iflyforfun
Pre-takeoff checklist
Haven't done a night flight in somewhere around 3 years. Hopefully, I don't get flamed too much for this. Was an enjoyable night, but not exactly what I planned.
So tonight, I decided to get night current again. Used to do a lot of night flying, then life got in the way. Didn't fly much for about 3 years and just got current about 4 months ago. Have quite a few X-countries under the belt recently, maybe time for getting night current since the days are getting so much shorter.
So, tonight is the night. Preflight with a flashlight (is the fuel blue???), fire her up and off we go. First rotation was interesting ... wow, that should be IFR because there is nothing out front. Glance to the side, and all is good. Note to self, lower the nose and limit the climb.
Okay, around the pattern we go. Plane is light, just me and a couple of hours of fuel. Wow, hit pattern altitude halfway through cross wind. Throttle to 1800 rpm, trim to 100kts, looks good. Okay, there are the numbers, retard throttle to 1500rpm, turn base, then final. Huh, seem a little high. Reduce power a bit. I remember reading about the black hole effect ... well look at that, red over red. Power up, frame the runway, all good. Amazingly smooth landing. Heck, I don't usually do that well when I can see where I'm going.
Back taxi and do it again. This time all is pretty smooth. Pattern still doesn't feel quite right, but I manage to find the runway and the plane is still in condition to fly.
So, short 20NM trip to another airport. Tower closed 15 minutes ago, but plenty of traffic in the pattern. It's busy, so I get in line - 3rd to land with two of us on downwind and one on base as I turn downwind. With all the traffic, I extend downwind and maintain pattern altitude until I turn long final.
Can see the traffic in front of me on short final. Wow, that is a long runway. And look at that, I'm red over white all the way out here. Reduce to 1500 rpm and let the nose settle. Descending at 500fpm, seems about right. Maybe those lights are broken, 'cause they're glued red over white... huh, stabilized approach and the traffic just cleared the runway.
All seems good, but something isn't right. The runway sure looks dark. Okay, still red over white so I know all is good (but, those colors haven't changed an iota since I established myself on final???). Over the numbers, but where is the runway? I know I'm over it, heck the airport is ablaze but I simply can't see the runway. Seems I should start flare now, but still no runway. Well I'll be dipped, I don't have a landing light. Over the runway, but still glance down ... yep, switch is on.
Well, I used to do this all the time in the 172 (dang thing shook the light to death almost every other flight, it seemed). Hold it, hold it ... hold it ... thump, we're here. That was a firm but not brutal arrival.
So, surprising thoughts to me.
1) I really must have been pretty well established on final. Guess I'm lucky I extended tonight. My normal practice is to stay within gliding distance and chop the throttle on final (maybe I'm not that brutal, but I keep it close and don't worry about having everything stabilized ... just straighten her out, arrest descent and make sure I'm aligned before finding the ground).
2) I guess I should have noticed the lack of a landing light "ray" before getting to the runway. It was a clear night and I don't remember really noticing it before.
3) There really is something to that black hole thing. The VASI sure is helpful.
4) There really isn't a very good way to train for this. Either you land with a light or without a light. I guess you could do no-light landings with an instructor, but I don't really recall this being a big point of discussion with my instructor way back when. Do people practice this??
5) WOW I love a smooth and beautiful night flight. I honestly forgot how much I loved it ... I would've told you night flight is great, but I forgot how it feels. Planes are simply amazingly cool magic carpets at night (day too, but night is special).
So tonight, I decided to get night current again. Used to do a lot of night flying, then life got in the way. Didn't fly much for about 3 years and just got current about 4 months ago. Have quite a few X-countries under the belt recently, maybe time for getting night current since the days are getting so much shorter.
So, tonight is the night. Preflight with a flashlight (is the fuel blue???), fire her up and off we go. First rotation was interesting ... wow, that should be IFR because there is nothing out front. Glance to the side, and all is good. Note to self, lower the nose and limit the climb.
Okay, around the pattern we go. Plane is light, just me and a couple of hours of fuel. Wow, hit pattern altitude halfway through cross wind. Throttle to 1800 rpm, trim to 100kts, looks good. Okay, there are the numbers, retard throttle to 1500rpm, turn base, then final. Huh, seem a little high. Reduce power a bit. I remember reading about the black hole effect ... well look at that, red over red. Power up, frame the runway, all good. Amazingly smooth landing. Heck, I don't usually do that well when I can see where I'm going.
Back taxi and do it again. This time all is pretty smooth. Pattern still doesn't feel quite right, but I manage to find the runway and the plane is still in condition to fly.
So, short 20NM trip to another airport. Tower closed 15 minutes ago, but plenty of traffic in the pattern. It's busy, so I get in line - 3rd to land with two of us on downwind and one on base as I turn downwind. With all the traffic, I extend downwind and maintain pattern altitude until I turn long final.
Can see the traffic in front of me on short final. Wow, that is a long runway. And look at that, I'm red over white all the way out here. Reduce to 1500 rpm and let the nose settle. Descending at 500fpm, seems about right. Maybe those lights are broken, 'cause they're glued red over white... huh, stabilized approach and the traffic just cleared the runway.
All seems good, but something isn't right. The runway sure looks dark. Okay, still red over white so I know all is good (but, those colors haven't changed an iota since I established myself on final???). Over the numbers, but where is the runway? I know I'm over it, heck the airport is ablaze but I simply can't see the runway. Seems I should start flare now, but still no runway. Well I'll be dipped, I don't have a landing light. Over the runway, but still glance down ... yep, switch is on.
Well, I used to do this all the time in the 172 (dang thing shook the light to death almost every other flight, it seemed). Hold it, hold it ... hold it ... thump, we're here. That was a firm but not brutal arrival.
So, surprising thoughts to me.
1) I really must have been pretty well established on final. Guess I'm lucky I extended tonight. My normal practice is to stay within gliding distance and chop the throttle on final (maybe I'm not that brutal, but I keep it close and don't worry about having everything stabilized ... just straighten her out, arrest descent and make sure I'm aligned before finding the ground).
2) I guess I should have noticed the lack of a landing light "ray" before getting to the runway. It was a clear night and I don't remember really noticing it before.
3) There really is something to that black hole thing. The VASI sure is helpful.
4) There really isn't a very good way to train for this. Either you land with a light or without a light. I guess you could do no-light landings with an instructor, but I don't really recall this being a big point of discussion with my instructor way back when. Do people practice this??
5) WOW I love a smooth and beautiful night flight. I honestly forgot how much I loved it ... I would've told you night flight is great, but I forgot how it feels. Planes are simply amazingly cool magic carpets at night (day too, but night is special).
I'm a bit sadistic in a way!
