Flying at night....

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 06:46:47 GMT, SHIVER ME TIMBERS
wrote:

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

Flying the next few days in preparation for my checkride. I hope I do
well...

Well Kevin I havn't been around for a few months and have missed some
of the episodes of your adventures in the air.

When last I read, you were getting ready for the big solo and I presume
by now the deed has been done.

I soloed 10/21/04 - in the rain.. I'm doing some last minute stuff to
get ready for my checkride. Heading out in about an hour to fly again
today..

Night flying...... Now that would be a gas.

As an arm chair pilot whenever I see night shots on the telly I try to
imagine what it would be like flying anything over a large city at
night with all the lights below.

Yuppers that would be a real gas.

I like night flying. Traffic is usually minimal and controller's
workloads are usually light so they'll let you do more things - i.e.
loiter over my house for several minutes near the approach end at CRQ.

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

I like night flying. Traffic is usually minimal and controller's
workloads are usually light so they'll let you do more things - i.e.
loiter over my house for several minutes near the approach end at CRQ.


Well you enjoy the loitering and I will enjoy your posts describing
your exploits just like everyone else in the group is doing.

I do not enjoy flying a helicopter at night very much - at least, out of
the pattern. It's too hard to see The Chosen Landing Spot in the event
of a problem.

I finished off the balance of my 5 hours of night required for the
commercial rating late last year, and declared to some friends that I
won't be doing that sort of flying again by choice anytime soon, at
least in a piston ship.

But, that's just me. My comfort zone is probably smaller and more
conservative/"scairt" than other pilots.

Now, in a turbine ship, I might just be willing to pull pitch when it's
Dark Thirty outside 8^) . I look forward to that Decision Making
Process.

Dave Blevins

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 09:20:01 -0800, The OTHER Kevin in San Diego skiddz
"AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote:


I like night flying. Traffic is usually minimal and controller's
workloads are usually light so they'll let you do more things - i.e.
loiter over my house for several minutes near the approach end at CRQ.

Night over cities and roads is kind of nice. Night over big woods., water,
and dark swamp sucks. I've heard from others that deserts suck too. Every
time I'm over this terrain I turn on my landing lights every so often just
to see whats down there, and always turn-em back off right away cuz its
never pretty. I dont know why I keep turning the lights on, but its probably
like when someone says "here smell this, does this smell bad to you?" My way
of dealing with these trips is to climb up high enough that I can get
flight-following (as long as I dont wind up "on-top" to do it).


Bart

wrote in message
...
I do not enjoy flying a helicopter at night very much - at least, out of
the pattern. It's too hard to see The Chosen Landing Spot in the event
of a problem.