In order to carry passengers at night (between 1 hour after sunset and 1 hour before sunrise), the FAA requires three full-stop night landings within the last ninety days. I didn’t have that, and I wanted some more night experience and be able to take people at night. Some people will not fly at night due the increased risks in case of emergency, but night flying is quite enjoyable. The air is generally smoother, visibility can be fantastic, it’s fairly easy to navigate with all the city lights and airport beacons, it can be easier to see other aircraft, and it’s not as busy.
I set out about an hour after sunset in my trusty 40B and decided to skip the “three laps around the pattern” often used to gain currency. Instead, I flew over to Siler City to get gas. I didn’t have enough to make my planned flight, and I used that leg as a test of my comfort in the dark. I was a little nervous at first, but once I got on the ground and filled up the plane (pay-at-the-pump self serve is great), I decided to continue with my plans.
I took off and headed west for Lexington. The Davidson County airport is just south of the city and with all the distinct city lights from Greensboro and High Point, I shouldn’t have any problems finding it. As I approached the time I should be seeing the airport beacon, I realized I was north of my track. I followed the highway lights south and spotted the airport a few minutes later. Approach and landing went fine. There were a few people working on a small jet in one of the hangers, perhaps an older Gulfstream… very nice plane.
I taxied back and headed straight for Sanford. To give me more altitude in case of emergency, I climbed to 5,500 feet, higher than I’d ever gone before. It seemed to take forever to get there, and I couldn’t really tell I was any higher than ever before, probably due to the darkness.
The flight back was smooth and I had no problems finding Sanford. I got my three night landings and 2.0 hours of night experience. Fairly small, but a great start.