Last night was absolutely perfect to be out flying. I am planning to head to Alabama soon with some friends so I decided to ensure that I was current in the Warrior II which I will be using for that trip.
Cool temperatures (for here in the Southeast), calm winds and clear skies all work together to create some truly wonderful flying weather.
In filling out my log book I note that nearly 10% of my total flying time, and over 20% of my pilot in command time is now night flying. At about 220 total hours I find my proficiency is such that I now want to seriously work on achieving my IFR rating.
Night flying is smoother, performance is better and there is much less traffic out there. And what traffic *is* out there is easier to see. Of course, sightseeing while night flying is a wholly different experience. So I like to fly *to* my travel destinations during the day, and then return in the late evening. This lets me suss out the destination from the air and enjoy that unique perspective while also letting me have the relaxing and practical efficiency of the night experience on most of my longer trips.