IFR just 5.4% of the time

On Mar 2, 8:12 am, Mxsmanic wrote:
Don Poitras writes:
If it's dark enough that you can't see much outside, then it _is_ IMC.

Nighttime isn't a meteorological condition. That's why you don't see
nighttime indicators in METARs. The key point is that you don't see much,
which allows you to fly IFR. I suppose that if you look out the window you
might see something, but you have to look, whereas during the day, the scenery
outside is hard to ignore.

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You can see just fine at night. In fact, you can see better, depending
on what you are looking for. Compare it to driving. Would you compare
driving at night to the equivalent of a thick fog?

Andrew Sarangan writes:

You can see just fine at night. In fact, you can see better, depending
on what you are looking for. Compare it to driving. Would you compare
driving at night to the equivalent of a thick fog?

No, but driving at night is still closer to fog than driving during the day.

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On Mar 2, 9:48 am, Mxsmanic wrote:
Andrew Sarangan writes:
You can see just fine at night. In fact, you can see better, depending
on what you are looking for. Compare it to driving. Would you compare
driving at night to the equivalent of a thick fog?

No, but driving at night is still closer to fog than driving during the day.


Not necessarily. For driving, you only need a clear view of the road
and traffic ahead. Whether you can see the scenery around you is
irrelevant for safe driving. Except for the darkness inside the cabin,
which makes it harder to read maps, the darkness outside is not a big
factor. As long as you can see the horizon, airports, runways and
other airplanes, it does not make a big difference how much of the
scenery you can see. This only becomes an issue if you have to make an
emergency off-field landing.

Andrew Sarangan writes:

Not necessarily. For driving, you only need a clear view of the road
and traffic ahead. Whether you can see the scenery around you is
irrelevant for safe driving. Except for the darkness inside the cabin,
which makes it harder to read maps, the darkness outside is not a big
factor. As long as you can see the horizon, airports, runways and
other airplanes, it does not make a big difference how much of the
scenery you can see.

What about terrain?

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Mxsmanic wrote:
What about terrain?

This proves how utterly clueless you are. We are to fly at
an altitude which assures obstruction clearance. Now
research how we determine that altitude in pre-flight planning.

F--

TxSrv writes:

This proves how utterly clueless you are. We are to fly at
an altitude which assures obstruction clearance.

Famous last words.

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On Mar 2, 12:03 pm, Mxsmanic wrote:
Andrew Sarangan writes:
Not necessarily. For driving, you only need a clear view of the road
and traffic ahead. Whether you can see the scenery around you is
irrelevant for safe driving. Except for the darkness inside the cabin,
which makes it harder to read maps, the darkness outside is not a big
factor. As long as you can see the horizon, airports, runways and
other airplanes, it does not make a big difference how much of the
scenery you can see.

What about terrain?



Terrain avoidance at night becomes a problem only in unpopulated areas
under an overcast moonless sky. It has happened, so it is a real
issue, but most pilots fly in areas where there are at least some
ground lights, moon or stars, and it is really not that hard to tell
if you are heading towards a mountain. On the other hand, unlit towers
are a real concern, regardless of whether it is day or night, and this
is why they get NOTAM'd.

Recently, Andrew Sarangan posted:

Terrain avoidance at night becomes a problem only in unpopulated areas
under an overcast moonless sky. It has happened, so it is a real
issue, but most pilots fly in areas where there are at least some
ground lights, moon or stars, and it is really not that hard to tell
if you are heading towards a mountain. On the other hand, unlit towers
are a real concern, regardless of whether it is day or night, and this
is why they get NOTAM'd.

The above is an excellent example of bad pre-flight planning. All one has
to do to avoid terrain, day, night, IMC, etc. is stay above the altitude
of any obstructions in the sector. As this is plainly listed on every
sectional, it is not a difficult task.

Neil

On Mar 3, 7:28 am, "Neil Gould" wrote:
Recently, Andrew Sarangan posted:

Terrain avoidance at night becomes a problem only in unpopulated areas
under an overcast moonless sky. It has happened, so it is a real
issue, but most pilots fly in areas where there are at least some
ground lights, moon or stars, and it is really not that hard to tell
if you are heading towards a mountain. On the other hand, unlit towers
are a real concern, regardless of whether it is day or night, and this
is why they get NOTAM'd.

The above is an excellent example of bad pre-flight planning. All one has
to do to avoid terrain, day, night, IMC, etc. is stay above the altitude
of any obstructions in the sector. As this is plainly listed on every
sectional, it is not a difficult task.

Neil

If you insist on flying above the MEF for each quadrant, you will not
be able to do any GA flying in the mountain states. This is the very
definition of mountain flying - ie flying below the peaks. Please
don't flame my responses as "examples of bad preflight planning" when
it is your reponse that is not adequately thought out.

Andrew Sarangan wrote:

On Mar 2, 12:03 pm, Mxsmanic wrote:

Andrew Sarangan writes:

Not necessarily. For driving, you only need a clear view of the road
and traffic ahead. Whether you can see the scenery around you is
irrelevant for safe driving. Except for the darkness inside the cabin,
which makes it harder to read maps, the darkness outside is not a big
factor. As long as you can see the horizon, airports, runways and
other airplanes, it does not make a big difference how much of the
scenery you can see.

What about terrain?




Terrain avoidance at night becomes a problem only in unpopulated areas
under an overcast moonless sky. It has happened, so it is a real
issue, but most pilots fly in areas where there are at least some
ground lights, moon or stars, and it is really not that hard to tell
if you are heading towards a mountain. On the other hand, unlit towers
are a real concern, regardless of whether it is day or night, and this
is why they get NOTAM'd.

If you are flying the minimum IFR altitudes, it still should not be a
problem, unless there is a chart error.

Matt