night currency with instrument student
 

I have my first lesson ever as an instructor this evening and I am not night current. The student is an instrument student, so is this legal, since they can log PIC? I seem to remember my instructors telling me that I was PIC for the flight after I got my private. Is this true or is the instructor still ACTING as PIC?

Thanks!

Strange as it may seem, when the flight is for instruction, neither the student nor the instructor needs to be current for landings under 61.57(a) and (b). It doesn't matter who is acting as PIC (for legality of flight it never matters who can log PIC).

Here are the two FAA Legal opinions that deal with it:

Kortokrax
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...kraxinterp.doc

Olshock (student pilots)
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...kraxinterp.doc

I'd always make sure I was night current, then there was never a question about it's legality.

There isn't any question about it's legality.

Of course, if you get into an landing incident, your decision as an instructor to go out and do night landings with a student after having not flown at night for 10 years may come into question.

Yeah, it's been about 4 months since I did night landings. Not as bad as 10 years, but I'm also new to the area. Thanks for the links, I'll check em out

C'mon man, don't even pretend like this is just a legality question.

YOU ARE A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOW!

YOU are the one there making the decisions, you're no longer flying under the umbrella of someone else's CFI. Do you really want to be in charge of this flight with it in the back of your head that you havent done a night landing in 4 months? This, as well as all the decisions on this flight, will be YOUR decision.

The quicker you realize that theres a huge difference between current and proficient, the better off you and your students are going to be.

Taking risks on your first dual given...awesome.

Interestingly, on FAR 121 passenger flights where the PIC must have an ATP, night currency is not required by FARs.

Joe

Agreed. The only limitation is whether someone has a BFR. I've seen instructors get burned giving instruction because they forgot they needed a BFR to exercise privledges as PIC. (going to a FIRC only covers the hour ground requirement for a BFR). Not a factor if the student has one. Somebody has to be qualified to be PIC.

The runways used by (or available to) most of those flights have good lights, usually IFR lighting.

Of course it's not just a question of legality, but no one wants to break a reg. I wasn't going to post a thread asking for someone's opinion about the situation because, like you said, it's my decision. Just so it's not in the back of your head, I didn't go flying with the student. Clearly, it's a better decision to get a refresher at night first.

Thanks for your input, ma'am