Late night flights

[Mjg2011]

Last night I was going to fly IFR to a class delta that sits just under the shelf of a bravo. Departure time was supposed to be 6 pm but passengers kept calling me and pushing time back until we finally left around 1 am. Very annoying. Anyway after takeoff I tried to get my IFR clearance in the air (weather was clear and a million) but could not get a response from approach. I was ****ed at my equipment and decided to just fly vfr around the area for an hour and come back. I was confused and just looked into the problem in the chart supplement. Turns out approach control is closed midnight to 6 am. It’s annoying to find this out because all I had to do was look a little harder before we left.it was probably all the scrambling because I didn’t want to waste precious Hobbs rental time. I am curious though, would I have been able to just call up center and are they open 24/7?

 

[Ryan A]

Yes, you could have called center. They have top down control on TRACONs that are closed.

 

[RyanB]

I am curious though, would I have been able to just call up center and are they open 24/7?

Yep. There’s also usually some text in there that says what frequency to use if the local control facility is closed.

 

[murphey]

7 hr delay? After an hour or so I would have told them to forget it and gone on my own. Explain you’re renting the airplane and delays cost you money. Offered another evening if they promise not to waste time like that.

 

[eman1200]

...

....

is there a Ryan C in the house?

 

[Jim K]

7 hr delay? After an hour or so I would have told them to forget it and gone on my own. Explain you’re renting the airplane and delays cost you money. Offered another evening if they promise not to waste time like that.

No way I'd be launching at 1 AM, either. I can barely stumble to the bathroom at that time of night lol.

 

[murphey]

Last night I was going to fly IFR to a class delta that sits just under the shelf of a bravo. Departure time was supposed to be 6 pm but passengers kept calling me and pushing time back until we finally left around 1 am. Very annoying. Anyway after takeoff I tried to get my IFR clearance in the air (weather was clear and a million) but could not get a response from approach. I was ****ed at my equipment and decided to just fly vfr around the area for an hour and come back. I was confused and just looked into the problem in the chart supplement. Turns out approach control is closed midnight to 6 am. It’s annoying to find this out because all I had to do was look a little harder before we left.it was probably all the scrambling because I didn’t want to waste precious Hobbs rental time. I am curious though, would I have been able to just call up center and are they open 24/7?

Isn't the many hour delay what contributed to the JFK Jr crash? Altho you were in VFR, not IFR. But still....

 

[sourdough44]

I always hope the deer stay off the runway until I get to taxi speed.

 

[guzziguy]

7 hr delay? After an hour or so I would have told them to forget it and gone on my own. Explain you’re renting the airplane and delays cost you money. Offered another evening if they promise not to waste time like that.

^^^^^THIS!

 

[Brad Z]

Last night I was going to fly IFR to a class delta that sits just under the shelf of a bravo. Departure time was supposed to be 6 pm but passengers kept calling me and pushing time back until we finally left around 1 am. Very annoying. Anyway after takeoff I tried to get my IFR clearance in the air (weather was clear and a million) but could not get a response from approach. I was ****ed at my equipment and decided to just fly vfr around the area for an hour and come back. I was confused and just looked into the problem in the chart supplement. Turns out approach control is closed midnight to 6 am. It’s annoying to find this out because all I had to do was look a little harder before we left.it was probably all the scrambling because I didn’t want to waste precious Hobbs rental time. I am curious though, would I have been able to just call up center and are they open 24/7?

I'm guessing the OP is under the age of 25. I used to do very late night flights (voluntarily) because, well, I could.

But when you've mentally prepared for a early evening flight, and it becomes a late evening flight, you have to ask yourself if you're still prepared to make the flight.

Remember, you're PIC, not your friends, so the passengers don't get to dictate when the flight takes place. This will happen a lot in your flying career, so best you develop the habit now of setting your limits and sticking to them.

 

[dtuuri]

Departure time was supposed to be 6 pm but passengers kept calling me and pushing time back until we finally left around 1 am.

Without regard to your actual question, flying on the back side of the clock is asking for trouble. My advice is, "Don't do it."

 

[eman1200]

the few times I flew at 12, 1, 2am it was pretty awesome. but that was my original intent, I wasn't delayed or 'pressured' to do it.

 

[luvflyin]

is there a Ryan C in the house?

Google ryan c. Play who is ryan c at your own risk

 

[unsafervguy]

Without regard to your actual question, flying on the back side of the clock is asking for trouble. My advice is, "Don't do it."

please tell that to crew scheduling and marketing .................

 

[dtuuri]

please tell that to crew scheduling and marketing .................

Yeah, they should be required to go with you.