On 12/15/2005 13:49, Robert M. Gary wrote:

BTW: I'll mention its a kick when you see the approach lights under you
but nothing else. Its like a mystical light just floating in the fog.
The light does do a good job of cutting through the fog. Its
interesting that you can sometimes get into airports at night that you
cannot get into during the day.

It's this aspect that I'm really excited to see. With 99% of my training
done in simulated conditions, the CFII decides when (if) I get to suddenly
see the airport. As a result, I've never had the chance of seeing the
lights, but not the runway.

Of course I realize it will be harder to do in actual conditions, but
it sure would go a long way toward showing why were doing all that in
the first place ;-)

Its strange but its easier to see
lights in the dark through fog than the runway in the day in fog. I
think the sun actually makes the fog visibility worse (I guess that's
kinda like you turning your brights off when driving in fog). Its also
not unusual at night for the tower to report vis. less than 1/4 but you
can see the airport from 10 miles out. I've had this happen in
Sacramento and in Monterey. I'm not 100% sure why.

Interesting.


-Robert




--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Sacramento, CA