For many general aviation pilots, night flying is a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of flying during busy days. There is less traffic, the air is smoother, the radios seem quieter. However, night flying in single-engine aircraft has its downsides as well. Even maintaining night currency can be a challenge, especially during the long summer days. In any event, the allure of taking off into a beautiful sunset goes hand in hand with respecting the hazards associated with flying at night. To our airline and military friends, night flying is just part of the job. Flying day and night through multiple time zones is a routine part of the schedule. In fact, the North Atlantic Organised Track System (NAT-OTC) is designed so that most eastbound flights to Europe begin after dinner and land before breakfast. As a reward for finding Europe in the dark, the daylight tracks bring the airline pilots home! Military pilots, especially bomber and attack, will tell you that the night is their best friend. It's a lot easier to hide an immense B-52 from the enemy at midnight than at noon. So, it is probably a good idea to see the night through their eyes. Here are some tips from the nighttime pros.
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