Night rating: the numbers in FCL.810

You need the night rating to exercise the privileges of your PPL(A) in VFR conditions at night. It is entered in your licence. The course is offered by an ATO (approved training organisation, on the basis of an approval) or a DTO (declared training organisation, on the basis of a declaration).

The numbers in FCL.810(a)

Element	Requirement
Course	at a DTO or ATO, completed within a period of up to 6 months
Theory	theoretical knowledge instruction
Flight time at night	at least 5 hours in the appropriate aircraft category
of which dual instruction	at least 3 hours
Cross-country navigation	at least 1 hour, with at least one dual cross-country flight of at least 50 km (27 NM)
Solo flying	5 take-offs and 5 full-stop landings

When is it night?

Under SERA, night is the period between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight. Civil twilight ends in the evening when the centre of the sun’s disc is 6 degrees below the horizon, and begins in the morning when it is 6 degrees below the horizon again. Part-FCL allows the appropriate authority to prescribe another period between sunset and sunrise.

What the course covers

EASA describes the course content in AMC1 FCL.810(a). AMC (acceptable means of compliance) are non-binding standards adopted by EASA to illustrate means to establish compliance. The course should therefore cover this content.

The theory should cover, among other things: night VMC minima, rules about airspace control at night, aerodrome, runway and obstruction lighting, navigation lights and collision avoidance, night vision, disorientation, weather deterioration at night, instruments and cockpit lighting, navigation, safety altitude and icing. VMC (visual meteorological conditions) are weather conditions in terms of visibility, distance from cloud and ceiling that are equal to or better than the specified minima.

The flying part should follow this syllabus. Starred items should be flown in simulated IMC and may be flown in daylight. IMC (instrument meteorological conditions) are conditions below the VMC minima.

Exercise	Content
1	Basic manoeuvres by sole reference to instruments, transition to instrument flight, recovery from unusual attitudes (starred)
2	Radio navigation aids when flying by sole reference to instruments (starred)
3	Radar assistance (starred)
4	Night take-off, circuit, approach and landing, with or without visual approach aids
5	Night emergency procedures, such as simulated engine failure and lighting failure
6	Solo flying: night circuits
7	Night cross-country flight with an instructor, optionally also supervised solo

Colour safety as a medical requirement

If a night rating is added to a PPL, the licence holder shall be colour safe. Colour safe means that you can readily distinguish the colours used in air navigation and correctly identify aviation coloured lights. For the PPL you need at least a class 2 medical certificate. If your perception of colours is not satisfactory, you may exercise the privileges of the licence in daytime only.

Rules for the flight at night under SERA.5005(c)

SERA allows VFR flights at night when the competent authority so prescribes. The following conditions then apply, among others:

• If you leave the vicinity of an aerodrome, you must submit a flight plan.
• You must establish and maintain two-way radio communication on the appropriate ATS channel, when available.
• The VMC minima of Table S5-1 apply, except that the ceiling must not be less than 450 m (1,500 ft) and the reduced flight visibility provisions of the table do not apply.
• In airspace classes B, C, D, E, F and G, at and below 900 m (3,000 ft) AMSL or 300 m (1,000 ft) above terrain, whichever is higher, you must keep continuous sight of the surface.
• Except for take-off and landing or with specific authorisation, you do not fly below the minimum flight altitude of the State you overfly. If none is established, you stay at least 600 m (2,000 ft) above the highest obstacle within 8 km over high terrain and in mountainous areas, and at least 300 m (1,000 ft) elsewhere.