In some airspaces or aerodromes, Night = IFR
For licences, Night rating & BIR rating are independent
You can probably do some of the BIR-training at night and combine it that way :)
Ibra wrote:
In some airspaces or aerodromes, Night = IFRFor licences, Night rating & BIR rating are independent
Indeed, but you still need a night rating to fly IFR at night, even if a particular country doesn’t allow night VFR.
I wonder how the night training is done in countries not allowing for Night VFR flying. You need to do 5 solo take-offs and landings – how is that arranged IFR?
huv wrote:
I wonder how the night training is done in countries not allowing for Night VFR flying. You need to do 5 solo take-offs and landings – how is that arranged IFR?
This used to be the case in Ireland. We didn’t allow night VFR.
In that case, we could still do Special VFR inside a control zone. So the night rating (or qualification as it was back then) consisted or laps of the CTR under special VFR.
I wonder how the night training is done in countries not allowing for Night VFR flying
There is a concession for it (Greece allow CPL/IR ATO NVFR training for NQ even if NVFR is prohibited by AIP, Spain does similar story in airfields than bans it but allow NVFR training in non IFR aircraft)
Previously in UK, instructors used to file IFR and operate IFR for night cross-country (without holding an IR or IMCR for night flying)
I wonder how the night training is done in countries not allowing for Night VFR flying
There is a concession for it (Greece allow CPL/IR ATO NVFR training for NQ even if NVFR is prohibited by AIP, Spain does similar story in airfields than bans it but allow NVFR training in non IFR aircraft), previously in UK, instructors used to file IFR and operate IFR for night cross-country (without holding an IR or IMCR for night flying)
For night circuits in ATC aerodrome, I gather no issue: on can operate NVFR on ATC clearance without FPL as long as ATC/AD are happy, for +50km cross-country it’s tricky if airspace is IFR only and no alternates?
In France, the fun starts with NVFR flying under auto-info (no ATC and no AFIS in tower), night XC require mandatory flight plan, mandatory info and two way radio contact, how do you do night XC when no one is in tower at night?
When you call BNIA/ATC, to activate flight plan before starting the engine at night in untowred airfield, they ask if you want to operate IFR instead? in Paris, when FIS or SIV go to sleep after midnight you get frequency of CDG ATC or Orly ATC to operate under NVFR, those big airports were the only alternates available without PCL 
Thank you @ibra. I guess for the x-country you just fly normal IFR. There is nothing in the night rating syllabus that specifically requires VFR. I was just wondering about the solo part.
That said, night VFR is very different from night IFR. Navigating VFR in total darkness and especially finding, entering circuit at, and landing at an airfield with minimum lightning is not something you are prepared for, if all you have flown in darkness is IFR from one airport to another.
entering circuit at, and landing at an airfield with minimum lightning is not something you are prepared for, if all you have flown in darkness is IFR from one airport to another.
Yes landing at night in non-ILS airfields is tricky, that was a shock in Elstree & Stapleford both have short pavement in middle of green fields with minimal lights, you start getting scared on short final and flare and cheating with power eats those 600m runways, taxi on dark grass is another experience (different from “xmas tree and follow me”)
Ibra wrote:
night XC require mandatory flight plan, mandatory info and two way radio contact
Mandatory flight plan, yes. Mandatory “info and radio contact”, only “when available” – SERA.5005(c)(2). So there is no problem that the tower is closed.
