Into the Sun

We had gone to the NC beach for the weekend, and had to bug out because of
the hurricane threat. I was worried that even if the hurricane didn't head
right for us, that the outlying winds might get strong enough to prevent us
from departing.

Despite the winds Saturday evening (15 G 25), we had a smooth departure and
headed back towards Atlanta, getting a smooth ride and a bit of a tailwind
for most of the flight. The one thing we didn't have in our favor was
visibility. We were literally headed right into the setting sun for 2 hours.
The haze didn't help. I felt a little better about traffic avoidance because
we were using flight following, but I had a truly miserable time looking
into the sun for the whole flight, despite my sunglasses.

By the time we neared home, my pupils had contracted to the point that I was
having real problems getting them to open up enough to see the panel, which
is flat black. On this evening, it was sea of black with a bright orange
ball perched on top, and the instruments barely visible. As soon as we
changed course to enter the pattern at our home field, everything was
better...

Other than picking a course that isn't into the sun, or choosing a better
time to fly, is there any cure for the sun in the eyes problem?

Other than picking a course that isn't into the sun, or choosing a better
time to fly, is there any cure for the sun in the eyes problem?

I carry slap-on vinyl sun shades.
Stick em where you want em.
One lets too much sun through, slap another over top of it.
AOPA gives them out free at the big shows.
Carry them in your flight bag.

"Don't leave home without them!"

Hi Kyle

I regress to my sailing days - tack left with the visor blocking the
sun/tack right with the visor blocking the sun.
It adds about 15% to the trip - but gets rid of the problem.

HTH

Tony

--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

In article ,
"Kyle Boatright" wrote:

We had gone to the NC beach for the weekend, and had to bug out because of
the hurricane threat. I was worried that even if the hurricane didn't head
right for us, that the outlying winds might get strong enough to prevent us
from departing.

Despite the winds Saturday evening (15 G 25), we had a smooth departure and
headed back towards Atlanta, getting a smooth ride and a bit of a tailwind
for most of the flight. The one thing we didn't have in our favor was
visibility. We were literally headed right into the setting sun for 2 hours.
The haze didn't help. I felt a little better about traffic avoidance because
we were using flight following, but I had a truly miserable time looking
into the sun for the whole flight, despite my sunglasses.

By the time we neared home, my pupils had contracted to the point that I was
having real problems getting them to open up enough to see the panel, which
is flat black. On this evening, it was sea of black with a bright orange
ball perched on top, and the instruments barely visible. As soon as we
changed course to enter the pattern at our home field, everything was
better...

Other than picking a course that isn't into the sun, or choosing a better
time to fly, is there any cure for the sun in the eyes problem?




--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

Despite the winds Saturday evening (15 G 25), we had a smooth
departure and headed back towards Atlanta

Was that you I saw going down the coast at an almost 45 degree crab? Very
windy!

john smith wrote:
Other than picking a course that isn't into the sun, or choosing a better
time to fly, is there any cure for the sun in the eyes problem?

I carry slap-on vinyl sun shades.
Stick em where you want em.
One lets too much sun through, slap another over top of it.


Back in the days when I was a courier pilot, I used to fly every afternoon out
of RDU to CLT... directly into the setting sun. I used the stick on vinyl sun
shades as well. They worked great and as he mentioned, you can double up for
extra protection.

IIRC, I got mine from Sporty's. They were about the size of an automobile sun
visor but of course they were nowhere near as thick. Here's a link to something
quite similar:

http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl....=9526&CATID=96



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

"tony roberts" wrote in message
news:nospam-946BFE.19081412092005@shawnews...
Hi Kyle

I regress to my sailing days - tack left with the visor blocking the
sun/tack right with the visor blocking the sun.
It adds about 15% to the trip - but gets rid of the problem.

HTH

Tony


Visors? We don't got no steenkin' visors... ;-)

I thought about the tacking thing, but our daylight window was getting tight
and I didn't have the time to spare.

KB

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message ...
We had gone to the NC beach for the weekend, and had to bug out because of the hurricane threat. I was
worried that even if the hurricane didn't head right for us, that the outlying winds might get strong enough
to prevent us from departing.

Despite the winds Saturday evening (15 G 25), we had a smooth departure and headed back towards Atlanta,
getting a smooth ride and a bit of a tailwind for most of the flight. The one thing we didn't have in our
favor was visibility. We were literally headed right into the setting sun for 2 hours. The haze didn't help.
I felt a little better about traffic avoidance because we were using flight following, but I had a truly
miserable time looking into the sun for the whole flight, despite my sunglasses.

By the time we neared home, my pupils had contracted to the point that I was having real problems getting
them to open up enough to see the panel, which is flat black. On this evening, it was sea of black with a
bright orange ball perched on top, and the instruments barely visible. As soon as we changed course to enter
the pattern at our home field, everything was better...

Other than picking a course that isn't into the sun, or choosing a better time to fly, is there any cure for
the sun in the eyes problem?

I just hang a hang a spare map down from the visor, completely blocking the sun and the area around it....
--
Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
Despite the winds Saturday evening (15 G 25), we had a smooth
departure and headed back towards Atlanta

Was that you I saw going down the coast at an almost 45 degree crab? Very
windy!

It was windy, but the only time I was over the beach was for about 2 minutes
over Ocean Isle, NC. After takeoff on 06, we made a 220 degree right turn
which took us out over the beach, then it was on couse (280 degrees) to
Atlanta...

Besides, it would take some SERIOUS wind to cause a 150 knot plus aircraft
to need a 45 degree crab, and you won't see me flying a 1600 lb tailwheel
airplane in that kind of wind.

KB

Visors? We don't got no steenkin' visors... ;-)

Hi Kyle

We have a lot of sun here - I honestly couldn't fly without visors.

Tony

--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

I know of two fatal midairs in which sun-blindness was a contributory
factor. No matter what the reported visibility, in those conditions it is
essentially zero. Only solution other than changing course is to get some
kind of opaque disc or sheet that can be stuck to the windscreen.

Way back (how long ago will become apparent), I was landing on 25 at Phoenix
near sundown. The controller kept telling me that the runway was dead ahead
and counting down the miles, but I couldn't see it. I asked him for the
localizer freq...but at that time PHX didn't have an ILS. I finally picked
up the threshold markings when I was right on top of them. Scary.

Bob Gardner

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
...
We had gone to the NC beach for the weekend, and had to bug out because of
the hurricane threat. I was worried that even if the hurricane didn't head
right for us, that the outlying winds might get strong enough to prevent
us from departing.

Despite the winds Saturday evening (15 G 25), we had a smooth departure
and headed back towards Atlanta, getting a smooth ride and a bit of a
tailwind for most of the flight. The one thing we didn't have in our
favor was visibility. We were literally headed right into the setting sun
for 2 hours. The haze didn't help. I felt a little better about traffic
avoidance because we were using flight following, but I had a truly
miserable time looking into the sun for the whole flight, despite my
sunglasses.

By the time we neared home, my pupils had contracted to the point that I
was having real problems getting them to open up enough to see the panel,
which is flat black. On this evening, it was sea of black with a bright
orange ball perched on top, and the instruments barely visible. As soon
as we changed course to enter the pattern at our home field, everything
was better...

Other than picking a course that isn't into the sun, or choosing a better
time to fly, is there any cure for the sun in the eyes problem?