Dylan Smith wrote:
The most staggeringly beautiful flights I've had - with the exception of
mountain flying - have ALL been IFR flights. Majestic cloud canyons that
are out of this world. Bursting out of walls of sheer cloud. Spears and
tendrils of cloud between layers, illuminated by milky sunshine coming
through a high cirrus layer. A runway, lit up like a Christmas tree,
emerging from the murk at the last stages of an ILS.


I have to agree with this. Aside from the tremendous satisfaction in emerging
from the crap to see the runway right in front of me or noting with satisfaction
the looks on the faces of the lesser beings as I transverse the FBO after
flight, the most spectacular sight I have ever seen in my life was at the
beginning of an IFR flight out of Charleston, SC.

I had spent the night after flying in with crappy weather. The early morning
didn't look promising from the ground but Flight Service assured me it was clear
on top and there was improving weather as I moved to the NW towards Charlotte.
I took off in the rain and immediately entered the crap at about 20 feet off the
deck. I tucked in the gear and started my climb. After about another minute or
two I poked out on top of a stratus deck. There to the east was the sun just
starting to poke its way up out of the clouds. The entire sky was lit up a
brilliant vivid orange. I'm not a religious man but the memory still send
shivers down my back. Like Gordo once said, "What a heavenly sight!".

The rest of the flight was in the clear for me. I never could have made it if I
didn't have the rating.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com