Night Landings

captainphil

captainphil

Well-Known Member
Ok guys, I am having trouble making smooth landings at night due to various reasons:

1) the airport I fly at doesn't have centerline lights
2) I don't have great perception landing at night as I would during the day
3) sometimes theres a x-wind
4) sometimes I feel im higher than I actually am

Do you have techniques for night landings to make them smooth ?

Thanks !!
 
Nose high attitude, keep some power in, fly her to the runway. When the wheels hit chop the throttle. You will end up landing longer but you'll have good landings.
 
Depends on the aircraft but I just land like normal -- but the landing lights and how much is reflecting from the runway helps a lot in determining distance from ground.
 
I used to just flare when I felt I was about 5 feet high (depends on the type of airplane). It's kindof hard to get that through your mind- but it does work. The simple truth though is, you probably won't be anywhere near as proficient with night landings as day landings until you get a lot of night experience... something that usually doesn't happen until well beyond your private/instrument ratings.
 
Centerline lights suck. especially when you break out and they're on high, and they're so bright you guess when to pull power. Thanks MKE!
 
Runway edge lights are a great tool. Throughout final, line yourself up right between the edges. If the two edges of the runway look different to you, then you're off centerline. Of course this sounds obvious, but asking yourself whether the two edges of the runway look the same might help a lot.

Additionally, you can use these lights and your peripheral vision to judge your height. Once you start to feel like you're descending through the level of the runway edge lights, you're just about ready to touch down. Note that you aren't going to see as much of the runway surface as you will during the day. Perhaps waiting to see the runway surface itself is what's causing you to think you're higher than you really are.

From my (limited) experience as an instructor, the pilots who make the smoothest and most consistent night landings are the ones who treat them like day landings. The actual technique is no different, it's just an issue of getting used to the subtle visual cues.

Good luck.
 
I am guessing night landings arent as near as hard as trying to land with the sun setting off the end of the runway:banghead:
 
mnixon said:
Centerline lights suck. especially when you break out and they're on high, and they're so bright you guess when to pull power. Thanks MKE!
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They suck when you break out somewhat high on an approach (like 400 AGL or more).... but if you're shooting an approach into fog and those centerline lights (along with the touchdown zone lighting) can get you down to 1800RVR, they're awesome. Anything that helps me get into an airport in fog or a blizzard is ok with me.
 
gomntwins said:
They suck when you break out somewhat high on an approach (like 400 AGL or more).... but if you're shooting an approach into fog and those centerline lights (along with the touchdown zone lighting) can get you down to 1800RVR, they're awesome. Anything that helps me get into an airport in fog or a blizzard is ok with me.
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Don't forget departing under those conditions too!
 
mnixon said:
Centerline lights suck. especially when you break out and they're on high, and they're so bright you guess when to pull power. Thanks MKE!
Click to expand...

That's when the glassy water seaplane training comes in handy - get low, pull most of the power and hold it off til you hit. :) I don't like those bright CL lights either.
 
mnixon said:
Centerline lights suck. especially when you break out and they're on high, and they're so bright you guess when to pull power. Thanks MKE!
Click to expand...

LOL, the FO I flew with the other night was just complaining about that.
 
Cav said:
Don't forget departing under those conditions too!
Click to expand...

Very true! There's not much worse than having the RVR less than 1800 and all you want to do is takeoff and get the job done (pt. 135). I agree that actually landing with those centerline lights on high at night can be a little disorienting as to where the ground actually is... but the perks of having them well outweigh any negatives!
 
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