One of the most difficult flights to master, for the VFR Pilot, is Night Flying. This event will give you the chance to experience Night Flying and improve your skills. The most important skill that will be improved is relating your Chart to what you see outside. One of the advantages of Sim flying is that the road traffic is constant 24/7, makes identifying major roads and motorways a bit easier. The scenario is 'phased' to enable pilots of all skill levels in Night Flying to participate. Enjoy.

We are all, for this event, student pilots, undergoing various stages of flight training. (dependant on your own skills / experience.). This is a solo exercise requiring the pilot to investigate how many airfields are available, along the route, for night landings. Keep a note of those you identify and I will publish my list after the event. Your competition is your own skill level. The route is around the Heathrow/London city CTA. Bounded by a 'box' connecting VORs. ( see Flight Planning below. )

Start Time and Place Start and finish at Shoreham, EGKA. Group flight on Tuesday evening, 16th May 2023, start time, from 1730Z [1830A - BST]. NOTE: you will need to set your Sim time to 2000 Local [1900 Z-GMT]

Flight Planning In order to TEST your skills, select one of the options below. A Chart for the area will be available on the forum, showing a general flight plan. Identifying the available airfields, or just flying the route, your choice. You will be required to make a land/go-around, at EGKB. You may fly in either direction.

Level 1, General (published) route - or yours. Using Auto pilot, full or altitude hold, CAVOK.

Level 2, Your route, Altitude hold if needed, Show your A/C on moving map, CAVOK.

Level 3, Your route, Altitude hold if needed, Do not show your A/C on your Chat/map, Fly VFR.

CAVOK is recommended for all. Also note that 'OCAS' and 'night VFR NAVEX.' in your remarks, will help ATC know what is happening. The airfield count will be those inside the bounds shown by the box created be a line joining the VORs: GWC; CPT; BNN; BPK; LAM; DET; SFD and GWC. or within 2nm of any of these VOR's

You may use any aircraft (including helicopters) classified as GA (within the EASA "light" category), see club rules for details. But bear in mind your route will be more than 145nm. Too slow, you may need to carry Breakfast; Too fast and you will limit your time available to look and think.

Before starting, check the weather. I recommend that all pilots set to 'No Weather' so that it is easier to see other traffic. [CAVOK / Night VFR] that should enable us to fly on UNICOM. as London will be busy.

Remember to ANC (Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.) This event should be fun for all, both pilots and controllers. Bear in mind that other (non CIX VFR CLUB) traffic may also use the same airspace/airfields but everyone has equal priority (VFR). Should your enjoyment become impaired due to "unsportsmanlike" ATC, let someone know so that senior club members can pass on your concerns. Similarly, If you get something wrong, such as entering controlled airspace without authority, learn from the experience and follow instructions - even if requested to 'Disconnect'. However, if you have a problem, ask ATC for help, a lot easier that flying on regardless causing "confusion and mayhem"! And don't forget your first call for help is other club members, that is how we all learnt to do it.

ATC You can expect ATC at EGKA and EGBK. MOST IMPORTANT you will be flying under the London TMA - Base at A2500. I recommend flying between A2000 > A2200. DO NOT 'BUST' Class A airspace. Finally, the airspace above is likely to be busy, so, UNLESS you look like a problem, London controllers will probably leave you on Unicom. Use it!

As the event is in Class G, there is no absolute requirement to have a controller... but every little helps!

Take care not to let our Teamspeak chat cut across ATC. Stop any conversation immediately the R/T comes alive, then continue if "he wasn't talking to us". This is difficult because when transmitting on Teamspeak you can't hear the R/T. So be brief on Teamspeak, and be aware that ATC might be trying to get through. If anyone hears an R/T message which seems to be being ignored, just say "ATC is calling G-CIXN" if you have identified the callsign, or "ATC is calling us" which is a cue for everyone to be quiet on Teamspeak until ATC call again (which they will). Remember too that if asked to "Stand By" by ATC, you do not reply - not even "Roger", but simply wait until you are called again.

The Club Star award will be awarded to all those departing and returning to EGKA. Please note that the Land Go-around at EGKB is an important part of the event.

Charts and Notes a) Chart showing VOR 'Bounds': b) PlanG file for a 'do nothing else' route. In Forum / EVENTS

Event Idea: Neville Munro
Event planning: Neville Munro
Briefing: Neville Munro and Pete Allnutt