CARs705 Logbook night time

[HappySkies777]

Hi folks,

I work for a 705 operator where we often fly long night legs during the winter. We operate the north south corridor up to some high arctic destinations. It can get dark around 3-4 pm local. I log multi-SIC hours FYI.

Wanted to hear your thoughts about the correct etiquette and rules for logging my night time as portion of the total flight time of the day. Will you base that on Zulu time to conform to the aircraft journey log or local time.

For instance, if I have flown 9 hours a day, and around 3 pm local it's night time until we land south around 8 pm. Approximately 5 hours of the 9 is night portion of the flight. However, if it is based on Zulu time, things will be different.

What are your thoughts and the right course to go about this?

Stay strong and blue skies!

[digits_]

How would the amount of night time change based on zulu time?
If 5 hours is flown in the dark, you have acquired 5 hours of night time. Doesn't matter in what time zone you log the hours.

[ahramin]

If you think changing from local time to zulu time moves the sun to the other side of the planet then I wouldn't worry about trying to log it precisely. Just go with something simple and log the time as flight time rather than splitting it up between day and night. I don't keep track of how much time is day and night, just have a column in my logbook that has the flight conditions. For example an IFR flight during day and night is logged "DNI".

[Panama Jack]

I don't keep track of how much time is day and night, just have a column in my logbook that has the flight conditions. For example an IFR flight during day and night is logged "DNI".

Good work Ahramin! Now you just opened another can of worms.

[Arnie Pye]

If you really want super-accurate night time get LogTen Pro. Once you log your takeoff location and time, and your landing location and time it will calculate at what time you reached the sun's disk 6 degrees below the horizon (or what ever that official night definition is).

[HappySkies777]

Thanks for all the input. I will give LogTen Pro a try too. I have heard great things about it!

Fly safe everyone! (if you still flying of course )