The Ultimate Night Experience

WOW!

I had been told that it was an unbelievable experience... and it really was! Tonight I went for my night scenic check flight with the CFI. At Airline Flying Club we are in the lucky situation of being in good standing with the Air Traffic Controllers at Auckland International. This is down to CFI Rob who works hard to maintain a working relationship with the controllers at NZAA so that, provided they are not busy with 'real' traffic, they will allow us to execute a low approach and overshoot...

Quite an experience to join the 'Big Boys'... although the pilot of QF189, who had setup a nice 10 mile final, sounded a little bewildered when the Tower told him to "Expect a TCAS warning, traffic is a 152 orbiting just south of the threshold"... "Confirm Traffic Type"... "A Cessna 152 orbiting just south of the threshold"... "A 152?!?!? at night??!?!? He's Brave!"...

After our 2nd Orbit we were cleared "Number 2 behind 767 on short final, caution wake turbulence"... you think?? ;)

I set up for the final approach (missed the centreline due to the 17knot crosswind... oops!) and as we were coming in... "Juliet Foxtrot Yankee... cleared low approach and overshoot and then direct to the city, 1500' or below".

I make the readback and then continued with my sideways crab along final... at which point QF189 pipes up with "awwww, I wanted to see him land with the 17knot crosswind!"... cheeky sod!

I really had to fight the urge not to say "Well if you pay the $50 landing fee I will!"... Rob told me later he was wanting to go back with "We would, but we wouldnt want to show you up!"... hahahahaah :)

We zoomed along the runway doing 100kts at 100' and then executed the go-around... I was very happy with my track, given the ridiculous crosswind and we made our way to the city thanking the controller for their help.

A quick turn around Sky Tower, out over the Port and then across to Musick Point. The city looked absolutely fabulous... I cannot wait to take a few family members and friends up at night... Then around the coast to Maretai and Clevedon river mouth, before heading back to NZAR... The wind had swung around so we were able to make a straight in approach for 21. Thankfully I managed to get the runway lights on. A relatively decent landing and Rob says to me "Excellent, feel free to go flying at Night" :)

Stoked!


This flight: 1.1 Dual
Total Hours: 110.9 (76.1 Dual Day, 3.9 Dual Night, 28.7 PinC Day, 2.2 PinC Night, 5.1 IFR)