Flying at night....

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

Flying the next few days in preparation for my checkride. I hope I do
well...

Well Kevin I havn't been around for a few months and have missed some
of the episodes of your adventures in the air.

When last I read, you were getting ready for the big solo and I presume
by now the deed has been done.

Night flying...... Now that would be a gas.

As an arm chair pilot whenever I see night shots on the telly I try to
imagine what it would be like flying anything over a large city at
night with all the lights below.

Yuppers that would be a real gas.

Enjoy.

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 06:46:47 GMT, SHIVER ME TIMBERS
wrote:

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

Flying the next few days in preparation for my checkride. I hope I do
well...

Well Kevin I havn't been around for a few months and have missed some
of the episodes of your adventures in the air.

When last I read, you were getting ready for the big solo and I presume
by now the deed has been done.

I soloed 10/21/04 - in the rain.. I'm doing some last minute stuff to
get ready for my checkride. Heading out in about an hour to fly again
today..

Night flying...... Now that would be a gas.

As an arm chair pilot whenever I see night shots on the telly I try to
imagine what it would be like flying anything over a large city at
night with all the lights below.

Yuppers that would be a real gas.

I like night flying. Traffic is usually minimal and controller's
workloads are usually light so they'll let you do more things - i.e.
loiter over my house for several minutes near the approach end at CRQ.

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in
message ...

I
tore my truck and flight bag apart when I got home but didn't find it.
I'd forgotten I'd put it in an envelope and stuffed it in the back of
my logbook and didn't know it until Q called me 1st thing this morning
to tell me. Man, that would have sucked...

After I take a written, I take that paper home and lock it up!

Flying the next few days in preparation for my checkride. I hope I do
well...


I passed a checkride yesterday (not rotor wing) and I am willing to bet
that you can too when the time comes. Even if they DO ding you on
something, it is no big deal and you won't be the first person it ever
happened to.

Good luck
Vaughn

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

I like night flying. Traffic is usually minimal and controller's
workloads are usually light so they'll let you do more things - i.e.
loiter over my house for several minutes near the approach end at CRQ.


Well you enjoy the loitering and I will enjoy your posts describing
your exploits just like everyone else in the group is doing.

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 17:26:03 GMT, "Vaughn Simon"
wrote:


After I take a written, I take that paper home and lock it up!

It's safely ensconced in my strong box at home.

Flying the next few days in preparation for my checkride. I hope I do
well...


I passed a checkride yesterday (not rotor wing) and I am willing to bet
that you can too when the time comes. Even if they DO ding you on
something, it is no big deal and you won't be the first person it ever
happened to.

I'm really only worried about the oral exam part.. I'm a really
terrible test taker, especially if it's given orally. Hopefully since
I did well on the written, the oral won't be too bad.

I do not enjoy flying a helicopter at night very much - at least, out of
the pattern. It's too hard to see The Chosen Landing Spot in the event
of a problem.

I finished off the balance of my 5 hours of night required for the
commercial rating late last year, and declared to some friends that I
won't be doing that sort of flying again by choice anytime soon, at
least in a piston ship.

But, that's just me. My comfort zone is probably smaller and more
conservative/"scairt" than other pilots.

Now, in a turbine ship, I might just be willing to pull pitch when it's
Dark Thirty outside 8^) . I look forward to that Decision Making
Process.

Dave Blevins

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 09:20:01 -0800, The OTHER Kevin in San Diego skiddz
"AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote:


I like night flying. Traffic is usually minimal and controller's
workloads are usually light so they'll let you do more things - i.e.
loiter over my house for several minutes near the approach end at CRQ.

Night over cities and roads is kind of nice. Night over big woods., water,
and dark swamp sucks. I've heard from others that deserts suck too. Every
time I'm over this terrain I turn on my landing lights every so often just
to see whats down there, and always turn-em back off right away cuz its
never pretty. I dont know why I keep turning the lights on, but its probably
like when someone says "here smell this, does this smell bad to you?" My way
of dealing with these trips is to climb up high enough that I can get
flight-following (as long as I dont wind up "on-top" to do it).


Bart

wrote in message
...
I do not enjoy flying a helicopter at night very much - at least, out of
the pattern. It's too hard to see The Chosen Landing Spot in the event
of a problem.

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in message
...
On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 17:26:03 GMT, "Vaughn Simon"
wrote:

I'm really only worried about the oral exam part.. I'm a really
terrible test taker, especially if it's given orally.

Just like for the written; practice, practice, practice...only their are no
convenient web sites for that one. The best method is free, practice with
another student (or students) and try to stump each other. Don't be shy about
debriefing others who have been through their checkrides. Also, there are one
or two good books out there for study for the oral, but I don't know if there
are any specific to sling-wings. You have already made a great tactical move,
you delayed your written so that you don't have to "re-study" for the oral.

Hopefully since
I did well on the written, the oral won't be too bad.

I am sure that there is some truth to that. I don't believe for a moment
that the student with the 95% written gets the same oral as the student with the
70%.

Vaughn

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

My 10 year old has been quizzing me each
morning as I drive kids to school.

I'd bet money she could take the written and
pass it or come damned close. heheeh

Would they let her take the exam with you either as a lark,
learning experience, or a why not scenario.

Imagine how proud she would be as she smugly showed
off her exam results, regardless of what her score was.

Imagine how embarresed you would be is she beat you.

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

If she beat me, I'd have to sell her on the black market. She's
really picked up a lot of info by quizzing me...

Well don't be surprised when she wants her drivers license at
16 and her helicopter pilots license at 17.

Of course by then she will probably expect that daddy owns his
own helicopter.