Getting My Night Rating in the UK – Full Experience, Training & Costs (PPL Night Rating)

Flying at night has always felt like one of those magical milestones in a pilot’s journey — and in this video, I take you through the full experience of getting my UK Night Rating as a PPL(A) pilot.

In this video, I share:

✈️ Why I decided to get my Night Rating
✈️ Full training breakdown
✈️ Circuits, landings, and night navigation
✈️ What surprised me about flying in the dark
✈️ How much the Night Rating cost
✈️ Tips for student pilots thinking about doing it

If you’re a PPL student, newly qualified pilot, or just curious what night flying is actually like in the UK, you’ll get a real, honest look at the whole process.

📌 This video was originally uploaded on my other non aviation channel Spectrum Geeks, but have been slowly migrating all content to Left Seat Culture.

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📌 Disclaimer: The content in this video is for entertainment and general informational purposes only. I am not a certified flight instructor, and nothing in this video should be considered flight instruction or regulatory advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified aviation professional and consult official sources when making flight decisions.

0:00 – Intro
0:40 – Video Overview
1:19 – Why I got my night rating
3:29 – When is night as a pilot
3:45 – Eligibility
5:20 – Things to be aware of
6:20 – Training experience
6:56 – Understanding airfield lights
7:46 – Height restrictions
8:09 – Ground safety
8:32 – Black Hole Effect
8:50 – Training requirements and outcomes
9:42 – Get a head torch
9:54 – Thoughts on night training
11:11 – How long did it take
14:57 – Onboard for a circuit at night
20:58 – Costs involved
22:43 – Worth it?
23:03 – Keeping rating currency
23:48 – Wrapping up
24:20 – Night rating during PPL training