Night current again

Kaye

Kaye

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Messages
815
Location
Virginia
Display Name
Display name:
iPlaneless
I rarely (as in next to never) fly at night. Just personal preference. But one of the partners wants to fly the Trinnie down to the Outer Banks as he's driving back with the wife, so someone needs to bring the plane back. But we can't get out of here until late afternoon/early evening, which makes it dark-thirty for my return. And the plane needs to be back early the next morning for another partner who's leaving on some other adventure.

So last night I went up with my CFI to get fresh on night landings. As we taxi to the run-up, we spot several deer beside the rwy....uhhgggg. I also spot movement at the end of the taxiway, and sure enough we find deer in the run-up. I did a couple of circles with all lights blazing, and managed to chase off those critters. Ray tells me that the first landing will be a low pass to clear for deer.

The ramp area is loaded with flood lights, so there's no way my eyes have made the adjustment. After takeoff, it was slightly disorienting the black hole I was flying into. And as I worked thru the takeoffs, patterns & landings, it made me really appreciate all the peripheral input that I'm unconsciously using during the day.

By the end of the workout, I was a lot more comfortable with the environment and was actually having fun! We saw no more deer, but during one of my takeoffs, a fox ran out in front of me just as I was ready to rotate. Sheesh, I like critters and don't begrudge them for hanging out at the airport, but it sure puts an unpleasant edge on what was a fun workout.

Kaye
 
My first airplane had an entry in the logbook for an engine teardown following a deer strike, so ya need to watch those critters for sure!

I don't fly often at night anymore either. Whenever I do, I wonder why I don't do it more often.
 
there is a lot of beauty to be found in night flying. on the 4th i had a great time cruising in the Ercoupe across central Iowa at about 11 PM. coupes got excellent vis and the stars were out.

we had a 152 at my flight school whack a couple white tails while i was there. damn near totalled the whole thing. missed the prop but all the skin behind the baggage had to be replaced.

glad you had fun kaye!
 
Nice, Kaye! I really enjoy flying at night...though I've never seen than many animals running around.

I I just went out for six stop and goes the other night as well. My first time in a while. It really was a lot of fun.
 
I did my obligatory 3 hrs of night flying with my instructor, and found that I really liked it! It was smooth air, good vis, and just a beautiful time. One night, we flew through the Houston class B, it was cool to see all of the city lights and all of the lights on the 737's inbound to Hobby.
 
I seem to do better at staying night current in the winter time. I haven't logged a second of night flying since mid april.
 
I really haven't enjoyed night flying since the time I hit a deer on take-off at night.
 
FlyNE said:
Nice, Kaye! I really enjoy flying at night...though I've never seen than many animals running around.
Click to expand...

There's a nearby airport that has a "suicide" reputation if you plan to fly in at night. The nearby developments are encroaching so much that the critters have no place else to go but the airport.
 
Personally I enjoy flying at night. The sun isn't beating down on you, usually smoother air during summer months and the radio seems to be a little quieter. You do have to keep a look out for the critters though. I haven't had a close call yet. Maybe my opinion will change when I do.
 
I have much less fear of a critter strike at night than I do an engine failure. When I'm heading cross country at night I like to get up nice and high so that I at least have a fighting chance of making an airport.
 
I tend to 'buzz' the airstrip at night if no one has been using it to see if there are any deer or other critters on it. So far I scared a couple off that way. But I still have my hands ready to hit the throttle for the go around if needed.
 
where i fly you have to worry about them as much during the day as at night. when you carve the runway out of a stand of trees you get that. i guess i dont worry about it enough to make me stop.
 
tonycondon said:
where i fly you have to worry about them as much during the day as at night. when you carve the runway out of a stand of trees you get that. i guess i dont worry about it enough to make me stop.
Click to expand...

True, we have them during the day, but they tend to be more active at dusk into twilight. And in daylight you can spot them while in the pattern or on final......except for that last minute jump out of the trees. :rolleyes:

FlyNE said:
I have much less fear of a critter strike at night than I do an engine failure.
Click to expand...

