What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Currency question - night and tailwheel

TShort

Well Known Member
So this came up during a post-flying hangar flying session last night, and despite reviewing all the FARs we couldn't come to a definite conclusion.

I flew the -10 last week at night and am night current.

I am current in the Cessna 170 (tailwheel current).

So am I current at night in the -170 (in terms of carrying passengers), or do I have to be current at night in a tailwheel airplane?

The 61.57 says you are night current if:
"The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required)."

But a tailwheel is an endorsement, so does currency in the RV-10 (airplane, single engine, land) cover the tailwheel airplane? My reading of the regs is that it does.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
 
Tail Wheel

So this came up during a post-flying hangar flying session last night, and despite reviewing all the FARs we couldn't come to a definite conclusion.

I flew the -10 last week at night and am night current.

I am current in the Cessna 170 (tailwheel current).

So am I current at night in the -170 (in terms of carrying passengers), or do I have to be current at night in a tailwheel airplane?

The 61.57 says you are night current if:
"The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required)."

But a tailwheel is an endorsement, so does currency in the RV-10 (airplane, single engine, land) cover the tailwheel airplane? My reading of the regs is that it does.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

There is no tail-wheel specific requirement applied to recent experience requirements for night flight. So if you're daytime-current in a tail-wheel aircraft, and you are night-time current in any ASEL, then you should be good to go at night in the tailwheel plane.

Skylor
 
True

Your category is airplane, class is single engine land, and no type is required for those aircraft. You are technically current in both.

That said, just because it?s legal doesn?t mean it?s safe. Landing the -10 at night is a different animal than the 170...just sayin?
 
Landing the -10 at night is a different animal than the 170...just sayin?

True... but I have flown probably 1/3 of my hours in the 170 at night, and much of that is takeoffs and landings. I'm very comfortable in the 170, and it just lands sooooo slow....

The -10 on the other hand ... with LEDs is lit up like and airliner and the runway looks like daylight.

Different challenges and different fun.

Thanks everyone for the input.
 
Just a thought....

There are actually two questions here. 1) Is it legal? and 2) Is it safe? Given the differences you?ve mentioned regarding the two aircraft types, are you safe to use one type to maintain your night proficiency in the other? That?s a question only you can answer.
 
There are actually two questions here. 1) Is it legal? and 2) Is it safe? Given the differences you?ve mentioned regarding the two aircraft types, are you safe to use one type to maintain your night proficiency in the other? That?s a question only you can answer.

This was purely a mental exercise, not a question for me to push any limits. I have no plans to use one as a means for currency in the other. It just came up since I was recently night current in the -10 5 days ago, and flying the 170 last night.

I fly both airplanes fairly frequently, and if I am not night current or have any concerns I either take my CFI buddy along or fly late evening and ease my way into night flight.
 
(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.
 
(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.

That?s the general currency requirement, not the night time requirement.

Skylor
 
Yep

That is FAR 61.57 (a)(ii), and it is for general landing currency.

The night currency is FAR 61.57 (b)(ii), and only specifies Category, Class, and Type (if required).
 
Pretty simple is it same category = airplane? Yes. All count towards currency. Tail wheel is not a separate category or class. Airplane single engine land is all the same.... even if it has tail wheel or retract gear and turbo charger and pressurization. Are they really the same? No but Regs don't delineate.

Category = airplane, rotorwing, glider
Class = single engine, multi engine, land/sea
"Type" is another animal for large aircraft so forget that.

Is it wise to fly a trike for 10 years and go fly a tail-wheel plane at night for the first time in 10 years? Up to you but not restricted. (I read above they specifies what a counts as a night landing in a tail wheel, full stop; trike can be T&G's.)
 
Last edited:
(I read above they specifies what a counts as a night landing in a tail wheel, full stop; trike can be T&G's.)

No. To be current to carry passengers at night, you must have logged 3 landings to a FULL stop, at night, in the last 90 days. Any SEL airplane. But if it?s a tailwheel airplane, you must have also logged 3 full stop landings, day or night, in a tailwheel in the last 90 days, to carry passengers.
 
No. To be current to carry passengers at night, you must have logged 3 landings to a FULL stop, at night, in the last 90 days. Any SEL airplane. But if it’s a tailwheel airplane, you must have also logged 3 full stop landings, day or night, in a tailwheel in the last 90 days, to carry passengers.

You are right for night full stop, but would say for day T/G's are OK for the trike gear.

14 CFR 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command

(a) General experience.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as a pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers or of an aircraft certificated for more than one pilot flight crewmember unless that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings within the preceding 90 days, and—

(i) The person acted as the sole manipulator of the flight controls; and

(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.

(NOTE no mention of full stop other than tail-wheel.)


14 CFR 61.57
(b) Night takeoff and landing experience.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, and—

(NOTE: all night currency landings are full stop regardless of gear in same category and class)
 
Last edited:
Back
Top