gorges

Question 17

Runway Lighting

Answer 17

Lights on the runway: white and yellow 2,000 feet from the end
Taxiway:

Question 18

Scanning

Answer 18

Day: short, regularly spaced eye movements not exceeding 10 degrees, and each are observed for 1 sec

Night: focus on spot 5-10 degrees to the side of the object you are trying to see, scan in 30 degree sections overlapping each section by about 10 degrees (off center viewing)

Question 19

Other Concerns

Answer 19

Notams (more things are closed)
Night Emergencies turn to lighted areas like roads only land in a dark area if you know the terrain
Extra 45 mins of fuel for night flight
Icing is much harder to see avoid visible moisture