And that's the other part that plays into my "personal preference". I'd really like to see where I'm landing before the landing light shows me. :P
 
tonycondon said:
where i fly you have to worry about them as much during the day as at night. when you carve the runway out of a stand of trees you get that. i guess i dont worry about it enough to make me stop.
Click to expand...
Here I was going to tell Jason that the odds of an engine failure at night are the same as during the day but that critter incursions have a higher incidence, when you have to go and say this. Sheesh!

I happen to love flying at night, for the same reasons that Brent mentioned. I've seen coyotes next to the runway, but haven't yet encountered a deer.
 
Engine failure procedures at night are simple.

1) Establish best glide speed
2) Turn on landing light
3) If you don't like what you see, turn landing light off
 
PhantomCougar said:
Engine failure procedures at night are simple.

1) Establish best glide speed
2) Turn on landing light
3) If you don't like what you see, turn landing light off
Click to expand...

I wondered when someone was going to bust out this gem... ;)
 
gprellwitz said:
Here I was going to tell Jason that the odds of an engine failure at night are the same as during the day but that critter incursions have a higher incidence, when you have to go and say this. Sheesh!

I happen to love flying at night, for the same reasons that Brent mentioned. I've seen coyotes next to the runway, but haven't yet encountered a deer.
Click to expand...

While it is true that the chances are the same during the day (and the same as they would be over Lake Michigan) I like the fact that I can pick a suitable field during the day...or at least a MORE suitable field. :yes:
 
Good job Kaye! FWIW, I don't fly at night...just not confident with my night vision and the whole "finding a suitable landing spot in the event of" thing.

Not to shanghai this thread, but did you say you were flying a Diamond to Gaston's? Howcome?
 
The older I get, the less I like night flight, especially in rural areas. I fly two inherenty unstable platforms, certified for VFR only, neither of which has a full six-pack of instruments (both have an AI, one has a TC, and neither has a DG). Wander into an unseen cloud, and I run a good chance of crashing.

Have I done hood training? Yes, some. It's not required to take place in a helicopter for either PP or CP (simulator and airplane time satisfy the requirement for CP), but I've done some in rotorcraft. Could I handle it in actual? I dunno, and I don't particularly want to find out!

There's a substantial number of helicopter accidents which happen at night, particularly EMS missions.
 
555Juliet said:
D'oh! I meant the 6Y9 fly-in!
Click to expand...

It's not my weekend for the Trinnie. John usually goes to NY that weekend, but he's having a problem getting the wife back in the plane. While the Trinnie was in for extended annual, he made a long-awaited trip with the wife in a rental. On the way home, he had engine problems, declared an emergency, landed safely, drove the rest of the way home. Wife was/is a nervous, reluctant flier.......so far she's not getting back in one of those little airplanes.

So I may have the Trinnie :fcross: , but the Star is the back-up.
 
Glad I'm not the only one who's night work is a little rusty. Been about a year and a half since I went up at night (loved it immensely, BTW).

Just after getting my PPASEL on 7/14 went up at dusk, kept shooting crunch-and-goes, felt okay, but not comfortable enough to stay out after 21:33 local to get my three stop-and-goes.

Went up a few days later, and just before 21:30, last t&g, I porpoised, enough to firewall the throttle and get outta Dodge. Since then, my evening flares are way too high. I guess I'll wait till Jack gets back from OSH.

Sigh.
 
It sure is different at night! My CFI (well, one of my CFIs) for my PPL strongly suggested that I not fly at night until I got my IR. At the time, I thought him a bit too cautious. I stuck to it though, and on my first night flight as a solo PPL-IR, I was glad I had. I don't sweat it now, and boy is it nice to fly at night. Still, those dark dark patches on the ground get me thinking about a twin every time I do it.

Kudos on getting back your "night proficiency" in a safe manner. That's a lot smarter than just saying, "oh, heck, I'm a pilot -- this should be a piece of cake!!!"
 
So does mine. I was just making certain I would not get caught at 1minute before by my watch, and 1 minute after by the ramp check federale's watch.

In fact, Jack already has sat me down and assigned CIGAR and TTTTTT and 91.175 memorization, so I'd best get on it.;)

Later,

Jim
 
The first time I went up at night after getting my PPL I flared a bit too LOW - the thud onto the runway definitely got my attention - I made sure to get a bit more experience before I took anyone up lest they turn into another "small planes are scary" evangelist
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top