Running out of daylight!

[Old Koreelah]

I ran out of daylight on a recent flight home. Sun was setting as I departed nearby field and my time assumptions were off the mark. It took almost twice as long to get to home field, and the twilight was much shorter than I expected. (Midsummer twilights are heaps shorter than midwinter) Luckily I knew the area well, still had enough light to land safely, and didn't have to test out my LL's, but it was a sobering experience. Next time I will look up last light times and apply them!

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I should blame you, Dex, because on the way up the valley I deviated (does that make me a deviant?) west to check out Denman and your strip.

 

I see you have a nice house and buildings where Google Earth says there once was lucerne paddock. Was too high and rushed to see the power lines.

 

The real delay: As I climbed to cross the range the engine sounded different... so after a few too many stutters from in front I turned back to YSCO to check under the cowl.

 

Using heaps more fuel and running very rich, so some work ahead of me.

 

 

[Guernsey]

If you have a FAST aeroplane like a Morgan Sierra and you fly towards the setting sun, you will never run out of daylight:laugh:

 

Alan.

 

 

[facthunter]

You would have to have a groundspeed of about 800 mph to achieve that Alan... Nev

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

If you have a FAST aeroplane like a Morgan Sierra and you fly towards the setting sun, you will never run out of daylight:laugh:Alan.

Even a Wright Flyer could outrun the sunset if you took off far enough south- like perhaps Mawson base...

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I've done the same myself once in the Drifter. Expected a tailwind that didn't happen, on the last leg home. I was still a good 30 minutes out sitting there watching the sun set !.

 

Fortunatly I was prepared, and had a recent NVFR GA rating, a red torch for the instruments, and most important of all, a landing light on the plane. There was also a full moon rising brilliantly behind me, and I had radio contact with my home base, so they knew I was coming. Without the NVFR experience I certainly would not have been anywhere near as comfortable in my ability, which is exactly why I got it when I did my basic GA training.

 

I also knew the area intimatly, and knew exactly where I was with lighted visual reference all the way. It's amazing what you can see at night from the air, especially by the light of a full moon.

 

The other side of the coin could easily have been, no night VFR experience, no instrument lights, no landing light, and no moon, so total darkness !.= no hope.

 

A real potential trap this time of the year as the days get shorter, that needs to be avoided at all costs. Especially if you are unprepared for it....I can't think of any thing more scary, being caught in the dark with nothing !!..................Maj..

 

 

[Admin]

Old_K...your not the first mate...I got caught out quite badly:

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/showthread.php/3044-A-great-trip-a-lesson-learnt-and-experience-gained?highlight=daylight

 

and the lesson I learnt that I pass on to everyone is that when flying close to end of daylight always make sure you know what the sun is doing...especially if flying East always do a little turn and look at the sun

 

It is great to get these little reminders from other pilot's experiences...you could save a life and not even know it

 

 

[Spin]

Terrain can also be a trap for the unwary too ie. me. Back in my paragliding days I was revelling in flying conditions that had smoothed out late afternoon after a fairly rough afternoon. Beautiful view out west toward mountain peaks that reach a bit over 10,000', watching the sun dropping down toward them. Obviously there was still daylight where I was, but my landing field, tucked up in a valley around 3,500' below me was already receding into the gloom and was most definitely dark by the time I glided down. Not too serious, given an approach speed of 12-15kts, some light spilling from the campfire and a few gas lanterns, but I didn't reckon on the breeze switching directions on me from an upslope easterly to a downslope westerly as the earth cooled. Not being able to see any indication of wind direction I set up for landing in the same direction as my takeoff 2 hours or so earlier - and ended up on my face when my legs were unable to cope with the downwind landing speed! We live and hopefully learn - still was a magic flight though:thumb up:

 

 

[facthunter]

It is something to watch, and be wary of.. In the tropics, sunset is like flicking the switch off, especially if it sets behind mountains. Some moonlit nights are almost as good as daylight, but when there is no moon and no lights It's very dark man. Give yourself about 30 mins MINIMUM leeway. If you have a fairly low airspeed and get a headwind you can really drop behind. A friend of mine headed for lightning ridge from the coast, encountered a dust storm and strong headwinds and eventually tried to land on the highway which he picked out by the cars headlights below. As he flared to land he found he was right upon a cattle grid and had to pull back to clear it. The Plane stalled and put the wheels up through the wing and pretty much totalled the plane, (a Hornet Moth). Bad luck I suppose, but he wasn't hurt and the eggs were not broken either. Nev

 

 

[Guernsey]

You would have to have a groundspeed of about 800 mph to achieve that Alan... Nev

I know that Nev, it's just my warped sense of humour. Alan.

 

 

[facthunter]

yeah, It's not a warped sense of humour. I just didn't think the morgan product would quite go THAT fast. Of course it you get to a high enough latitude you can, (as has been pointed out already). You can do it in a Commercial jet at about lat 50 degrees, winds permitting. Nev

 

 

[Guernsey]

I know that as well Nev, I have already done it in an aircraft flying over northern Russia.

 

Alan.