Night Flight 3525U

Mike offered me some right seat safety pilot time and of course I can't pass up any flying. I gave my Bride a heads up that I would be home briefly for a quick bachelor dinner (Mac&Cheese) and a few gulps of ice tea. We literally passed by each other on our street since she worked past her normal time and I needed to head to the airport by 5:15pm.

I have to add here that I have been running around like a crazy man, or so it seems. Instrument lesson four times this week counting one this coming Sunday, little league baseball practice with opening day this Saturday and all the while trying to help Mary get ready for our Florida trip. Hey, I did manage to get some wash in and swap out dryer loads. Mary is getting the packing list completed, taking care of the dog and cats and everything else you can think of that would be on the list. That's my Bride!

Traffic wasn't to bad as I made my way to Wilmington for our flight. I even considered taking 679er up when we returned to knock out 3 night landings. Atlantic is a very nice FBO on the south side of the field . They keep the facility looking sharp and the folks who work there always seem to be in a good mood. Mike and I walked out to "two five U" as he calls her, and I got in the way of his pre-flight ritual. Kidding, I tagged along pulling the nose plugs and pitot cover then stowed my flight bag before we both walked in for a wx check.

ATC was busy getting Skybus in and out in short order. During our pre-takeoff checks ATC was also trying to get a corporate jet out in a very limited window of time while managing a cherokee doing T&G's and getting us cleared to runway three two. I watched Mike as we taxied out checking instruments as I was just instructed by my CFII. It's nice to see it happen as I had practiced (on the flight school sim). It was a perfect night to fly, okay, maybe a tad less wind would have made it perfect. We were soon climbing out on runway three two in no time as two five U gobbled up the early evening air. The visibility was great, Philly was in clear view along with the Pottstown cooling towers and at about 40 miles to the north you could see the hills around Boyertown, PA. Not to shabby!

Mike briefed the approach plate for ILS RWY 29 at Chester County (KMQS) and then transferred the control to me so he could put his foggles on. Once he was set to go the standard transfer of "my plane" and "you have the plane" took place and I was back to eyes out looking for traffic. It really was quiet at Chester County, we had the place to ourselves.

I knew this approach, I flew it in my IR lessons. It was nice to now watch it unfold and listen to Mike call out position. After adding an outside look to his scan and identifying the airport Mike handed over his designer specs (foggles) and configured 25U for landing. He added another notch of flaps verbalized the GUMPS mnemonic again then shortly settled in over the numbers and with stall horn breaking the silence he set 25U down very nice. Of course as a typical pilot he thought it could be better, we are always so hard on ourselves. We taxied back then checked out the plate for the VOR A into Brandywine (KOQN).

Mike entered the info into the GPS for the next short hop and approach. As Mike refers to it "plug and Chug", I cracked up. A quick call on the radio and a visual for traffic in the pattern has us departing two nine and overflying the now dinner time community. Fond memories of Coatesville and Sadsburyville rush through my mind as I survey the new homes and Route 30 off our right wing below. I remember when this was all horse country, how times have changed.

As we depart the pattern Mike hands 25U over to me for some right seat time which feels really strange. I track us direct to the Modena (MXE) VOR which is the Initial Approach Fix (IAF). I am holding altitude at 2000' until I cross then Turn to 052* and begin descent to the MAP 1120'. At this point I turn over control to Mike since he is "twisting" (setting the heading bug and CDI) and re-setting the timer followed by the "Talk" portion notifying OQN of our position. We circle to land on runway two seven with another good landing in the book.

Unfortunately we are headed home to Wilmington (ILG). On a night like tonight you could easily fly for hours but we must get back to reality. I think I must have said it a few times tonight that for those folks who don't fly they have no idea what beauty they are missing.

We make our way towards ILG checking out Mike's neighborhood as he ID's many of the areas passing below us. I struggled to spot ILG and Mike had it in no time. I need to work on the night vision thing! I share some of the radio work and contact ILG tower to alert them of our position and intentions. We take runway three two left downwind entry. There is a jet on final for runway one and the tower asks if we could switch run way one four. Mike and I look at each other and he would rather three two so I inform the tower we would rather three two and ATC gives it up and requests us to maintain at or above 1500 for traffic on final for r/w one. I acknowledge "left downwind three two, maintain at or above 1500' and we have the traffic". Things work out just fine and we watch the jet pass below us with more then 1200 feet between us. Cleared to land as our captain pulls the power and makes for a turn to base followed by a short final. Nice and smooth as we cross Rt. 13 followed by another very good landing. The tower asks us to stay with him as we taxi to Atlantic Aviation. The video was taken with a handheld Sony Cyber-shot 5 mega pixels camera that acted up all night until I gave it a good smack.

A great flight and a lot of fun! As every great flight should end we had a quick bite to eat at Arners Restaurant and pretty much closed the place. Always great hangar flying with Mike and a nice night of flying. We hope to catch up when I return from sun and fun. I hope I'll be needing a safety pilot real soon!