Dusk till Dawn

[Lurcherman]

Anyone think a Dusk till Dawn competition is a goer.
Obvious rip off of Dawn till Dusk
Purpose to promote the joys of night flying but also highlight the dearth of airfields available after dark in the winter.
Taking place for two weeks around longest night.
All airfields with lights turn them on and provide fuel.
maybe even some hospitality?

[UV]

Anyone think a Dusk till Dawn competition is a goer.

Nope, afraid not!

[Genghis the Engineer]

Nope, too few airfields are ever interested in opening at night, and too few pilots are ever night qualified and current.

G

[Piper.Classique]

Ok, I am night qualified and current and know where the switch is for the runway lights, so if you want to come to Chauvigny just let us know. Though personally I would wait till the runway has dried out somewhat......

[AdamFrisch]

Your choice of airfields are now, what, 3 int he UK unless you want to pay mandatory handling at £500/pop?

[Lurcherman]

Disappointed but not surprised by the initial responses. From a moderator as well! No wonder UK aviation is plumbing the depths. I am going to do bit more work on this.
Did have some helpful PM's.
Wonder if Strasser got same encouragement when he suggested all airfields waive landing fees in genuine emergencies?
Chicken and egg? No airfields open , no fly. No fly, no airfields open.
For anyone who has flown outside UK you have seen it can be done.
I have had positive help from Denham,Elstree and Fairoaks to name just 3 Southern airfields that don't charge £500, and I'm a Northerner!
In a few years time you may well have the satisfaction of saying "I told you so!"
maybe not.

[UV]

Disappointed but not surprised by the initial responses. From a moderator as well! No wonder UK aviation is plumbing the depths. I am going to do bit more work on this.


I think you may be missing the point!

The reason I said afraid not is many fold, and I will now explain!

1. The probability of suitable weather to fly all night, at this time of year, is minimal.
2. The cost of putting in several hours just to up the figures is rather pointless.
3. Many pilots dont go far in a single, at night, so it is somewhat academic flying around in circles!
4. Not many people are sufficieniently qualified at night (in my opinion) to make the idea a goer.
5. I actually think there are enough airfields iin the SE, and some may join in, but most people have been to them anyway!

So, to summarise, we are being practical, not disinterested. You did ask for opinions!

I will ignore the flippant remark about the lack of interest in the excellent Strasser scheme.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Disappointed but not surprised by the initial responses. From a moderator as well! No wonder UK aviation is plumbing the depths. I am going to do bit more work on this.

As the moderator in question I have flow a little over 6 hours night in the last 6 months, and really enjoy night flying.

Fact is however, I know that few airfields have a will to open at night beyond some training flying, and few British pilots maintain their recency because they find it's got little use. In the first five years after I got my night qualification, I manage a grand total of 1 night hour.

So, I don't honestly think it'll work. But, very best of luck in proving me wrong.

G

[Floppy Link]

Did a Dusk to Dawn last summer on the ambulance night shift at work. Thirteen sectors...

Base-Millport-Hospital-Base-Rothesay-Hospital-Base-Campbeltown-Base-Dunoon-Hospital-Base-Oban-Base (or something like that...)

...the joys of night flying ...

:zzz: is better at my age

[Lurcherman]

UV,
Perhaps we are both missing each other's point.
I will explain.
In was using Dusk till Dawn as a tag line. I was not really expecting people to just fly around all night just for the sake of it. Although seems justifiable for Dawn till Dusk.
My hope is to encourage the use of aircraft for all private, business and leisure purposes throughout the year.
There are a great number of light aircraft in the UK that are Day, Night,VFR ,IFR equipped, why not utilise them more fully?
All airfields need to provide are lights fuel and access.
Please do not ignore my remark regarding Strasser. It was not flippant. It is more dangerous to fly at night due to the lack of lighted airfields with fuel.
Availability of airfields is the starting point. Training, currency, justification etc would I believe follow.


Ghengis,
To what extent are your low night hours due to the fact we make it so difficult?

Flight guides need to be more informative regarding possibility of night use.

[Genghis the Engineer]

My limited night hours are easy to explain - most GA fields don't open for long after dusk, and particularly because I tend to do A-B trips rather than A-A trips, the choice of airfields becomes pretty limited. But, apart from a few extra night training hours, to be honest the flight guides are generally complete and accurate.

G

[GeeWhizz]

IMO 'Dusk til Dawn' wouldn't be as much fun fun as you can't see anything... I like seeing things from above, and flying for 8 hours or so at night without seeing what I've not flown over before doesn't interest me much. Controversially I don't see night currency/recency to be an issue for such flying, as if one were to do something like this he or she would force an hour or two beforehand.

However (OK this is a little thread drift but...) I've been considering the Dawn til Dusk challenge for some time. It involves flying to places defined more or less by ones 'theme'. What themes do people use? I'd like to do this challenge in the coming year but as yet lack thematic inspiration. Please pose some ideas... Please!

Now then, back to the night challenge. Although it seems people wouldn't be up to a 'Dusk til Dawn' affair, it may be worth devising a some kind of night challenge. What it would be I don't know. My personal opinion is that it would be nice to have a bog standard night time GA 'challenge' that doesn't require qualification other than a vanilla PPL (+NQ). I'll also add that I've not yet taken part in the nav/spot landing competitions, but will when my schedule permits!

Lurcherman, I like the night concept, but not as the flip-side to the day long equivalent. Lastly, if something were organised properly an airfield or two could be persuaded to open for the required times :ok:

[Lurcherman]

I suggest most trips for business or leisure purposes are A-B-A.
At my airfield the A bit is covered we have lights fuel 24/7 so we can always get out and get home. It is the B that is the problem.
Quote Most airfields don't stay open long after dusk.
The choice of airfields becomes pretty limited
My point precisely!


Where in the flight guide does it tell you some airfields will do their best to help with out of hours,( Elstree, Denham Fairoaks.) others will not even consider the request. Or, we night fly on Thursdays!