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Private Pilot Currency

Asked by: 3905 views , ,
General Aviation, Private Pilot

Ok, I have read 61.57 over and over again.  I am a new Pilot with 93 hours.  I am currently current (fly approx 4 times a month in day), but haven't flown at night in the last 4 months. 

Is it correct to say....

#1) To get current for night and to be able to take passengers at night, I will have to fly 3 takeoffs and "full stop" landings at night.  And i don't need an instructor if I am "day" current.

and while we are on the subject....

#2) If I don't have 3 takeoffs and landings at all (day or night) for longer than 90 days, then i cannot go up alone or with passengers until i go up with an instructor and do 3 takeoffs and landings with him/her before I am current.

 

is that correct?

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3 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Dec 17, 2013

    # 1 is correct. You would not need an instructor even if you were not day current.

    #2 – If you rent the aircraft, the FBO may have a requirement for you to go up with an instructor. There is no regulatory requirement for an instructor to accompany you.

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  2. Best Answer


    John D Collins on Dec 17, 2013

    Also, the 3 takeoff and landings are during night time, but further restricted to one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise in order to count for currency to carry passengers.

    Night is defined in FAR 1.1 as

    “Night means the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight, as published in the Air Almanac, converted to local time.”

    Civil twilight is approximately one half hour after sunset.

    So you can log night time, but takeoffs and landings won’t count towards satisfying 61.57(b) unless it is accomplished one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. You can even carry passengers during the period from when night begins and the one hour after sunset point begins, without being night current. Weird.

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  3. Brian McCray on Dec 18, 2013

    Thanks guys!

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