As a pilot, it's essential to keep an accurate record of your flying hours in your logbook. One crucial aspect of this is recording night time flights. But what exactly is considered "night time", and how do you calculate it? In this article, we'll cover the basic concepts of night time calculation for a pilot logbook.
What is night time?
The most common way to define night time is by considering the interval after sunset and before sunrise. The times of sunset and sunrise vary significantly depending on the geographical location and time of year, though: during the summer months, for instance, areas closer to the poles may experience 24-hour daylight, while areas closer to the equator typically have more consistent daylight throughout the year.
The FAA definition of "night time" goes a little bit beyond, as it considers the period between the end of evening "civil twilight" and the beginning of morning "civil twilight".
The civil twilight
Civil twilight is defined as the period when the sun is below the horizon, but there is still enough light to see objects on the ground. The duration of civil twilight, as sunset and sunrise times, also varies based on the time of year and latitude. For example, at the North Pole, civil twilight can last for several weeks during the summer months, making it challenging to calculate night time.
Polar Flights
Since the poles experience months of continuous daylight and darkness, calculating night time for flight crossing the poles can be really complicated, as pilots may experience many sunrises and sunsets, so a different approach is needed.
In general, the FAA defines "night time" for polar flights as any time the sun is more than 18 degrees below the horizon. This is known as "astronomical twilight." The exact definition can vary depending on the location and time of year, so it's important to consult the appropriate charts or tools.
Requirements
Flying night times is a requirement, independent of your country. Usually, pilots must log a minimum of 3 hours of night flight time for a private pilot certificate, for instance.
Night flights must include takeoffs and landings to a full stop at an airport, using both visual and instrument approaches. Pilots pursuing certain certifications and ratings may need additional night flight experience.
Night Time Auto-Calculation
As you can see, keeping track of night time hours manually can be tedious and prone to errors. To make record-keeping more manageable, many pilots use electronic logbooks like Wader Pilot Logbook, which offers an automatic night time calculation feature that makes logging your hours much easier.
All you need to do is enter your flight details, and the app will automatically calculate your night time hours based on the sunset and sunrise times for your location. It also takes into account any time zone changes such as in polar flights, so you don't have to worry about making any mistakes.
Conclusion
Recording night time flights accurately is essential for a pilot's logbook. While the basic concept of night time calculation is straightforward, it can become more complicated than it looks, specially for polar flights.
Fortunately, tools like the Wader Pilot Logbook make it much easier to log your hours accurately and efficiently. With our automatic night time calculation feature, you can spend less time on paperwork and more time flying!
Additionally, Wader Pilot Logbook provides advanced analytics and insights, giving pilots a deeper understanding of their flying experience. If you haven't check it yet, give it a try and download it here now!