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Fatigue.<\/strong> Flying at night can automatically induce sleep, and ironically, the situation only gets worse when the weather is good, the sky is smooth and you had been up since early morning. A gentle ride in a velvet sky with the smooth, even drone of an aircraft engine or two can make you want to doze off. To avoid falling asleep, consider flying shorter legs at night and filing IFR on every flight, so you’ll have someone to talk to and the possibility of being psychologically awakened when a controller says your Call sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Illusions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We had understood in Part 2 how our eyes work at night; it\u2019s time to learn about certain illusions that can be hazardous during night flight. As a pilot you should already be familiar with the illusions you may experience when instrument flying, these will still be present at night. In addition, the following illusions can be experienced at night:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Important Considerations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A careful lookout on the ground and in air is critical. It is very easy to lose sight of other aircraft lights as they merge with background lights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speed perception is very difficult at night, and it is common to find the taxy speed building up without noticing it, consciously taxy slower than normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Transfer to instruments quickly after takeoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The horizon will probably not be visible, so attitude, speed, and direction must be maintained with reference to the airplane\u2019s instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be safety Conscious. Be safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Click here to access Part 1<\/a> and Part 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n