Flight Training - May 2023 - 5

LETTERS
DON'T BE AFRAID
OF THE DARK
Tips for night flights and landings
BY ALICIA HERRON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLIE BEADLE
It may be difficult or impossible to see the
runway numbers at night, even on final. Verify
you're lined up for the correct runway with
your instruments.
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FLIGHT TRAINING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
FLIGHT TRAINING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
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DON'T BE
AFRAID OF
THE DARK
GREAT ARTICLE IN THE JANUARY/
February 2023 issue of Flight Training
( " Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, " by Alicia
Herron). I've got additional thoughts and
suggestions to offer. Number one is to
fly the route in daylight first, if possible,
before trying it at night. Additionally, I've
found that high-intensity airport lights
can be helpful in confirming airport
location but can be a " blinding headlight "
problem on landing. It might be good to
lower intensity on final.
Third, a biggie for me, is to become
familiar with IFR en route charts and
approach plates for purposes of navigation
familiarity, safe altitudes, obstructions,
airport environment and lighting,
et cetera. Even severe clear VFR flight
can benefit greatly from the work already
done for us in development and
maintenance of IFR resources.
John Berg
San Pedro, California
Just a general comment about " Don't Be
Afraid of the Dark. " It says " ...and [the
airplane will] act just like it does during
the day, as long as you do too. "
I understand what the author was trying
to get at and agree. However, I know
pilots who only fly during the day and
summers and fly specific power settings
in the pattern that get them in really close
proximity to a 90, 80, and 70 mph pattern
and 1,000 feet on the downwind to 400 to
500 feet at base to final.
If they flew at night and temps
dropped from 95 down to 60, which can
be experienced in a lot of places, flight
characteristics would be different. So, a
pilot who is used to their power setting
patterns may find themselves slightly
confused coming in for a landing. An
experienced pilot would probably quickly
adjust, but a student or low time pilot
taught power settings to reduce the workload
stress of the pattern may not.
Ryan Woodward
Cincinnati, Ohio
TAILDRAGGER
FEVER
I wanted to thank Jill W. Tallman for her
tailwheel article ( " Taildragger Fever, "
January/February Flight Training). I
especially smiled when she talked about
the rudder-dancing, not holding. It's so
true, and takes a while to reprogram our
nosewheel initial training-especially the
not holding part. My two tailwheels have
come to me with good energy. Red Fox (a
Cessna 185) came from a member of my
RAF family. And my Super Decathlon, Ms
Scarlett, I bought from Kathleen Sullivan,
a former astronaut and first American
woman to walk in space.
Christine Mortine
Worthington, Ohio
Tailwheel is endlessly addictive. I just
love those five little round gauges, the
wire sticking up in front, and the whole
side of the airplane open to the wild blue.
Started in taildraggers, never wanted to be
in anything else! Got my ticket in November
at age 70, finally making it happen
despite the need for careful budgeting.
There's nothing quite like a grass strip;
deer, turkeys, buzzards, runway undulating
up-down-and-sideways, unpredictable
sink from location on the top of a ridge,
lots of exercise shoving the Cub uphill
from the hangar to the fuel tank...just loads
and loads of the very best kind of fun.
Rebecca Carey
Southampton, Pennsylvania
We welcome your comments. Please email
flighttraining@aopa.org. Comments will be
edited for style and space.
FLIGHT TRAINING MAY 2023
5
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Flight Training - May 2023

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