A night rating is an EASA add-on qualification allowing PPL holders to fly VFR at night. It requires at least five hours of night flight training, including solo circuits and a dual cross-country, but no additional exam or skill test.
The night rating is an EASA add-on qualification allowing PPL (and LAPL, with conditions) holders to exercise their privileges at night under VFR. The course is short and fixed: at least five hours of night flight training including dual instruction, a dual cross-country, and solo circuits — with no theoretical exam and no skill test. Completion is certified by the ATO or DTO and endorsed on the licence.
The rating is also a sequencing item on the commercial path: CPL training and privileges assume night capability, so career-track students typically knock out the night rating early in hour-building.
Why it matters for flight schools
For schools at northern latitudes the night rating is a winter product: it fills dark-season evening slots that otherwise sit empty, using instructors and aircraft at marginal cost. Its short, fixed structure makes it the easiest course in the catalogue to package, price and schedule as a campaign.
How FlightLogger handles it
FlightLogger schedules night-rating courses as compact syllabus blocks — evening slots, instructor night currency verified, the five-hour structure tracked to completion certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an exam for the night rating?
No — neither a theory exam nor a skill test. The course is completed by training: the required hours and exercises, certified by the training organisation and endorsed on the licence.
Do I need the night rating before starting CPL training?
The commercial path assumes night capability, so students typically complete it during hour-building between PPL and CPL — it is cheap, quick, and removes a sequencing dependency later.