Night aviation regulations in the US

Updated on Nov 08, 2023

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Night aviation regulations in the US are administered and enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unlike many countries, the United States places no special restrictions on VFR flying at night.

Definitions

Three different concepts of "night" are referred to in the Federal Aviation Regulations in the US. These include the periods from

sunset to sunrise,
the end of evening civil twilight to the beginning of morning civil twilight (this is the "standard definition of night", given in FAR Section 1.1),
one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.

These uses of night are listed in order of increasing restrictiveness. The end of evening civil twilight generally occurs less than one hour after sunset. AirNav is a good source for sunset and sunrise and evening civil twilight and morning civil twilight.

Recency and Equipment Requirements

To log night hours, one uses the standard definition of night, given in FAR Section 1.1.

Takeoffs and landings required to fulfill the recency requirements of FAR 61.57 must be conducted between one hour after sunset, and one hour before sunrise.

Restrictions on carrying passengers also refers to the period from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.

The "night" restriction on Special VFR clearances, namely that the pilot and aircraft are rated and equipped for IFR, applies from sunset to sunrise, see AIM 4-4-6(g).

Position lights are required from sunset to sunrise (see FAR 91.209 and AIM 4-3-23).

Additional equipment required for VFR flight during the standard definition of night is given in FAR 91.205c, and summarized by the FLAPS mnemonic:

Fuses

Landing light (if for hire)

Anti-collision lights (beacon, strobe)

Position lights

Source of electricity

References

Night aviation regulations in the US Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

Definitions

Recency and Equipment Requirements

References