Aims
- To learn how to plan and safely execute a cross
country flight at night
Objectives
- At the end of this lesson, the student will be able
to:
- Understand the principles behind LSALT and how to
calculate it
- Grasp radio communications for entering CTA to
depart on a night cross country
- Understand how to use GNSS to navigate at
night
Revision
- What should you do immediately after rotation on a
night VFR flight and why?
- Why do we flash the landing light three times
before starting the engine?
- Why do we apply parking brakes and toe brakes while
performing run ups at night?
Lowest Safe Altitude
(LSALT)
- LSALTs are established to ensure adequate terrain
clearance at night
- Does make some night flights difficult,
particularly if you are planning to cross the Great Dividing Range in
the summer
- Per AIP Gen 3.3, the minimum LSALT is 1500
feet
Lowest Safe Altitude
(LSALT)
- Can use
Grid LSALT
located on Enroute Charts
(see image) or OzRunways, or calculate it manually
- LSALT is 1360 feet above the highest terrain where
any obstacle is less than 360 feet above the terrain
- LSALT is 1000 feet above the highest obstacle which
is greater than 360 feet above the terrain
Calculating LSALT
Uncharted Obstacle up to 360
Feet
- For example, if there is an uncharted
obstacle (up to 360ft) above terrain of 1000ft, LSALT is:
- 1000ft (terrain height) + 1360ft (clearance
height), for an LSALT of 2360ft
Calculating LSALT
Uncharted Obstacle up to
360 Feet
Calculating LSALT
Charted Obstacle higher
than 360 Feet
- If there is an obstacle at 460ft
above terrain of 1000ft, LSALT is:
- 1460ft (obstacle + terrain height)
+ 1000ft (clearance height), for an LSALT of
2460ft
Lowest Safe Altitude
(LSALT)
Charted Obstacle higher
than 360 Feet
LSALT
GPS
LSALT at Departure
- Must not intercept course until
established at route LSALT
- Must be done in the vicinity of the
departure aerodrome
- Typical departure procedures mean circling up to
LSALT within the circuit area — 3 nautical miles
LSALT at Arrival
- Must not descend below LSALT until
visual with the destination aerodrome and within 3
nautical miles
- The only
time you may descend below LSALT is if you are being radar
vectored by ATC
- They know the radar LSALT for the area which may be
lower than calculated
NVFR Radio Communications
NVFR Radio Communications
- Radio calls for a NVFR departure into CTA are a
little different than you may be used to
- Requires coordination with ATC to ensure a timely
departure
- If you can, to reduce delays, depart early in the
morning or after the evening rush (typically after 8 PM
local)
NVFR Radio Communications
- You:
Brisbane Centre, BNE, Aquila A210 taxiing
Archerfield for Kingaroy, set course 4100, request code
- Note:
Kingaroy
informs centre of your
calculated LSALT
- Centre:
Aquila BNE, squawk 1867
- You:
1867 BNE
NVFR Radio Communications
- You:
Brisbane Centre, BNE,
Aquila A210, in the circling area Archerfield, request airways
- Centre:
Aquila BNE, climb to
4500 within the circling area, set course
- the climb will be to an altitude in your flight
plan, above LSALT
- Be prepared for airborne
delays or being told to hurry up — the airliners into YBBN take
precedence over us GA folk
NVFR Radio Communications
- Requesting airways clearance enroute is the same as
you’ve done during the day for your PPL
- Nothing changes at night, the only difference
between night and day VFR ATC communications is the departure
segment
NVFR Alternate
Requirements
Weather Alternate
Requirements
- A pilot must have an alternate airport if the
weather forecast falls below any of:
- Ceiling (SCT or more) of 1500ft AGL or below
- Visibility less than 8 kilometres
- TS or SEV TURB
- Crosswind greater than for the aircraft
Lighting Alternate
Requirements
Portable
- Where a destination has portable lighting, a pilot must have an
alternate unless a responsible person is
in attendance (and knows how to activate the lights) for ETA/ETD +/- 30
minutes
- A responsible person is someone who knows how to
operate the lighting
Lighting Alternate
Requirements
PAL
- When an airport has PAL and standby power, an alternate is required unless a responsible
person is in attendance to switch on the
aerodrome lighting manually
Lighting Alternate
Requirements
PAL
- This alternate need not have
standby power or standby portable runway lighting, but
the aeroplane must have one of:
- dual VHF comms
- single VHF and HF communications
and carry 30 minutes holding fuel to allow for the
alerting of ground staff if the VHF comms were to fail
Lighting Alternate
Requirements
Portable
- The aforementioned lighting alternate requirements
do not apply if the aeroplane has enough
fuel to hold until first light plus 10 minutes
Navaid Alternate
Requirements
AIP Gen 1.5
- An alternate within one
hour flying time must be filed unless either:
- The destination is served by a Navaid (NDB/VOR) and
the aircraft is fitted with the appropriate radio navigation system
capable of using the aid
- The aircraft is fitted with an approved GNSS
receiver, and the pilot is qualified to use it
Next Lesson
Introduction to GPS
Navigation