Left MGW at 9:30 PM (2130 EST) to get here before the rains came in (my wife is a very nervous flier and smooth/ not-bumpy is the only weather item that matters).
I left work, stopped at MGW, flew the Chief from MGW to FWQ, pulled the C205 out, put the AR11 in, flew the 205 to MGW and parked it on the ramp.
Drove home, had some dinner in front of Aviation Weather site, tossed clothes in a bag, let her drive us to MGW (35 minute drive which would keep her mind OFF the upcoming flight).
The wind was 090@3G6(!) right now. I'd just spent an hour in the air. I assured my dear wife it would be a smooth flight. I asked the lineman to let us through the super-duper security gate onto the ramp so we could leave when he says to both of us, "The guy in the pattern said winds are about 20 from the southeast and it's pretty bumpy up there."
I think he knew I was considering killing him.
I walked her out to the airplane, helped her get in, "It's going to be
bumpy??"
"Sweetheart -- it's a student pilot doing night takeoff and landing practice -- he can't tell if it's bumpy... I was just up there! If it's smooth in my little airplane it will be
very smooth in this huge thing!"
She remained unconvinced. I considered taxiing through the FBO.
Cleared as filed, cleared for takeoff 36, all systems go, launch.
We roared into the air and there were a few, typical, flying-over-West-Virginia bumps through the big left turn that would put us on course. I considered dropping an anvil on the FBO -- where did I put that anvil?
Switch to CKB Departure, climb to 8k, smooth, smooth, smooth.
It's quiet on Approach freq -- I ask -- learn the Yankees are ahead, 3-1. Ugh.
Everything's looking great, she asks me if there will be any more bumps. I promise one there won't be any, and that the first thing I teach all my students is the keep the dirty side down and the second thing is to ignore advice from lineman.
I choose a more easterly routing to avoid the slow front moving in from the west (KMGW EKN V37 PSK T203 BZM AHN KCSG) I was closely monitoring the XM NEXRAD display. We were going to encounter some light precip, with heavier stuff immediately off the right wing. Given the time delay, we might clip some yellow/orange. I deviated about 3 degrees left of course.
I prefer not flying SEL at night over the mountains, but this night was clear, the airplane very familiar, and the weather windows were about to slam shut. My route would be over some remote areas in WV that I know well. There would be about 20 minutes of no options if we lost our only powerplant.
I set everything, checked everything, and told myself to make no changes until we had Greenbrier in gliding range.
The rest of the flight was fairly uneventful. For a while we enjoyed crosswinds, with negligible effect on ground speed. Once we made the turn southeast near Hickory, NC, the headwinds increased. There was less traffic on now, and a couple of times I checked in with ATL Center to be sure I still had comms.
Atlanta was no factor as we were pretty far east and there was minimal traffic. I set up for the RNAV 13 at KCSG. Everything was fine, still smooth, but this was my first time into CSG. The airport is lost in a sea of light, and I was 2.5 miles out before I actually spotted the taxiway lights -- there were
no runway lights on 13! (they claim to be med intensity -- they lie!)
I lined up using the taxi lights, waited, saw the rwy centerline, and landed. As I rolled out I could see 6-24 lit up like a Christmas tree.
After a bit of taxiing to find the FBO pad (it was 0140 AM), I parked it and called the hotel shuttle.
It was a long flight, but smooth. 6.3 logged in 2 very different airplanes.
