The weather over the last few days has been so beautiful. Monday and Tuesday were especially nice - the haze seeming to have gone elsewhere for a while. Unfortunately, I had to work, so though I wished to break my earthly bonds, grounded I stayed.
Work has really sucked this week. Actually, it has really sucked for a while, but it really sucked this week.
Today, I could stand no more. Even though a bit of the haze has crept back, the skies are clearer than they have been of late. Of course, mid-day is brutally hot, but the evenings are tolerable.
So, I decided I deserved a break. Plus, depending on my work obligations and other factors, I may get to fly the CAP plane down to Daytona for its 100 hour inspection on Sunday night. If so, I will have at least one rider, which meant that I needed to refresh my night currency.
As an aside, I think I will try not to let my currency lapse again. I was a few weeks out of date, which meant that either I had to do the required three takeoffs and landings by myself or with an instructor. It seems strange to me that the FAA considers it safer for me to go up by myself, than to go up with another pilot, one who might even be night current. But, such are the rules, so, next time, I'll try to get back up at night prior to the ninety days so I can go up with someone in the right seat.
Anyway, so, off I went this evening for a nice flight up to Brunswick Georgia.
Flying at night, with the moon about half full, and the skies clear, is absolutely beautiful.
Other than doing circuits around the pattern for night currency, it has been a long time - like over twenty years - since I had actually flown somewhere at night.
I remembered how pretty it is, but honestly, I had forgotten how hard it is!
Everything seems harder. It is harder to keep the wings level as - especially when flying along the coast line - there isn't really a horizon to sight along the wings with. Landing is much harder. I don't know exactly why - the runway is lighted and has all sorts of lighting cues along with specialized vertical guidance lighting (PAPI or VASI depending on the runway). It is probably mostly a mental thing, but still... Taxiing around the airport - even one you are very familiar with, let alone one you've only been to one before - is on the verge of unnerving. And navigating? All I have to say is: thank God for GPS!
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Posted by David at August 22, 2007 07:13 AM