Watch in HD – you can read the Panel!
Ride along as I do several circuits (take-offs and landings) through dusk into official night (30 mins after sunset).
Toronto Island Airport – CYTZ – class C control zone.
9 landings in ~45 minutes!
It is a cold February evening, there is a medium cross wind from the north west / right side (I am using runway 26)
This was the first time I had my full multi cam set-up recording intercom and ATC audio, so it is a very watchable flight as I talk through everything I am doing.
It is a great example of the normal circuit procedures in a 172SP, in a control zone.
(This is also the first time I have shot GoPro at night – they preformed well for my needs, but maybe a little noisy for professional broadcast…)
This was a relatively busy night so there was lots of radio work, but ATC was very accommodating allowing me to do a pile of circuits to refresh my night currency.
(In Canada we need to do 5 night landings every 6 months to legally carry passengers at night; I try to do so at least every ~3 months; this is above and beyond day currency – For which insurance requires half an hour logged every 30 days; however, I try to get up about 2-3 times per month.)
My usual style is to cut shorter videos, but this one is pretty action packed, so after reviewing it for my own benefit, I realized it was worth sharing in it’s entirety – the good the bad and the occasional sloppiness.
In all seriousness, for a “weekend warrior” VFR guy, I’m happy with my performance…
Was it perfect? Hell, no. But there were no glaring errors, and I caught most of my minor mistakes as I made them.
I welcome any other constructive criticism and/or positive feedback.
If I get some positive feed back regarding this “little or not edited” format, I’ll consider adding more “Full Flight videos”, but for the most part I think a shorter ~5 minute video format is more “digestible”.
I added some additional voice overs / over lay text, and cut out some of the ground operations so it isn’t boring.
I dare you to watch all ~45 mins! – it is worth it – honest 🙂
If you really want to skip to some of the best parts, here are some hi-light time codes:
Time: 4:55
Short final + a good landing, dusk
Time: 7:00
Turning Downwind 2nd circuit
Time: 8:00
Turning base + Landing clearance
Time: 9:20
Short final + 2nd landing, dusk
Time: 11:20
ATC spacing instructions to follow Dash-8
Time: 13:40
Dash-8 Wake Turbulence clearly visible on the water.
Time: 18:50
Sloppy approach as I was enjoying the view on base…
ATC instructed full stop on this one due to risk of wake from departing Dash-8
Time: 21:15
Official night begins – nice cross wind take-off after a full stop due to wake turbulence ahead.
Time: 24:00
Following a Dash-8, another great example of seeing wake turbulence on the water.
I flew a nice Steep approach.
Time: 25:25
Sloppy final, distracted looking at wake on water, then 1st full dark night landing.
It is pretty good but I didn’t hold it off as long as I had intended to.
Time: 26:55
I accurately predict ATC spacing instructions.
Time: 28:00
downwind, full night, following a Dash-8, I’m clearly enjoying the awesome view!
Time: 29:00
Base leg toward city awesome view of the night city sky line.
Landing clearance, and a pretty good approach, but still fail to hold it off as long as I’d hoped…
Time: 32:00
Clear example of a dark night over water resulting in zero visual reference
– it’s a black hole out there, so instrument flying skills need to be sharp even for VFR night flying.
Time: 33:30
Another awesome view on the base leg.
Time 35:05
I get confused with an ATC traffic advisory (this has to happen at least once per flight 🙂
Time: 35:45
Turning to crosswind leg flying into the “black hole” again.
Time: 38:50
Landing clearance and a pretty steep approach requiring full flaps and a full forward slip to get it down.
The landing turned out rather well, but it may have been a better idea just to go around; however, the glider pilot in me tends to try to save most approaches.
Time: 41:40
Take off after a full stop for the final circuit.
Time: 44:10
ATC spacing instructions to fit in with arriving Dash-8 traffic.
It’s a challenging one as I am following a Dash-8 and have one relatively close behind me,
so I’m feeling a little pressure, and sort of hit the wake of the plane I’m landing behind, so the landing is tricky.
It was a good one to end it on 🙂
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