Night instruction. Beautiful SF Bay. 9/23/2002

Monday, 9/23/2002
7:30pm->10pm (approx)

1658F, 2.0 Hobbs
Jeff - Dual Night

First night flight (real night, not just coming in at dusk).

[to fill in more later]

SF-Bay was very, *very* beautiful - visibility was incredible, buildings in downtown Oakland were pretty,
the air was smooth, nice... LVK landings weren't hard at all - I let it down (flared too high) a little
rough most of the time - but nearly on centerline (even with the landing light off).

Ironically - after practicing no-landing-light landings at night, one of the two bulbs quit on us just after
take-off from LVK 25R back for OAK.

Things really, *really* look different - everything was smooth/comfortable, but a few things 'got me'.

First - flying from SP-Bay to LVK - it looked like the hill-peak behind the M.Temple was far higher than
Mount Diablo. This was an illusion - due to having no real horizon to speak of...

Second - on flying from LVK to OAK, I just assumed an altitude of about 2500' - Jeff (and I!!!) would have
preferred 3000'. Even though Jeff assured me in the past that 2500' clears the range, I didn't even think
about it - and the moon-lit hill-tops loomed below us in a very menacing way below 58F's left landing strut.

I would *definitely* keep higher at night - and once as a PP-ASEL, would either plan my night trips better,
including airspace boundaries w/night-references, or ask ATC for clearance thru Bravo/etc...

I really liked it - some hassle due to preflight with flashlites, postflight, etc... but a rewarding experience.
I think in the Bay Area - primarily for sightseeing w/friends/family, this has a high probability of happening.
Perhaps even to keep T&Gs current with changing schedules. As for real XC flights - I (today) don't see myself doing much
night XC as PIC, unless several factors are met:

1. I'm 110% comfortable with it
2. I'm 110% familiar with the terrain along the whole route +
3. The whole route has good 'outs' - i.e. runways nearby, a highway to follow, etc... no major mountains > 2000' etc
4. perfect mental/physical condition - here's a real disqualifier for life!!! hehe
5. I'm familiar with the radio procedures along the route + airport approaches along the route etc...

6. probably get a GPS. While VFR it was easy, *easy* to fly the airplane, but chart-reading was tough, and
   I don't imagine that VOR triangulation and lost-procedures would be easy without GPS.