10.night-preflight-and-equipment. Night Preflight and Equipment
Night flight introduces hazards that demand a more deliberate preflight inspection and a carefully equipped airplane. The reduced visual cues available after sunset mean that any equipment failure — electrical, lighting, or instrument — that would be a nuisance during the day can become a genuine emergency at night. The Airplane Flying Handbook emphasizes that preparation begins long before engine start, with the pilot, the aircraft, and the cockpit all configured for the unique demands of darkness.
Required Aircraft Equipment
Under 14 CFR 91.205(c), an airplane operated at night under visual flight rules must have, in addition to the day VFR equipment list, the following operable items (remembered by the mnemonic FLAPS):
- Fuses or circuit breakers — a spare set of fuses (three of each kind, or one spare of each kind) if fuses are used
- Landing light — required if the aircraft is operated for hire
- Anticollision light system — typically a red or white rotating beacon and/or strobes
- Position lights — red on the left wingtip, green on the right, white on the tail
- Source of electrical power — adequate for all installed electrical and radio equipment (alternator or generator)
Position lights must be displayed from sunset to sunrise per 14 CFR 91.209. The anticollision light, if installed, must also be on, although it may be turned off if the pilot determines that operating it is in the interest of safety (for example, in clouds where strobe reflection causes disorientation).
Preflight Inspection at Night
The walkaround should ideally be completed before darkness falls, or in a well-lit hangar or ramp area. A high-quality flashlight — preferably with both white and red lenses, plus a spare with fresh batteries — is essential. During the inspection, pay particular attention to:
- All exterior lights: navigation, anticollision, landing/taxi, and any logo or wing inspection lights. Verify each illuminates and that lenses are clean and uncracked.
- Static wicks and antennas, which are easily missed in low light.
- Fuel quantity and color — verify visually, not just by gauge, using a flashlight to confirm contamination-free samples.
- Pitot heat operation, since night flights often encounter cooler temperatures and possible visible moisture.
- Windscreen cleanliness. Smudges and bug residue scatter light from oncoming aircraft and runway lights, dramatically reducing visual acuity.
Cockpit Preparation
Before engine start, organize the cockpit so that everything needed in flight can be located by feel or with minimal light. Recommended items include:
- Two flashlights (primary and backup), with red or low-intensity white settings to preserve night vision
- Current sectional and IFR charts, or a charged electronic flight bag (EFB) with a backup power source
- A clean, organized kneeboard with frequencies and route information pre-written
- Spare batteries for headset, EFB, and flashlight
Adjust all interior lighting before taxi. Panel and instrument lights should be set to the lowest level that allows comfortable reading — excessive brightness washes out outside references and degrades dark adaptation, which takes approximately 30 minutes to fully develop.
Personal Equipment and Physiological Readiness
The pilot is part of the equipment list. Night vision is a perishable skill that depends on physiological condition. Consider the following:
- Avoid bright white lights for at least 30 minutes before flight to allow the rods in the retina to adapt.
- Supplemental oxygen is recommended above 5,000 ft MSL at night (per the AIM and PHAK), because hypoxia degrades night vision before any other symptom is noticeable.
- Avoid smoking, which raises blood carbon monoxide and reduces effective night vision performance, sometimes equivalent to flying several thousand feet higher.
- Use the off-center viewing technique: look approximately 5° to 10° off to the side of an object to use the more light-sensitive rod cells, since the cone-rich fovea is nearly blind in low light.
Engine Start and Taxi Considerations
Before start, turn on the rotating beacon to alert ramp personnel. Position lights are turned on as required. The landing light is generally used for takeoff and landing and may be left on below 10,000 ft as a collision-avoidance measure (the FAA "Operation Lights On" program). When taxiing, the taxi light should be used; avoid the landing light on the ramp because it can blind other pilots and ground crew.
Example Scenario
A pilot planning a 1900 local departure in summer files a VFR flight at 6,500 ft MSL for a 2-hour cross-country. Preflight is conducted at 1830 in remaining daylight. Position lights come on at sunset. Because the cruise altitude is above 5,000 ft at night, the pilot elects to use a portable pulse oximeter to monitor saturation. A backup flashlight, charged EFB, and paper sectional are stowed within reach. With this preparation, a single equipment failure does not become an emergency.