night currency

[Aviator1988]

Student gave me this scenario today. say you have just passed your private or CFI checkride. you have not flown any night time in the past 5 months. does passing the ride make you current?

My answer was no.

 

[Stomp16]

Passing a checkride has nothing to do with it. 3 t/o and landings to a full stop at night within the preceding 90 days is all you need.

 

[Brian Z]

Do not see anything here:

(b) Night takeoff and landing experience. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, and—
(i) That person acted as sole manipulator of the flight controls; and
(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required).
(2) The takeoffs and landings required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be accomplished in a flight simulator that is—
(i) Approved by the Administrator for takeoffs and landings, if the visual system is adjusted to represent the period described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section; and
(ii) Used in accordance with an approved course conducted by a training center certificated under part 142 of this chapter.

and the mentioned exception

(e) Exceptions. (1) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply to a pilot in command who is employed by a certificate holder under part 125 and engaged in a flight operation for that certificate holder if the pilot is in compliance with §§125.281 and 125.285 of this chapter.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

Student gave me this scenario today. say you have just passed your private or CFI checkride. you have not flown any night time in the past 5 months. does passing the ride make you current?

I sometimes ask this question to get insight into the thought process:

Why would someone think it would?

 

[Green Banana]

Thinking BFR?.....

 

[flyboy6585]

Student gave me this scenario today. say you have just passed your private or CFI checkride. you have not flown any night time in the past 5 months. does passing the ride make you current?

My answer was no.

Your answer may be incorrect..but for the right reasons. Passing a checkride has absolutely nothing to do with being night current to fly with passengers...but if the ride was at night and the student did 3 takeoffs and landings to a full stop between the hours of 1 hr. after sunset and 1 hr before sunrise then he would be current.

So to be fair before saying "no" you would have to specifiy the conditions of the flight :/

 

[Fly_Unity]

Your answer may be incorrect..but for the right reasons. Passing a checkride has absolutely nothing to do with being night current to fly with passengers...but if the ride was at night and the student did 3 takeoffs and landings to a full stop between the hours of 1 hr. after sunset and 1 hr before sunrise then he would be current.

So to be fair before saying "no" you would have to specifiy the conditions of the flight :/

He did specify the conditions in the original post :yup:

 

[Nihon_Ni]

Your answer may be incorrect..but for the right reasons. Passing a checkride has absolutely nothing to do with being night current to fly with passengers...but if the ride was at night and the student did 3 takeoffs and landings to a full stop between the hours of 1 hr. after sunset and 1 hr before sunrise then he would be current.

So to be fair before saying "no" you would have to specifiy the conditions of the flight :/

Even if the ride was done at night, with 3 landings to a full stop...

5 months ago > 90 days = not current

 

[Xiph]

Even if the ride was done at night, with 3 landings to a full stop...

5 months ago > 90 days = not current

If the ride had included three night landings, that would be enough for currency, and he'd be good for another 90 days.

I interpret the OP as saying that no night landings had been logged for 5 months prior to the checkride.

 

[Mike H]

It would be pretty hard to imagine a realistic scenario where a PPL checkride (or any checkride) was done at night. Would they even do a night checkride in Alaska?

 

[youngflyer]

It would be pretty hard to imagine a realistic scenario where a PPL checkride (or any checkride) was done at night. Would they even do a night checkride in Alaska?

We had a student from Japan at our school who got down to the absolute last day before getting on the plane to Tokyo. We started this test about a half hour before dusk and completed the "high altitude elements" (steep turns, slow flight, stalls) first so he had some horizon reference. I remember doing the "turns around a point" using the control tower (with permission from the amused controller) and then the navigation element as it got dark.

http://faaflighttest.us/TestingConditions.html

 

[Nihon_Ni]

Student gave me this scenario today. say you have just passed your private or CFI checkride. you have not flown any night time in the past 5 months. does passing the ride make you current?

My answer was no.

Even if the ride was done at night, with 3 landings to a full stop...

5 months ago > 90 days = not current

If the ride had included three night landings, that would be enough for currency, and he'd be good for another 90 days.

