Night-flying Quiz

Night-Flying Quiz is available in  PDF format (file size 113 KB) which will download in approximately 47 seconds on a 28.8 connection and may be viewed using version 3.0 or higher of the Adobe® Acrobat Reader. This reader may be downloaded free of charge by visiting the Adobe® web site.

After a long, warm summer, it’s that time of year again—when the days become shorter and shorter. Night-flying becomes more of a reality, but are we prepared for the task? Here are some questions to test your knowledge and get you back in the night-flying mode.

1. What is the official definition of night? (according to the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs))

2. You are allowed to take off from but not land at an unlighted aerodrome at night.

True or False?

3. In addition to the operational and emergency equipment required to be carried on board the aircraft, what extra piece of equipment must also be carried at night?

4. An aircraft operated in night visual flight rules (NVFR) shall carry an amount of fuel that is sufficient to allow the aircraft to fly to the destination aerodrome and to continue flying for a period of ____ min at normal cruising speed.

1. 30
2. 45
3. 20
4. 60

5. The minimum flight visibility required to operate an your aircraft NVFR at less than 1000 ft AGL is

1. not less than one mile;
2. not less than three miles;
3. not less than half a mile; or
4. not less than two miles.

6. For night vision, it takes time for our eyes to fully adapt to the dark. In general, approximately how long will this process take?

1. 15 min
2. 30 min
3. 45 min
4. 60 min

7. There are several things that a pilot can do to protect his/her night vision, these include

1. using the dimmest acceptable interior lighting;
2. if it is necessary to use a bright light, closing one eye in order to prevent losing night adaptation in that eye;
3. wearing sunglasses in bright light situations; or
4. all of the above.

8. While flying at night, under what conditions should you turn the cockpit lighting up to full bright?

1. All the time, in order to see the flight and engine instruments clearly.
2. Never, in order to preserve your night vision adaptation.
3. When flying in an area of thunderstorms.
4. Only when reading a chart or flight publication.

9. You are planning to depart from an airport that has a positive control zone at night. You told by ATC that the weather has gone below VFR and special VFR (SVFR) is in effect. Can you legally continue with your takeoff and departure?

Yes or No?

10. While conducting a pre-flight check of your aircraft for a night flight, you discover that the anti-collision light is not working. You are you allowed to proceed with your night flight as long as it is repaired prior to your next flight.

True or False?

11. The pilot-in-command is required to carry spare fuses during the flight for his/her aircraft .

True or False?

12. Where would you look to find out the information on an aircraft radio control of aerodrome lighting (ARCAL) system?

13. You are taxiing out to the runway with two passengers on board to depart on a local flight. When you go to turn on the landing light, you realize that it is not working. For this situation, which of the following statements is/are correct:

1. You may continue with the flight as long as you remain within 25 NM of the airport.
2. You may continue anyway.
3. You may continue only without passengers on board.
4. You cannot continue at all.

14. Serviceable aircraft position lights are required for any night flight.

True or False?

15. Under dim lighting conditions when the level of illumination is below the intensity of moonlight, the central vision can become diminished to the extent that looking directly at the moon may, in fact, cause it to disappear.

True or False?

16. If you are being affected by a somatogravic illusion during a normal takeoff and departure, the body may incorrectly sense that the aircraft is

1. pitching up;
2. rolling;
3. pitching down; or
4. accelerating

17. Many accidents have occurred at night, in clear visual conditions, while the aircraft was on approach over water or dark ground. A contributing factor in these accidents has been sighted as the black-hole effect. This illusion will

1. cause the pilot to see his/her approach as too high and land short;
2. have no effect on the glide path angle;
3. cause the pilot to see his/her approach as too low and land long; or
4. not occur if the runway is near a brightly lit city.

18. Fatigue is an insidious enemy of pilots as it will decrease an individual’s mental ability. After 18 hr. of wakefulness, people exhibit a ______ % decrease in the ability to perform mental tasks.

1. 10
2. 20
3. 30
4. 40

   Answers