Backcountry Pilot • Night Landing

Night Landing

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Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:06 pm

Night Landing

I have several hundred hours in Super Decathlon and Pitts but NO night TW landings. As a general dumb question before approaching an instructor, do the runway lights give you feedback quick enough to let your feet keep you out of the weeds? Do you shift eye focus from the runway lights/altitude cue before touchdown to the landing light/centerline cue after touchdown?
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Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:16 pm

Re: Night Landing

No different than landing anything else at night. Eyeballs out, not down.

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Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:32 pm

Re: Night Landing

I land better at night, not as short, but smoother.
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Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:55 pm

Re: Night Landing

I have few night landings because I prefer to be drinking any time the sun approaches the western horizon.

That said, it's just a landing; don't overthink it. Get stable and it will probably be one of your best because you have fewer cues to make it perfect. (I wouldn't consider this on a runway that came close to your daytime minimums.)

I've kept my pulse lights on while landing at night to the annoyance of my CFI but I didn't see an advantage of the constant on of my landing lights and I know almost everybody sees the pulsing. My insensitive attitude may be due to the IFR training; set it up; maintain it; watch it unfold.
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Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:03 pm

Re: Night Landing

Just as the other guys said, same as landing anything else at night.

I like to 2pt at night, but I almost always 2pt anyways so..

One GREAT investment is a nice landing light, seems like alot of the tailwheel planes have crap for landing lights (mine included), best combo IMHO a LED taxi/pulse and a HID landing light.
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Fri Jun 03, 2011 6:24 am

Re: Night Landing

As has already been said, it is no different...in aircraft with forward visibility. However, you mentioned a Pitts which has limited to no forward vis over the nose with the tail on the ground and no landing light that I can recall. In the Maule, Cessna, Citabria, etc it is business as usual, but having (unintentionally) landed a Stearman after dark (no landing / taxi light) I can tell you it is a whole new ballgame...especially on an overcast or moonless night where treelines, horizon, etc are not visible for reference. In this case all you have are the runway lights and any subsequent lighting that may give a clue as to the runway and its surroundings. Once the tail comes down you are left to instinct and feel to keep it straight judging by the distance at which the runway lights pass on either side of you. If they stay the same distance as the previous ones you passed then you are still going straight down the runway :D I would not suggest trying this until you are very comfortable with the aircraft and your abilities. Even then it is a bit unnerving. There is a good reason why tailwheel warbirds are not flown after dark. :wink:
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Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:16 am

Re: Night Landing

NineThreeKilo wrote: One GREAT investment is a nice landing light, seems like alot of the tailwheel planes have crap for landing lights (mine included), best combo IMHO a LED taxi/pulse and a HID landing light.


Some people, me included, prefer not to use a landing light. Especially in blowing rain or snow. It messes with depth perception, and adds to the list of optical illusions at minimally lighted airstrips.

Now if there are no runway lights, and you gotta find the strip in the dark, then most times a landing light helps... :twisted:

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Sat Jun 04, 2011 12:34 pm

Re: Night Landing

Good lights also are great for helping see critters on the runway.
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Sat Jun 04, 2011 3:10 pm

Re: Night Landing

NineThreeKilo wrote:Good lights also are great for helping see critters on the runway.


Hafast wrote:Here's one of my favorites...............

NTSB Identification: ATL92LA067 .
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 46243.
Accident occurred Saturday, March 21, 1992 in BARNWELL, SC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/8/1993
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N5441B
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 3 Uninjured.
THE PILOT HAD TAKEN A NEWLYWED COUPLE UP ON A CEREMONIAL 'MILE HIGH' LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT AS A WEDDING GIFT. HE REPORTED THAT DURING A MANEUVER HE FELT A 'SHUDDER', AND ELECTED TO MAKE A LOW PASS OVER AN AIRPORT TAXIWAY, BY SOME FRIENDS ON THE GROUND WITH A HAND-HELD RADIO, FOR A 'LANDING GEAR CHECK'. DURING THE SECOND PASS THE PILOT ASKED THE COUPLE TO 'LOOK TO THE RIGHT WHERE THE MOON SHINES OVER BARNWELL.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SPECTATOR ON THE TAXIWAY. A PAX STATED THAT THE PILOT THEN 'FREAKED OUT' AND WAS IN NO CONDITION TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. DURING A SUBSEQUENT LANDING ATTEMPT, A PAX PREVENTED A GO-AROUND BY FORCING THE YOKE FORWARD AND PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDALS WITH HIS HANDS. THE PAX STATED THE PILOT 'WANTED TO KEEP FLYING AND HE WAS GOING NUTS.' THE PILOT FLED THE SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT BUT RETURNED LATER. THE PILOT HAD ARRANGED TO HAVE THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND 'MOON' THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LOW PASS.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND WHILE MAKING A LOW PASS AT NIGHT.
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