Question: My instructor soloed me last week and said I would need another endorsement to fly solo at night. Another CFI told me that student pilots aren’t allowed to fly solo at night. Which is correct?
Answer: Your instructor is correct. FAR 61.87 section (o) reads: “Limitations on student pilots operating an aircraft in solo flight at night: A student pilot may not operate an aircraft in solo flight at night unless that student pilot has received flight training at night on night flying procedures that include takeoffs, approaches, landings, and go-arounds at night at the airport where the solo flight will be conducted.”
There also needs to be navigation training at night in the vicinity of the airport where the solo flight will take place, and the instructor needs to endorse the student’s logbook for the specific make and model aircraft to be flown for night solo flight.
