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To earn a private pilot certificate for airplanes, you need at least 3 hours of night flight training, including a cross-country flight of more than 100 nautical miles total distance and 10 takeoffs and 10 full-stop landings, under 14 CFR 61.109. After you are certificated, you need 3 night takeoffs and full-stop landings in the previous 90 days to carry passengers at night under 61.57(b). Here is everything you need to know, including the three different definitions of "night."
Private pilot applicants need 3 hours of night flight training with an instructor under 61.109(a)(2).
One night cross-country of more than 100 nautical miles total distance is required.
Ten night takeoffs and ten full-stop landings, each involving a flight in the traffic pattern.
Three night takeoffs and full-stop landings within 90 days to carry passengers at night.
Lights, logging and currency each use a different time window.
VFR at night requires a 45-minute fuel reserve under 14 CFR 91.151.
The aeronautical experience for a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine rating is in 14 CFR 61.109(a). Out of the minimum 40 hours of flight time, the night requirement is specific:
These are training requirements, so they are flown with your instructor rather than solo. The night cross-country is often combined with the other night hours. From Van Nuys, a round trip to an airport such as Santa Barbara or Bakersfield easily exceeds 100 nautical miles total, and gives you real experience navigating over dark terrain and landing at an unfamiliar airport at night.
The 10 full-stop landings must each involve a flight in the traffic pattern, so touch-and-goes do not count toward this requirement. You will taxi back and take off again each time. Many students do several pattern sessions on different nights to spread the landings out and build confidence.
Night training is part of every private pilot license course. If you are planning an accelerated private pilot schedule, plan your night lessons early, because they depend on the time of sunset and season.
One of the most common checkride questions is "when is it night?" The answer depends on what you are asking about. The FAA uses three different time windows:
In practice, that means you turn on position lights at sunset, you can begin logging night time once civil twilight ends, and your passenger-currency landings must be made at least one hour after sunset. Many pilots simply wait until an hour after sunset to fly so every minute counts for logging and currency. Civil twilight times are published for your location; your instructor will show you where to find them.
Once you hold a private pilot certificate, 14 CFR 61.57(b) says you may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers at night unless, within the preceding 90 days, you have made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. You must have been the sole manipulator of the flight controls, in an aircraft of the same category, class and type (if a type rating is required).
Note two details. First, the landings must be to a full stop at night, unlike day currency under 61.57(a), where full stops are only required in tailwheel airplanes. Second, the rule applies to carrying passengers; you can fly alone at night to regain currency. Also remember that a flight review is required every 24 calendar months under 14 CFR 61.56. Our flight review and IPC page covers that in detail.
Under 14 CFR 91.205(c), VFR flight at night requires everything needed for day VFR, plus:
Fuel planning also changes. Under 14 CFR 91.151, an airplane flying VFR during the day must be able to reach the first point of intended landing and fly at least 30 more minutes at normal cruising speed. At night, that reserve rises to 45 minutes. Many pilots plan far more than the legal minimum, especially at night.
Your personal equipment matters too. Carry a reliable flashlight with a red or dim setting to protect your night vision, plus a backup. Organize your charts and checklists before engine start so you are not searching for them in a dark cockpit.
Night flying over Los Angeles is one of the most beautiful experiences in aviation. The grid of the San Fernando Valley lights stretches in every direction, and downtown and the coastline glow in the distance. It also has real challenges that your training will prepare you for.
The mountains around the Valley, including the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains, are dark at night and easy to lose against the sky. Your instructor will teach you to know your terrain, use published altitudes, and plan routes that keep you clear of high ground. The marine layer can also roll in after sunset and hide airports along the coast, so check weather carefully before and during flight.
Los Angeles also has busy airspace, including the Class B airspace around LAX and the Class C airspace around Burbank. At night, spotting other aircraft against city lights can be harder, so good radio work and traffic awareness matter. You will practice all of this in our Redbird MCX full-motion simulator and in the airplane. Our fleet runs from simple trainers to the Cirrus SR22 Turbo with its glass cockpit and CAPS parachute system.
If you want to fly at night in reduced visibility or clouds, the next step is an instrument rating. Career pilots will see more night requirements on the commercial pilot license, including a 2-hour night cross-country of more than 100 nautical miles straight-line distance and 5 hours of night VFR with 10 takeoffs and landings at a towered airport under 14 CFR 61.129(a).
Every cross-country rule for your private pilot certificate.
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