Stupid question...but need an answer please

[Mickey]

Did he go to Purdue?

 

[Princedietrich]

I once logged night time without a night takeoff or landing, and I was the only one in the plane.

Took off before sunset, and was airborne when the sun went down, and landed within an hour of sunset.

Logging night flying starts AT sunset, logging night takeoffs and landings starts ONE HOUR AFTER sunset.

 

[nosehair]

Logging night flying starts AT sunset,.

Nope. That's when you are required to have your nav lights on, but night time starts at "the end of evening civil twilight time...as published in the American Air Almanac." FAR 1.1

This time varies depending on what lattitude you are, but generally around 20 to 30 minutes after sunset.

That's FAA rules. The military does use AT sunset.