A delightful night flight home turns into a surprise missed approach only seconds from landing. Now back above the unforecast—and widespread—fog, you’re fat on fuel but short on options with the clock already passing midnight. You’ll have to balance between longer time in the air and making the next landing attempt a sure thing.
Tom Haines
Tom Haines was Editor in Chief and Senior Vice President of Media, Communications, and Outreach at AOPA. He earned his pilot certificate in his late teens and has logged more than 4,000 hours in a wide variety of general aviation airplanes. He has a commercial pilot certificate with multiengine, instrument, and seaplane ratings, and holds type ratings in the Eclipse 500 and Cessna CJ business jets and has a second-in-command type rating in the North American B-25 Mitchell. He owns a Beech A36 Bonanza and uses it regularly for business and personal travel.
