The FAA PPL Includes a night rating but as to whether the qualification is recognised within the training for a JAR PPL is another thing, I guess ask the CFI at your airfield, I know for sure it isnt in the syllibus.
Alot of schools wont allow you to obtain the night rating without first having an IMC (Although this is not a CAA requirement) but it makes sense I guess, my flying club wont allow me to have a NR without the IMC 🙁
I Had an interesting flight today, I took off at 4:10pm from Bristol knowing sunset was imminent, before we took off the operations manager asked if I minded using my flight time to go to Dunkeswell to pick up a pilot who had landed there in the club’s ArrowIII as it had engine trouble, he said I could have the flight for free so obviously being £100 p/h I jumped at it but as it transpired I didnt have to go anyway, I was circling around Bridgewater at 4:30pm thinking Id better head home as the sun was setting, I got clearance to enter Bristol zone for rejoin and told to hold at the end of the downwind leg “until advised”, well by this time Bristol City was lit up, the sun was gone, the Anti Collision beacon was lighting up my wings and I was still holding, then they announced an emergency flight coming in, well it was the ArrowIII from Dunkeswell, Im thinking “okaaay” its kind of pretty dark here and I havent got a night rating, everything was lit up, it was gone 5 oclock, the Easyjets were coming and going at a rate and I still couldnt get clearance, well eventually I was cleared to Finals No 1 but an EZY was taking off so I was told minimum 2 mile final, well its now gone 5pm and basically it was dark and again, no night rating, if I had diverted it WOULD have been night, had I came in and held for 5 minutes for a few commercials I would have been ok, the flight with the emergency obviously held me up for alot longer than anticipated.
I guess what Im saying is yes in some circumstances a night rating would be an absolute godsend, there would have been no stress on my part to get the plane on the ground so I wouldnt hesitate to get the rating, and yes the views are absolutely stunning.
Dean
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