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Starry, Starry Night

Dodging thunderstorms over the Everglades at night in a single. What could go wrong?

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A pilot's impromptu night flight over the Everglades, prompted by a casual commitment, led to unexpected challenges including extreme darkness and unforeseen thunderstorms.
  • Despite being instrument current, the pilot hesitated to seek ATC assistance for weather avoidance due to an irrational concern about the bends from earlier snorkeling.
  • The pilot improvised a visual strategy to navigate around storms by identifying clear sky areas with visible stars.
  • The experience served as a lesson in thorough pre-flight planning, considering terrain and weather, and avoiding impulsive flying commitments.
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So I shot off my mouth one night among some friends at their Florida beach house. I had flown a Lance down for the holiday weekend, empty, and the friends were curious about small planes. Alcohol may have been involved, but I heard my voice volunteering to pop down to Key West the next day from Clearwater.

When we woke up the next morning, they remembered, so I had little choice but to load up the three friends and launch for Key West. We flew down the coast to Marathon, staying close to land, and then followed the Keys to the end. The flight was uneventful, and soon the boys were snorkeling and the girls shopping. We regrouped later for dinner and headed to the airport, arriving around dusk.

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