Night Flying Flashcards
1
Q
Retina
A
Back portion of the eye, contains receptors which record an image and send to brain
2
Q
Cones (color)
A
- center of the fovea
- further away from the fovea, then cones diminish
- purpose is to direct color and detail
- primarily for central vision (10 degrees)
- focal point- sensitive to color but not light
3
Q
Rods (light)
A
- Primarily responsible for dark adaption
- rhodopsin (visual purple) is produced by rods to make them more sensitive to light (10000X’s)
- can take up to 30 minutes to adapt
- avoid bright light prior to flight
- use red or low light in flight - Rods are peripheral, requiring offset scanning 5-10 degrees
- light enters trough lens
- peripheral transmitted to rods (sensitive to light but not color)
4
Q
Adaption to changing light
A
- Rhodopsin (visual purple is what allows eyes to see in the dark
- Can take rods 30 minutes to completely form
- Preservation of night vision:
- avoid bright lights
- above 5000’ use supplemental O2 (rhodopsin uses O2
- smoking will inhibit dark adaption. As altitude increases, O2 available for dark adaption decreases. Use recommended supplemental O2
5
Q
Correction of eye during adaption
A
- Night scanning:
- off center viewing to expose rods to image
- focusing with peripherals
- short eye movements 10 degree intervals
- scan for movement and lights
- avoid looking directly at an object or fixating. retina will adapt to image and fade - Allow 30 minutes prior to night flight for dark adaption to fully form
- Avoid bright lights
- Use flashlight for preflight inspection
- Ensure windows are clean and streak free (dirt and streaks glare)
6
Q
Illusions (Autokinesis)
A
- focusing on a light for a long period of time will make that light appear to move
- unknowingly the pilot will align A/C with light
- avoidance it to continue scanning
7
Q
Illusions (false horizon)
A
- Lighting on the ground or stars may cause illusion of false horizon
- terrain, slopping clouds, ground lighting - Pilot orients aircraft to match false horizon
- Trust instruments and maintain scan
8
Q
Illusions (flickering vertigo)
A
- light passing through or reflecting from MR blades
- creates flashing light that may cause dizziness, nausea, or convulsions
- anti-collision light may cause this, if necessary turn off temporary
9
Q
Illusions (Night myopia/empty field myopia)
A
- I’m dark featureless environment, eye relaxes and focuses 10 to 30 feet ahead
- maintain constant scan, focus of various distances
10
Q
Illusions (featureless terrain)
A
- snow, sand, or water
- unaware pilot thinks they are higher then they actually are
11
Q
Illusions (penetration of fog)
A
- illusion of pitching up
12
Q
Illusions (depth perception)
A
- Is unreliable
- It relies on rods at night:
- rods to not detect distance or rate of closure as well as cones
13
Q
Illusions (approach to landing)
A
- bright airport lighting may lead to higher then normal approach
- absence of visual references may lead to lower then normal approach
14
Q
Illusions (landing illusions)
A
- Slopping runways
- down slopped runway: pilot ends up flying to steep of an approach
- upslope runway: pilot flies to shallow of an approach - Runway width illusion
- wider then normal: pilot ends up to steep
- narrower then normal: pilot ends up to shallow
15
Q
Illusions 9 types
A
- Autokinesis
- False horizon
- Flickering vertigo
- Night myopia/empty field myopia
- Featureless terrain
- Penetration of fog
- Depth perception
- Approach to land
- Landing illusions
16
Q
Personal lighting devices
A
- Use flashlight for preflight inspection
- use strong white light, headlamp recommend - Red light in cockpit may wash out charts
- Use map light when available and necessary
- Red light is the best light to use when flying at night
17
Q
Equipment requirements FAA (FLAPA) Robinson (NAIL)
A
FAA required
F- fuses (spare set, accessible in flight)
L- landing light (if operated for hire)
A- anti-collision light
P- position lights
A- adequate source of electrical energy to power systems
position lights required from sunset to sunrise
Robinson required
N- navigation lights
A- anti-collision strobe
I- instrument lights
L- landing light
Ability to maintain visual reference to ground objects illuminated solely by the ground or adequate celestial illumination
