For some aspiring Commercial pilots, the long cross-country requirement can be a tough one to get out of the way. There’s nothing intrinsically difficult about it from a pure flying perspective, but getting it done can be delayed by obstacles that tend to fall under either planning paralysis; weather, maintenance, and scheduling issues; or lack of confidence in the aircraft or pilot.

I’m going to discuss each of those categories and then share some tips from my own Commercial XC experience, along with a few nuances of the regulations to be aware of.

Night flying isn’t intrinsically hard, but it does create a higher probability of needing a “Plan B” while simultaneously making it more difficult to create that plan on the fly. For example, increased difficulty judging weather at night raises the odds of needing to divert to an alternate airport, while the dark cockpit can make it more difficult to locate information about that airport – including any obstacles that may be invisible in the dark, instructions for turning on pilot-controlled lighting, and NOTAMS that may become more critical without full visual acuity that you are accustomed to during the day.

There are dozens of very popular and well-known ways to improve your piloting skills and knowledge. Some of the best of these include chair flying (i.e. practicing flying procedures and skills on the ground), adding an Instrument rating if you don’t already have one, flying in busier or more complex airspace than you are used to, using a simulator, flying with other pilots who are more experienced than you or a CFI, flying more often, and flying at night. However, this article isn’t about any of those. It is about three ways to improve your flying that you might not have heard of or thought about.

Your self-talk during final approach can make a difference to the quality of your approach and landing. Our brains have a tendency to ignore the “don’t” in commands that we give ourselves (and others) – so your internal pleading of “C’mon - don’t bounce this one!” or “Don’t screw it up!” is likely to make your landing worse.

Flying at night can deliver calm air and beautiful views, but often brings additional challenges as well. Here are five tips to make your night flying safer, more comfortable, and more fun.