These pages often have extolled the virtues of night flying, with less traffic and smoother air foremost among them. In almost the same breath, however, we also caution against the many ways night flying can trip us up. Yes, our basic inability to, you know, actually see things outside the airplane can be a problem, but that’s only part of the challenges we face when flying at night.
One of the principal considerations of night flying is the human eye’s limitations, especially those involving depth and color perception. These considerations can be addressed—but not eliminated—by using supplemental oxygen. Other, more mundane night-flying concerns include so-called “black hole” approaches as well as the inability to observe and remain clear of obstacles when landing or taking off. All these failings of the human eye and the ways in which we operationally compensate for them can be complicated when we’re oxygen deprived.
