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I like flying in the evenings and watching the sunset from the air. Even better is when the moon is full and I can watch it rise on the other side of the sky. This was one such day.

After work I headed home and moved a few flying supplies from my flight bag to my backpack: headset, a/fd and charts, lights, kneeboard, and writing utensils. I also brought my camera. Then I motorcycled up to the airport. It was quite windy with scattered low clouds which I hoped wouldn't obscure my view of the sun and moon.

Click below for more words and pictures.

It had been a while since I flew the 1947 Cessna 120 and tailwheel planes in general. I took my time preflighting the airplane and reviewing the checklists before I even sat down in the cockpit. Then it was a short taxi to the fuel island to top of the tanks. Fuel capacity is 25 gallons and I added 17.1.

I decided to start the evening by practicing takeoffs and landings and then head off and do air work after. The wind was varying between 40 and 70 degrees off to the left side of the runway and blowing at 10 knots gusting to 15 when I first took off. This gave me some good crosswind practice without being too intimidating.

After doing six touch and goes I got a transponder code from Palo Alto tower and did a left downwind departure off runway 31. This brought me through Moffett's airspace where a C-130 Hercules was also doing touch and goes. I stayed well west and headed in the direction of Santa Cruz where the skies were clearest. After clearing Moffett's airspace I climbed to 4500' being sure to keep out of the San Jose class C.

Moon rising over Lexington Reservoir to my left

View out the left window

View out the right where there the top of the cloud layer was around 3000'

I did a few steep turns and a couple stalls before turning around. On the way back I came directly over Lexington Reservoir and dropped down to 2000' and then turned northbound while staying west of I-280 to keep out of controlled airspace. Then I called Palo Alto tower near SLAC and began my approach.

The plane landing ahead of me didn't clear the runway until the very last turn off and I had made my downwind to base turn a little early thus not leaving enough room between us to allow for him to land so long. So I got some free go-around practice which is actually trivial in the Cessna 120. Nothing to do but jam the throttle in all the way. I flew a short pattern and landed on my next try.

Aircraft: N2324N
Type: Cessna 120
Hours: 1.4
Landings: 7