I don't hear any actual voice, but I've certainly cancelled a few times, even after driving all the way to the hangar (it's 32 miles one way, takes about 50 minutes). Sometimes it's because the weather there isn't what I expected, but often enough, it's just a feeling that today's not the day.
Sometimes it's because one of my "hard and fast" personal rules can't be accommodated. I made the mistake of violating one of my personal "hard and fast" rules about a year ago, and that won't happen again. Here's the story:
For VFR night flights, I've had a personal rule of not taking off unless the temp/dew point spread is at least 5 degrees and steady. On the night this happened, the temp/dew point was 4 degrees and steady, but otherwise it was a beautiful almost clear night--no moon, but the stars were out, with a few clouds visible. I wasn't going anywhere, just going to fill the night flying blocks, so I figured that if I was in the pattern, no big deal that it was a closer temp/dew point spread. I checked the AWOS several times on the drive over, still 4 degrees. After startup, I checked the AWOS again, still 4 degrees. As I taxied to the run-up area, I listened again, still 4 degrees. I did not check again after doing the run-up.
I took off, with my landing lights on. At about 200' AGL, I switched to Pulselights, but at about 400' AGL, I was suddenly blinded by the lights flashing as I entered a low cloud! I immediately switched to instruments, shut off the lights, and continued a climbing 180 degree turn to downwind, and about midfield came out of the cloud and immediately landed. Had I not popped out of the cloud, I would have continued climbing to the IAF altitude for the approaches to GXY and called Denver Approach for a clearance. Thankfully, I was very IFR current and proficient, as I'd just had a really good IPC only a few weeks earlier.
As I taxied in after landing, I listened to the AWOS. The temp/dew point spread had dropped to 2 degrees within those few short minutes. Had I listened to the AWOS just before taking off, it's likely it would have been 3 degrees, clearly narrowing, and I would have taxied back without taking off.
Most of the time, though, it's not been any personal minimums issue, just "this isn't right". Maybe it is age related--not wishing to cap a long time avocation with a smoking hole. Maybe it's because I stopped thinking I was invincible years ago. Who knows? But I honor that feeling and don't fly.
Cary
Originally Posted by CHICAGORANDY
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