Night VFR — Where Permitted

Night VFR is conducting a VFR flight between the end of civil evening twilight and the beginning of civil morning twilight (SERA definition). Requires special pilot and aircraft qualification.

Source: EASA Easy Access Rules for Part-FCL (FCL.810 Night Rating); Part-NCO (NCO.IDE.A.120 Night Equipment); EU SERA; national AIPs.

Pilot qualification

Night Rating per FCL.810:

At least 5 h night flight training (3 h dual + 1 h night cross-country + 5 solo night take-offs/landings).
5 h instrument flight reference (also by day).
Acquired as an add-on to the PPL.
Currency: no specific minimum flight time, but 3 night landings / 90 days recommended.

Aircraft equipment (NCO.IDE.A.120)

For night VFR the aircraft must additionally have:

Landing light (at least 1).
Position lights (red/green/white).
Anti-collision lights (strobe/beacon).
Cockpit lighting (interior).
Instrument lighting for all required instruments.
Standby light source (torch — mandatory!).
Attitude indicator.
Altimeter indicating in ft.
Vertical speed indicator (VSI).

Where night VFR is permitted (selection)

Germany

NfL II 37/05 and successors: night VFR only on published routes between specified airfields.
Overview of published night VFR routes in AIP ENR 1.2.
In CTR / TMA: only with ATC clearance, often holding for predictability.
Helicopter: substantially more freedom (own rules in LuftVO).

Switzerland

Night VFR generally permitted with night rating.
CTR entry with Skyguide clearance.
Minimum height above terrain: 1000 ft over built-up, 500 ft otherwise (like day).

Austria

Permitted with night rating.
AIP Austria defines specifics.

Italy

Strongly restricted — many small fields have no night operations.
Night VFR limited to few airfields.

France

Permitted with Qualification VFR Nuit.
AIP lists permitted fields.

Fuel reserve for night VFR

NCO.OP.125 (b)(2): night VFR requires 45 min holding reserve (instead of 30 min for day VFR).

Sunrise / sunset

Civil evening twilight ends when the sun is 6° below horizon.
Calculation: NASA solar calculator, AIP, flight plan apps.
Example Munich, 26 May 2026: sunset about 20
LT, twilight end about 21
LT.
Planning: flight end before end of twilight — otherwise night-VFR rules.

Practicalities

First night flights: with instructor, at familiar airfield.
Moon phase matters — full moon gives substantially more visibility.
Weather: even more conservative than day VFR — no risk taking, since cloud/weather recognition at night is harder.
Mental preparation: disorientation risk higher (Subject 040 — visual illusions).

Things to absolutely avoid

Moonless, starry sky over sea/dark terrain: no reference → spatial disorientation.
Fog over ground: invisible at night, suddenly IMC.
Tired pilot: night flight is more demanding → higher error risk.