18
Q
Location of aircraft navigation lighting
A
- Position lights
- Required from sunset to sunrise
- red light on left side
- green light on right side
- white light located on tail - If you see a green light and red light
- aircraft is moving towards you - See only green light
- other AC is moving left to right direction - See only red light
- other AC is moving right to left - Night operations require aircraft to be:
- clearly illuminated
- have position lights
- be in an area marked by obstruction lights
19
Q
Airport beacons
A
- Civilian- green/white
- Military- green/white/yellow
- Heliport- green/yellow/white
- Water- yellow/white
20
Q
Pilot controlled lighting
A
- When equipped, may be activated by pilot on CTAF freq
- Activating by clicking transmit switch
- 3 levels of intensity:
- low- 3 clicks
- medium: 5 clicks
- high: 7 clicks - For 15 minutes
21
Q
Taxiway lighting
A
- Edge lights: blue
- note NVG cannot see blue light - Centerline lights
- steady burning green light
22
Q
Runway lighting
A
- Runway centerline
- white until last 3000’
- white/red until last 1000’
- red until runway end - Runway edge lights
- white until last 2000’ (most airports)
- yellow last 2000’ for instrument runways - 3 intensities:
- low: LIRL
- medium: MIRL
- high: HIRL - End of runways indicated by red/green lights
- red indicates departure end for departing AC
- green indicates approach end for approaching AC
23
Q
REIL (runway end identifier lights)
A
- provides rapid and positive ID of the approach end of the runway
- consists of a pair of synchronized flashing lights located laterally on each side of the runway threshold
24
Q
ALS (approach light system)
A
- begin at threshold and extend towards approach area
- used to transition from IFR to VFR
- various configurations
25
Q
VASI (visual approach slop identifier)
A
- Provide visual descent guidance during approach
- Visible from 3-5 miles day, 20 Miles night
- Provides obstruction clearance of 10 degrees from centerline out to 4 NM
- Use red and white lights
- all red (your dead) below the glide path
- all white (out of site) above glide path
- red on white (your all right) on glide path
26
Q
2 bar VASI
A
- provides 3 degree glide slope
- uses 2 rows of lights
27
Q
3 bar VASI
A
- Provides 2 separate glide slopes
- Near and middle indicate 3 degree
- Middle and far indicate 3 1/4 degree
- higher glide slope intended for high cockpit aircraft
28
Q
Tri color VASI
A
- Uses a single light
- Changes color depending on glide path:
- Red = below glide path
- Green = on glide path
- Amber = above glide path - Visual from 1/2 mi day, 5 mile night
29
Q
Pulsating VASI
A
- Uses a single light
- Changes color and flashes depending on glide path:
- Flashing red = below glide path
- Solid red = slightly below glide path
- Solid white= on glide path
- Flashing white= above glide path - Visible from 4 mi day, 10 mi night
30
Q
PAPI (precision approach path indicator)
A
- Uses single row of two or four light
- Red/white
Red on right, white on left:
- All red = below glide path
- 3 red, 1 white= slightly below
- 2 red, 2 white= on glide path
- 1 red, 3 white= slightly above
- all white = above the glide path - Visible from 5 mi day, 20mi night
31
Q
Other lighting info
Red obstruction lights
High intensity white obstruction lights
Dual lighting
A
- Check A/FD or any NOTAMS to find out available lighting systems
Aviation obstructions: - Red obstruction lights
- flashing red beacons, and steady burning aviation red lights - High intensity white obstruction lights:
- flashing high intensity for day time
- reduced intensity for twilight and night time - Dual lighting:
- combo of flashing red beacons and steady burning red lights for night time operations, and flashing high intensity white lights for daytime ops
32
Q
Switches, fuses, circuit breakers pertinent to night ops
A
Fuses:
- a spare set of each kind used
- must be accessible in flight
33
Q
High altitude performance considerations
A
- OGE/IGE hover ceiling
- Limited power/lift
- Supplemental oxygen regs
- Enroute high altitude charts above 18000’ MSL
- Advantages:
- better visibility
- less turbulence
- above weather
- reduced chance for icing
- capability to see and avoid thunderstorms
34
Q
Components of the eye
A
- Retina
- Cones
- Rods