I interpret the OP as saying that no night landings had been logged for 5 months prior to the checkride.

I need to stop posting when I'm too tired to understand what I read! Ugh! :insane:

 

[Mike H]

raises another question.

if the student wasn't night-current, could he be PIC for a night checkride?

i'm thinking no

 

[Xiph]

raises another question.

if the student wasn't night-current, could he be PIC for a night checkride?

i'm thinking no

If it's a private checkride, then the student isn't qualified to be PIC anyway, day or not. So I'm thinking that the fact that it's a checkride with an examiner cancels out the currency requirement, assuming that the examiner is night current - someone in the plane needs to be.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

If it's a private checkride, then the student isn't qualified to be PIC anyway,

But he is. The examiner is, by regulation (61.47(b)) not the pilot in command on a practical. That's why 61.47(c) takes away any limitation on carrying passengers that would ordinarily apply.

The regulation is there pretty much as an attempt to protect the examiner from PIC liability. But the effect is to make the applicant PIC, even if it's a atudent pilot taking the private checkride.

 

[chuckles1225]

raises another question.

if the student wasn't night-current, could he be PIC for a night checkride?

i'm thinking no

Does night currency even apply to student pilots? The only time they can act as PIC is when they are solo so even if some crazy CFI gave them a night solo endorsement and they did three full stop landings, they would be meaningless until the student gets their ppl. As another poster already pointed out...the examiner is neither a passenger nor PIC so no currency needed there.

 

[clestudentpilot]

Does night currency even apply to student pilots? The only time they can act as PIC is when they are solo so even if some crazy CFI gave them a night solo endorsement and they did three full stop landings, they would be meaningless until the student gets their ppl. As another poster already pointed out...the examiner is neither a passenger nor PIC so no currency needed there.

How is the examiner not a passenger?

 

[poser765]

How is the examiner not a passenger?

But he is. The examiner is, by regulation (61.47(b)) not the pilot in command on a practical. That's why 61.47(c) takes away any limitation on carrying passengers that would ordinarily apply.

The regulation is there pretty much as an attempt to protect the examiner from PIC liability. But the effect is to make the applicant PIC, even if it's a atudent pilot taking the private checkride.

He even gave you a reg reference.

§ 61.47 Status of an examiner who is authorized by the Administrator to conduct practical tests.

(a) An examiner represents the Administrator for the purpose of conducting practical tests for certificates and ratings issued under this part and to observe an applicant's ability to perform the areas of operation on the practical test.

(b) The examiner is not the pilot in command of the aircraft during the practical test unless the examiner agrees to act in that capacity for the flight or for a portion of the flight by prior arrangement with:

(1) The applicant; or

(2) A person who would otherwise act as pilot in command of the flight or for a portion of the flight.

(c) Notwithstanding the type of aircraft used during the practical test, the applicant and the examiner (and any other occupants authorized to be on board by the examiner) are not subject to the requirements or limitations for the carriage of passengers that are specified in this chapter.

 

[clestudentpilot]

He even gave you a reg reference.

§ 61.47 Status of an examiner who is authorized by the Administrator to conduct practical tests.

(a) An examiner represents the Administrator for the purpose of conducting practical tests for certificates and ratings issued under this part and to observe an applicant's ability to perform the areas of operation on the practical test.

(b) The examiner is not the pilot in command of the aircraft during the practical test unless the examiner agrees to act in that capacity for the flight or for a portion of the flight by prior arrangement with:

(1) The applicant; or

(2) A person who would otherwise act as pilot in command of the flight or for a portion of the flight.

(c) Notwithstanding the type of aircraft used during the practical test, the applicant and the examiner (and any other occupants authorized to be on board by the examiner) are not subject to the requirements or limitations for the carriage of passengers that are specified in this chapter.

OK, I realize he is not PIC. Where does it say he is not a passenger?

 

[poser765]

OK, I realize he is not PIC. Where does it say he is not a passenger?

(c) Notwithstanding the type of aircraft used during the practical test, the applicant and the examiner (and any other occupants authorized to be on board by the examiner) are not subject to the requirements or limitations for the carriage of passengers that are specified in this chapter.