Run In With Mr. Edwards

Now you must realize that my plane was MAYBE 40 feet from the door he was
blocking, while Mr. Liability-Attorney's 727 was several hundred yards
farther out. I pointed this fact out to him, and also pointed to my
children, stating that all we wanted to do was get off the ground before
dark, since neither of us were legal to fly at night.

A bit off topic (and I don't want to diminish your point), but I just want
to make sure I understand the regulations...
Couldn't you or Mary just do three quick patterns (full-stop) and be legal
to fly at night?

Adam

"The Weiss Family" wrote in message
...
Now you must realize that my plane was MAYBE 40 feet from the door he was
blocking, while Mr. Liability-Attorney's 727 was several hundred yards
farther out. I pointed this fact out to him, and also pointed to my
children, stating that all we wanted to do was get off the ground before
dark, since neither of us were legal to fly at night.

A bit off topic (and I don't want to diminish your point), but I just want
to make sure I understand the regulations...
Couldn't you or Mary just do three quick patterns (full-stop) and be legal
to fly at night?

If it wasn't dark yet in DSM, it'd be hard to get night current to be able
to land at IOW an hour after sunset. I suspect that it'd take Jay about an
hour to fly from DSM to IOW. I guess he could have landed after dark
somewhere between DSM and IOW, let everybody out and done the 3 full stop
landings and continue on. Jay didn't state what time this was happening, but
if he could have gotten into IOW by around 9:15PM, he would be legal. He may
have just used the night flying excuse to try to get out sooner. The
security people probably don't know anything about night currency.

Couldn't you or Mary just do three quick patterns (full-stop) and be legal
to fly at night?

Sure, but that would be terribly impractical.

It was rapidly approaching dusk, with no known end to our delay. To get
night current means waiting until complete darkness, and doing 3 landings.
This would have meant either waiting until legal darkness in Des Moines, or
stopping somewhere along the way home.

With the kids along, neither choice was good. In practice, we probably
would have just stayed the night, rather than screwing around with it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article Gj9Wc.212654$eM2.14888@attbi_s51, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Couldn't you or Mary just do three quick patterns (full-stop) and be
legal
to fly at night?

Sure, but that would be terribly impractical.

would beat the heck out of staying the night.


It was rapidly approaching dusk, with no known end to our delay. To get
night current means waiting until complete darkness,

no. You have to wait for one hour after sunset.
darkness has nothing to do with it. (or have I misread 61.57?)

--
Bob Noel
Seen on Kerry's campaign airplane: "the real deal"
oh yeah baby.

You have to wait for one hour after sunset.
darkness has nothing to do with it. (or have I misread 61.57?)

You are correct, although in practical terms, I've found that FAR to be
irrelevant.

Total darkness is, well, total -- and I don't much care if it happens to
occur only 48 minutes (or whatever) past sunset.

(Nor have I ever met a CFI who cares, either...)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" writes:

Couldn't you or Mary just do three quick patterns (full-stop) and be legal
to fly at night?

Sure, but that would be terribly impractical.

Do you think some FAA cop is going to be waiting for you to make sure
you had 3 night landings in the last 90 days?

Just frigging fly home at night and be done with it. Big deal.