Flying doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Some pilots would rather fly at night than during the day. Here are some of the reasons why.
Fall is here, and its arrival is marked by increasingly shorter days. But that doesn’t mean your flying has to slow down. In fact, there are a lot of pilots who prefer to fly at night. Why? Absent the heating of the sun, there are no currents of rising air, which usually makes for an exceptionally smooth ride. There’s less traffic at night. And when the sky is crystal clear, the view is fantastic—lights dot the surface like radiant jewels, and checkpoints such as cities and towns can be seen when you’re still miles away. Students must receive training in night flight before they can take the private pilot checkride; sport pilots are not allowed to fly at night. (Click the image to view it full size.)
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