Night cross country

Decided to just go ahead and finish up the night time while we waited to schedule another day cross country. I planned a trip to Santa Barbara (SBA), using easily recognizable landmarks. Turns out that picking a lake as a checkpoint at night doesn’t work real good – they are pretty DARK. We headed out around 9:00, towards the Fillmore VOR. Turns out you CAN see that at night – they put a light on top of it. The coastline, towns and airports (those with beacons anyway) all make fine checkpoints. I spotted the beacon at Santa Barbara 20 miles out.

Landed, taxied back for takeoff and came home. Great flight! Kent decided that we’d do one more dual cross country (to Apple Valley, next week) and then he’d cut me loose for a solo cross country. In the meantime, I’m studying every night for the written, and going through a book on acing the oral as well. I’m still probably 6 weeks or more away from a checkride, but I want to be prepared.