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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 impulsively committed to flying friends to Key West, leading to an unexpectedly challenging night return flight over the Everglades.
  • During the flight, the pilot encountered complete darkness over unlit terrain and developing thunderstorms, despite prior weather checks.
  • Reluctant to climb or contact ATC due to an irrational concern, the pilot navigated around the storms by observing star visibility to identify clear patches.
  • The experience underscored the importance of thorough pre-flight planning, terrain awareness, and avoiding impulsive flight commitments, despite a safe outcome.
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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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