Night Proficiency
.bmp "Flight track: KJYO-KCHO")
After a few weeks of not much flying (a case of life getting in the way of aviation), I took an opportunity for some night proficiency with a flight down to Charlottesville, VA (KCHO). The weather forecast was for mostly clear skies with some scattered clouds in the 6000-7000 foot range. Since KCHO is such a short hop (only about 35 minutes flying time), I planned an IFR flight for 4000 feet down and 3000 back.
I got to the airport and took my time prepping the plane. Fuel was already topped off and no unknown squawks were evident. Soon enough I had the six-cylinder turning smoothly at idle as I performed a radio check (having to use my portable as the receiver since the FBO was closed).
Winds were calm and since I knew Potomac's desire for us to turn north after departure, I taxied to runway 35 for my runup. While there, a Bonanza called up announcing their plan to overfly the field for a downwind entry for runway 17. I asked them if they had an objection to using 35 and they quickly obliged, crossing the threshold as I was getting my clearance (STILL, CSN, as filed (WITTO, direct), 3000 w/6000 @ 10 mins). Interesting altitude.
After departure and switching to PCT departure, I heard something I'd never heard before: "Low altitude alert." I was at 1200 feet and climbing comfortably at 500 fpm and being just north of the town of Leesburg, I was nowhere near Sugarload Mountain to the northeast nor the Blue Ridge to the west. The controller said the MVA is 1900 in that area and that he was getting a low altitude alert, then he requested best rate of climb to 4000 feet. Like I said, I'd just never had a controller mention that before. Shortly after that I was turned to 270 degrees, then soon after that "direct Casanova", then before I barely had my wings level from turning there, "direct Charlottesville." Sweet. PCT had me at 4000 directly through Dulles airspace. This is a bit unusual as they tend to drop us spamcans under 3000 feet well to the west of the Bull Run Mountains (what we've come to know as the "Grand Western Tour").
The flight down was quite smooth. About 20 miles north of Charlottesville I picked up a little mild turbulence, but it didn't last long. PCT vectored me .bmp "Flight track: KCHO-KJYO")
onto the downwind for runway 3 at KCHO and I soon had the airport in sight through the haze. The bad news was they had me on the downind at 3300 feet. I needed to drop some 1700 feet just to get to pattern altitude (airport elevation is 640 feet MSL), so I reduced power to start a descent. Turning final I was still too high so I set up a slip to get down faster. Winds were light out of the southeast so I kept the starboard wing down for the slip. Landing was uneventful as was the rest of the flight home.
The video shows most of the above activity including clearance delivery (at both KJYO and KCHO), takeoff and landing at KCHO.