Always Learning...

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AndrewM
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Always Learning...

Post by AndrewM »

Yesterday I was flying from Baltimore to Boston. It was late in the day, and I would be arriving into Boston well past sunset. The forecast and METARS were all great, clear skies and seemingly no issues. And a tailwind! I had my routing from my filing with Foreflight, received confirmation As Filed. Great!

Picking up my clearance after start-up it was completely different, no big deal, but the routing was terrible. Along the way I asked for and received some better routing, but nothing really good. I checked the weather again and since it looked great all the way, I considered cancelling IFR. In the end I decided I was in no hurry, and it was night... best remain IFR.

40mins out from Boston checked the weather again at my destination and could not believe it. Clouds down to 600ft, light rain... what?? Where did this come from? Coming into the area it was clear everywhere, how could this be? Then about 5 miles from my destination I could see the layer commence, it seemed to be right over, and only over the airport. Anyhow got the ILS to 05 at LWM and broke out about 80ft above minimums.

Was very happy I had remained IFR, especially at night. That layer would have come up fast at the wrong moment, and I was reminded, again, just how quickly and suddenly the weather can change.
jb642DA
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Re: Always Learning...

Post by jb642DA »

........NEVER trust the weatherman !!!! Learned that 2 days before Christmas in 1974 when doing my "long solo cross-country" for my private.

Flight briefing was "great day for a student cross country" flight - severe clear all day, or so the forecaster said!!

Long story short, landed in a snowstorm at an unplanned airport due to marginal VFR and getting worse quickly. Also had my first airframe icing "encounter"!! I had no idea a C150 could have icicles form on it! .......have not trusted the "weatherman" since that day!

Severe VFR day - ya, right!
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CFIDave
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Re: Always Learning...

Post by CFIDave »

I make it a habit to ALWAYS file IFR when flying across the country at night. And even if the night-time weather is "severe clear," I will alway load and fly an instrument approach into my destination airport rather than accept a visual approach from ATC.

It may be difficult to judge altitude when approaching the destination airport over "black hole" water or terrain that lacks lighting; an instrument approach keeps you safely above things you can't see at night. And flying an approach leads you right to the runway when trying to pick it out in urban areas with too many other lights.
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ememic99
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Re: Always Learning...

Post by ememic99 »

In Europe night cross country practically doesn't exist. I remember some counties use to have it but I don't know whether it still exist. Night rating is more-less flying the pattern to get prerequisite for IR training. I never cancel IFR if on "I" or "Z" flight plan e.g. when destination has instrument approach - if the weather is nice you can always aske for visual approach which is part of IFR flight.
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AndrewM
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Re: Always Learning...

Post by AndrewM »

Dave, I believe there have been several cases on the east coast of Florida where some airports are really close together, where at night planes have accepted a clearance to land and ended up... at the wrong airport! Another reason for using instrument approaches at night.
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Colin
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Re: Always Learning...

Post by Colin »

alway load and fly an instrument approach into my destination airport
Same here. Part of my three new rules for flying at night.
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