Page 22 - June 2015 Volume 19 Number 6

an aircraft system malfunction develops. You could say that flying during the night and day are the same. You could pretend that you are bullet-proof and deny the existence of Murphy’s Law, bad luck and the Boogie Man. Preparation and respect for the risks will temper the wrath of these demons, freeing us to enjoy the night..... and to contemplate; like Bach.
Reflect, Listen, Log It
Sit in your hangar with the lights off and re-familiarize yourself with the lighting controls of your airplane; you should be able to find things just as you can in the daytime–slow down and make the switch movements more deliberate. Make sure your navigation, landing and taxi lights, rotating beacon and/ or strobes are working. Then, go do a couple of night full-stop or stop- and-goes at your home field before leaving the pattern. Next, venture out to an airport within thirty
minutes or so and do another full- stop. Then, head home for the final landing; log it in the night column in your logbook. This warm-up will help prepare you for a two or three- hour night cross-country in which you may reflect, listen to the plane
and, if it speaks to you, weave it into your soul. Perhaps good things can happen when we don’t conform to the ritual of daytime flying.
Author’s Note:
Richard Bach reported that the near-death experience of his plane crash inspired him to finish Part Fou•r of his previously-three- part novella. In 2014, Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The Complete Edition, was reissued and includes Part Four. T&T
Kevin Dingman has been flying for 40 years. He’s an ATP typed in the B737 and DC9 with 20,000 hours. A re- tired Air Force Major, he flew the F-16 then performed as a USAF Civil Air Pa- trol Liaison Officer. He flies volunteer missions for the Christian organiza- tion Wings of Mercy, is employed by a major airline, and owns and operates a Beechcraft Duke. Contact Kevin at Dinger10d@gmail.com.
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20 • TWIN & TURBINE
JUNE 2015