Night Proficiency - Leesburg, VA (KJYO) to Winchester, VA (KOKV): Take 2
My last attempt at this flight didn't end very well. In fact, the deer strike at the end of that flight required significant repair, but this night's flight had better luck.
Takeoff from Leesburg went smoothly and I was soon talking to PCT as I turned west. My attention was piqued when I heard a radio call from a plane "squawking 1200 just off Leesburg looking for ADIZ to Leesburg." I shook my head thinking the Coast Guard chopper was about to get a workout as I listened to him describe his position as little west of PAYSA, 14.8 miles on a bearing of 60 degrees from the Martinsburg VOR. This would put him squarely in the ADIZ. I pegged him as a student pilot - especially after he said he wanted to shoot the ILS 35 into Leesburg.
Let's see...West of PAYSA... That's a waypoint on the VOR DME/GPS-A approach into Winchester (KOKV) and PAYSA is 15 nm on a bearing of 230 degrees from the MRB VOR. This guy appeared to have little situational awareness and wanted to shoot an approach into KJYO I only wish existed. Yeah, I remember the nights of trying to stay ahead of the plane while seeing nothing but four of the instruments on the panel. :)
Visibility was excellent and I picked out the field at Winchester from more than 12 miles away. After cutting loose from PCT, I listened and watched for traffic at the field and not seeing or hearing anybody, maneuvered for a straight in to 32. It turned out there was a Diamond Eclipse on the ground waiting for me to land. I soon found out he was doing circuits at KOKV, too (probably night training based on two voices - one more experienced on the radio than the other).
We square danced around the pattern together a couple times then heard "Cessna 7 miles SW on the GPS 14." The Diamond told him we were departing 32 and the Cessna replied he was doing a low approach only. Right after that, we heard "Baron about 1 mile NE of CLADD on the ILS 32." Interesting. Two close pattern planes with two more on opposing instrument approaches.
The Cessna broke off as promised and the Diamond departed with a northerly turnout as I was taxiing back for my last takeoff of the night. As I taxied back, I fixed the Baron's position, took off and turned downwind. As I did, I heard "Lear to the southwest inbound on the GPS 14." Not the busiest airport I've visited, but it was the busiest I've seen KOKV in a long time.
Oh, wait. I haven't been flying much in a long time (5 months).
After I flipped over to PCT and requested my clearance, I got my squawk and was asked to ident and, as I was dialing up the transponder code, I heard the Baron check in to do the same. Then the Diamond checked in. All of us were going to KJYO.
I was first in the slot, called the field (I did mention the most excellent visibility, right?), and switched over to CTAF. The Baron was shooting the LOC 17 and the Diamond followed me in on the VFR pattern.
I guess others had the same idea as me. This was the real first warm weather night we'd had in a few weeks and the first after a significant ice/snow storm had come through, so we were all getting in some night flight experience.
I didn't see any wildlife (especially deer) and the flight resulted in no bent metal. I'll chalk that up as a successful flight.