Federal Aviation Regulations Practice Test

What is the latest time for a flight to carry passengers without meeting night flight experience if official sunset is 1830?

1. 1830

2. 1831

3. 1928

4. 1929

The correct answer is: 1929

The correct answer is 1929, which is significant because it indicates the latest time a flight can take off without a pilot possessing night flight experience. According to federal regulations, if a pilot plans to operate a flight under visual flight rules (VFR) at night, they must have logged a certain amount of night flying experience. Official sunset marks the transition from daytime to nighttime operations, and the exact time of sunset determines when a pilot is required to have that night experience. In this instance, the latest permissible time to depart without night flight experience is just before the official end of civil twilight, which occurs approximately 30 minutes after sunset. Therefore, if sunset is at 1830, civil twilight would end around 1900. To avoid needing night flight experience, a pilot must ensure that the plane has landed before it turns night. Since 1929 is immediately before the onset of night conditions, it is the latest possible departure time without needing the additional experience.