Night Flying in Your Ideal Aircraft Should Be Planned, Not Dreaded

Remembering the good parts of student-pilot nighttime training can help get us back out in the dark.

Monday, January 22, 2024 at 07:13 PM ET

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When all the lights are working and your cockpit is organized, night flying begins to feel more natural. [Credit: Jonathan Welsh]

Key Takeaways:

The author pushed through significant delays to fly on an ideal January day, resulting in a flight that extended well into the night.
Despite a general aversion to night flying due to past safety concerns and negative experiences, the author decided to embrace it as a necessary part of being a private pilot.
The unexpected night flight proved rewarding, allowing the author to practice pilotage and rediscover the unique experience of night landings, leading to a more open mindset about future flying strategies.

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A recent flight helped me to think more openly about strategies for getting the most out of my airplane this year. In short, I realized that letting go of old excuses could yield more flying time if I handled the process reasonably.

I was determined to log what would be my first hours of the year on a recent Friday and had planned to be in the air by midmorning, which soon degraded to midday, then midafternoon. Just about every action, activity, and preparation took far longer than expected, but I was not going to let that lovely day get away from me. Conditions were ideal. A day like this would be welcome in April but was worthy of celebration in early January.