Pilot's logbook

10/20/07 8 PM N66198 C-172 Lou-Lex-Lou 172 ops, GPS intro, Night Cross Country Pilotage, Dead Reckoning, Radar Service, Night Landings 1.7 TH

Frank packed a picnic for the flight.

As I was driving to the airport, I came right under Joe F. flying the pattern above the Watterson Expressway. I watched him almost to landing, when I had to take the ramp off. It was the first time this has ever happened. So many times as I have been flying above the Watterson, I'm aware of the traffic below. The sunset glow added to the effect.

It was nearly dark when I went to the plane, which I've never been in before. (I went out once this afternoon to check it out, but someone had it up flying.) Just looking for things in dim light is difficult (also exciting). I was using my red-covered flashlight, which works just fine.

The C-172 has an entirely different feel. It is so stable and smooth (at least tonight, with minimal wind) that there almost isn't much for me to do, except figure out where we are and where we are going. Oh yeah, and talk on the radio.

198 has a GPS system in it, and Todd introduced me to that. It takes the guess-work out of it. Things are hard to see at night, even a beautiful clear night like this one. Airports do NOT show up easily. Todd was in charge of this one, and I was a steering passenger. He's a good host, though.

I thought I'd be ok with the radio, but between using a different avionics system and different plane and everything, at some point I pretty much left off the radio and listened to how Todd did it.

Coming back to Louisville, we got a straight-in for 24. Todd showed me how in a 172 you can "fly the glide-slope." We set 20% flaps and then just rode it in.

One Mag?