Hi guys,
I've got a question regarding recency requirements for flying IFR at night that i've got into a 'discussion' with another pilot.

He has stated that to fly IFR at night you have to have done either 1 takeoff and 1 landing at night in the past 6 months (as per the NVFR recency) or 3 of the same to take passengers.

I don't think that you do, and you just have to meet the normal IFR recency requirements as they apply to flight time and approaches. I've read CAO 40.2.1 para 11 'Recent experience requirements' and it doesn't differentiate between day and night for IFR recency.

Who is right? Me or the other pilot?

Cheers

Mark

Good question. CAR 5.109(b)Commerical (aeroplane) pilot: recency requirements does say that a night flight requires 3 takeoff and landings at night within 90 days. The same applies to day flights. Does this not apply to IFR flights, if not where does it say?

What about a private IFR flight where the pilot has a PIFR, with Night approval?

I believe the CAAP states that no recency applies to the PIFR

Richard

I don't have an IR nor have I done the IREX but I need to ask why one with an IR would need to be approved for IFR flying at night? Would this have something to do with the possibility of the need to downgrade to VFR in some airspace when VMC exist?

If so I can understand, if not, please enlighten me =\

Thanks in advance!

CAR 5.82 and CAR 5.109 Require that any private or commercial [aeroplane] pilot intending to carry passengers, must have completed three take-offs and landings in the last 90 days. This would apply to all flights, IFR or VFR, day or night.

CAO 40.2.14 is really a different story. It's talking about a pilot who holds an instrument rating who wishes to adopt VFR procedure at night. Note that an instrument rated pilot can fly under night VFR even if he/she does not hold a night VFR rating, providing the following recent experience conditions are met.

1 Private/aerial work flights without passengers providing the recent experience includes one take-off and landing in the last six months.

2 Private/aerial work flights with passengers providing the recent experience includes three take-offs and landings in the last ninety days.

3. All charter flights, with or without passengers, providing the recent experience includes three take-offs and landings in the last ninety days.

So what about IFR flights (day or night)? Why are the 3 takeoff and landings (assuming passengers on board) not required?

There are a number of ways to ask this question and depending upon how you do it you may get a different response.

My point was that given:
- A flight is private in nature
- No passengers will be carried
- The PIC holds a "current" PIFR (that is passed the flight test or PIFR Review under CAR 5.17A)
- The PIC holds a Night FPA

It would be legal for the pilot to conduct that flight under the IFR at night. In this case one simply files an IFR flight plan and goes on a solo flight of one hour duration.

Upon landing at the destination it is now legal to cancel IFR and conduct a further two circuits VFR.

PIC is now current to fly with passengers at night under PIFR / CIR / NVFR.

Whether that is a smart thing to do is something the PIC should probably consider. CAO 40.2.3 6.2b states that a PIFR holder must not conduct a flight under the IFR unless “the holder has sufficient recent experience to undertake the flight safely”.

Richard

So if I hold an IR, would I be able to carry passengers at night on PVT ops under the IFR provided that I've done three take offs and landings in the past 90 days even if these were during the day?

Thanks

Tianyi

The recent experience requirement of having conducted at least 1 night take-off and at least 1 night landing within the previous 6 months, or been assessed as competent to conduct a flight at night by a flight instructor, pertains to Night VFR Ratings: CASR 61.965.

The recent experience requirement of having conducted at least 3 night take-offs and at least 3 night landings within the previous 90 days for carrying a passenger at night pertains to Pilot Licences: CASR 61.395 (2).