A night flight, a First Flight
Night flying is a unique experience that never ceases to dazzle me. This evening I flew two coworkers of mine over San Antonio. We rented the 2003 Cessna Skyhawk SP from Wright Flyers and launched into the night sky shortly after 6:30PM.
The latest METAR (aviation weather report) sited:
Winds 080 @ 3, 10 mile visibility, a broken cloud layer at 9,000 and 25,000 feet with an altimeter of 30.29
Even at a full 8000 feet above the city, the clouds more than a mile above the surface reflected the orange glow of the city lights.
The air was so smooth, “like a baby’s bottom” - I remarked! The city lights were a dazzle to the visual senses. San Antonio ATC was in a decent mood and Stinson Municipal provided an opportunity for my passengers to switch seats in the airplane while I stretched my legs.
Don’t be a stranger to night flying. It’s something I think all of us, as pilots, should do more often. It’s a very different world and can be a challenging one for the VFR pilot. That said, basking in the glow of a large city - with the undersides of my Cessna’s wings lit up - can be just as visual as a similar daytime jaunt.
Night shot of Downtown San Antonio, Texas
Awesome!!
David Deninger said,
June 12, 2005 @ 9:01 am
I really enjoy your website Justin, this PIREP made me remember this little story:
One evening after ground school class, I remember speaking in the weather room at KIWS (West Houston) with my instructor, Chip Dale. I expressed a little anxiety about having to do night flying. He said “Don’t worry, night flying is a religious experience!” to which I replied, “I hope that doesn’t mean that you are doing a lot of praying!”