I flew nights all the time in a NVG attack helicopter unit. Fired 20mm, TOW's and 2.75 FFAR's at night. We had min. night/NVG currancy requirementsI always looked forward to it.

Four years ago I flew the maule out of Williamsport PA. at night and relized I didn't know what was below if I went down. I last flew through a storm front at night on a trip from Balto. to Dothan Al. with the family of four. I didn't like it any more.

The older I get the more I don't want to die!

Depends on the night.
-I will fly from Sun Valley (Idaho) to Stanley and back in the middle of the night with a full moon and be just fine (enjoyable).
-I have flown from Pocatello to Sun Valley with no moon and been nervouse as hell over the desert where there is lava. You get in the middle and there is no lights, period. If she quits you will grind the bottom off to the carpet under the rudder pedals on the rocks, and no one will find you for days.

Flying is full of "what ifs." Some are easier to dismiss than others.

I'm the biggest pussy of them all... VFR/daytime only now, and I am just fine with that. LIke many have said in this post already, they used to do it. I have done it too. Got my ass kicked pretty hard one night in some clear air mechanical turbulence over the coast range on the south coast of CA, I'm just thankful I didn't have my wife or anyone with me whom I wish to enjoy the experience.

I certainly appreciate the skill and mental fortitude required to take on additional risk, but we all fit the flying risk package into our lives differently. Nothing wrong with any of our choices. It's all perspective. For some, climbing into an airplane at all is a really big deal. At the other end of the spectrum you have Gump falling asleep at the wheel alone in a 207 at night in IMC over AK mountains, anus totally relaxed.

It's just how you look at it I suppose. I fly over the east side of downtown Portland all the time at 2000 AGL. I would have nowhere to go besides a residential city block if the prop stopped, and I'd be faced with the additional responsibility of not injuring people on the ground.

Good conversation. Just because many of us have resolved one way or the other on the topic doesn't mean it's not worth talking about. Feelings.

It's one of my things to not do rules. When the sun goes down the cockpit in the 180 is very dark do to lack of any lights that work....also seems like when I do end up flying into the hills at night it's because I am late and tired and the thunderstorms have just started to clear up but it is still cloudy ect .......... What I am trying to say is that I'm a pussy and try to avoid it like the plague....

I've done a lot of night flying over mountainous terrain, in my younger, foolisher years--but no longer. I still love night flight, and I have no problem SE at night--but no longer over the rocks. I still love flying SE among the rocks, too, but not at night. I guess we all have our risk tolerance level, and although I had a low-level total engine failure 7 1/2 years ago that required an off-airport landing, it hasn't stopped me from either night SE flight or day rock flying--but I do look constantly for somewhere to put down, much moreso than before the engine failure. And there's always the "turn off the landing light" option, right?

Cary

I'm with Cary. I love night, but over nice country please. And yes, Zane, I have met suprise turbulence at night ( My wife with me) and it's not fun, but, fact is turbulence always seems worse than it is, if you are in the dark

No thanks.

I guess in the end it does come down to your own personal comfort level which for me is affected by weather and confidence in my aircraft (mostly engine & fuel)... so on a nice cold calm night with plenty of moon light I have no problems hanging around some nice mountains, actually it is fantastic/beautiful flying... you should try it! As a matter of fact, sometimes at night I have a much better depth perception compared to a daytime flat light condition. As Gump stated, If I was to fly only during daytime north of 60 in the winter, I wouldnt fly much between Oct-Feb!

There's a big difference between flying on a day you picked out to go flying because the temperature is good, the lighting is good, the weather is good, the airplane is good and flying when you're told on Thursday night at 9pm no matter what.... but that's just me. I like night flying and its a lot of fun and different than good'ole day flying!

Cheers, BCT

I can barely stomach it in the twin! I get really nervous. Crossed the lower Sierras just a couple of weeks ago coming back to California from Chicago via New Mexico. When I finally saw the lights of Palm Springs i felt such a relief! After about an hour in darkness over some pretty rough terrain it plays tricks on your mind, especially since she won't keep altitude much above 7000ft should one pack up.

I'm hoping to force myself to at least stay night current in the LA basin with all the reassuring lights, but mountains? No, not if I can avoid it.