Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Santa Paula - Big Bear / Beechcraft Baron 58 (N3862S) / VFR

Night flight from Santa Paula. Actually, the sun was setting as I left Santa Paula, but it was almost completely dark by the time I reached Big Bear.

I flew via POM, slightly off-airway for a time, as it's shorter than going to PDZ. I stayed at 7500 most of the way, but since it was nighttime, I climbed to 9500 to get into the mountains. This was handy, because even with my TAWS I went a little too wide over the mountains and didn't come in over the lake by crossing the dam; if I had stayed at 7500 I would have hit something. At 9500 I was at least 1000 feet above terrain; at 7500 I would have been 1000 feet below it.

Other than that, nothing remarkable. The landing was very smooth.