FAA Ground School Practice Test

If official sunset is 1830 and a pilot's recency of experience requirements for night flight are not met, what is the latest time passengers may be carried?

1. 1900

2. 1929

3. 2000

4. 1800

The correct answer is: 1929

In aviation, the official sunset time is significant because it marks the transition from daylight to night conditions. In this context, if official sunset occurs at 1830, the definition of night flight under FAA regulations begins at that time. To carry passengers during the night, a pilot must meet specific recency of experience requirements, which typically means they must have recent night flight experience. If those requirements are not met, regulations dictate that passengers can only be carried during the daytime or until the onset of night, which is defined as 1830 in this scenario. However, it is important to note that just before night begins, the pilot may still be operating under day conditions. Therefore, the latest time that a pilot can legally carry passengers, considering that official sunset is at 1830 but not meeting night flight requirements, is just before night officially starts. Since the question specifically refers to the latest time and with the sunset at 1830, the last moment before it turns to night would be at 1929, allowing for a slight buffer in timing, as the official night flight designation is directly tied to sunset. This is why 1929 is the correct response—it's the last safe and legal moment to carry passengers before the restrictions