Peter R. wrote:
Michael ) wrote:


At night, you can often see lightning from over 100 miles away and
can't reliably tell how far it is.


I learned this one night last summer while flying over Long Island en route
to Bedford, Massachusetts. Up ahead at our two o'clock were some very
impressive lightning strikes. It was very pretty except for the fact that
I thought we were heading right into it.

I called NY Approach and requested a 30-degree left deviation for weather.
The controller called me back and stated he had no weather on his scope for
70 miles or so, but approved my request anyhow. Before turning away we
were rewarded with the full moon rising above the cell. A definite Kodak
moment.

Later I learned that the single t-storm cell putting out all of that
impressive lightning was out over Cape Cod, easily 120 nm away. Whoops.

I once had some landing lights pointed at me at night and I thought collision
was imminent. The controller thought the lights must be on an aircraft several
miles away, and asked that pilot to blink his landing lights. Sure enough. Got
over my embarrassment and learned a lesson.

Dave