Night flying
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,546
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From: Oxford, UK
Night flying
Now is the perfect time of year to do some night flying....practice, get the rating. There will be clear weather, crisp cold air from the Northwest, your power plane incorporates a heater! if you are equipped with the night rating you can make full use of your UK license in North America. It is also simply beautiful flying at night.
Perhaps others can suggest a good place in the UK to fly at night?
Perhaps others can suggest a good place in the UK to fly at night?
/pedant mode off.
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: The World
Do you also have this strange concept of magically disappearing airfields at sunset in the UK? I was flying in continental Europe for a while and was always surprised to see airfields legally "vanishing" when sun sets ...
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 444
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From: Up There!!!
I think it's good that if your home airfield is military or regional airport that it stays open long enough for you to get night flying in.
When I was a member of another airfield, staff needed paying to stay late, if there wasn't enough pilots wanting to fly, it didn't pay to have the fire crew or radio operator remain after their usual finishing time.
I love to fly at night, but I can only do it at weekends, my work stops me night flying during the week, the weather doesn't always permit this! So still waiting to go up this season.
When I was a member of another airfield, staff needed paying to stay late, if there wasn't enough pilots wanting to fly, it didn't pay to have the fire crew or radio operator remain after their usual finishing time.
I love to fly at night, but I can only do it at weekends, my work stops me night flying during the week, the weather doesn't always permit this! So still waiting to go up this season.
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: QLD
If this complacent and backward country was a little more open to flying at night (just open those damn uncontrolled airfields 24/7 as they do in Australia or in the US!) I'd have an aircraft with a chute and would probably fly at night most of the time. I just love it and it fits very well with my working hours.
Sadly this is never going to happen.
Sadly this is never going to happen.
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
My recent night flying induced a considerable amount of ass pucker. Flew down from the grass strip at Forfar on Sunday to visit a friend at Strathven, ended up leaving later than planned and got wheels up at 3.55pm for the 80 mile flight home, light started fading fast after Glasgow. The route takes me past the extended centerline of Dundee where the fully lit up runway was extremely tempting but decided to push on the final 14 miles. I did check in with Dundee on passing to enquire as to the closing time which was 9pm so I knew I had an option. The light really faded fast thereafter and turning final
at the home field the only thing I could make out was the loch and trees that run parallel to the strip but not the landing zone itself, so it was full flaps in, trimmed right back to 1.2 of VSo then clinched my ass cheeks and waited,,,, best landing I've done in months !
at the home field the only thing I could make out was the loch and trees that run parallel to the strip but not the landing zone itself, so it was full flaps in, trimmed right back to 1.2 of VSo then clinched my ass cheeks and waited,,,, best landing I've done in months !
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Canada
I can think of two airports near Toronto which close late at night, but that's not because it's night, but rather to keep the neighbours happy with no noise after 11PM. All the other airports I can think of are either always open, or have ARCAL lights, so you open it yourself.
Here at home, my wife turns on the runway lights when I text her. I quite enjoy night flying, though I don't make a habit of really long night cross countries any more, unless it's a beauty night over a relatively populated area.
Here at home, my wife turns on the runway lights when I text her. I quite enjoy night flying, though I don't make a habit of really long night cross countries any more, unless it's a beauty night over a relatively populated area.