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03-12-2008, 07:53 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kingwood
Posts: 80
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All by myself.
Said a quick prayer about airspeed and trim, pushed the altitude adjuster to the wall and just like that, I was going to land that 172 by myself whether I wanted to or not. It was all good and a non event I'm happy to report. Some of you may remember that I held a death grip on my instructers arm the first time he tried to get out of the plane. This time I tried to kick him out but I'm no contortionist. Couldn't get my leg up that far in the 172.  Hit two red two white on my final which quickly went to three red, maintained that and like magic, chirp-chirp, chirp and I was down.
time for More.
Thanks all.
David
McStealth
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03-12-2008, 08:05 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pecan Plantation, Tx.
Posts: 128
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Congrats!
Congrats on your first solo. Before you know it you'll have an examiner in there with you.
__________________
Bryan Ray
RV-6A
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03-12-2008, 08:07 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 264
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Congratulations David. I still remember how great that felt. Feels so good it's a shame you can only do your first solo once!
__________________
Donald Prater
Formerly 52F now Arkansas...Go Hogs!
RV-8 Empennage Underway
N-284DP (Reserved)
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03-12-2008, 08:37 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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That is good but ...
That is a good accomplishment but I almost lost it on my third solo when I got too slow at low altitude - watch your airspeed. The solo seemed like a non-event to me because I had flown the pattern so many times with the instructor but the first solo cross country was when I really knew I was passing into a different realm in life. Maybe the environment emphasized the moment, climbing out of the Los Angeles basin from Orange County Airport (it wasn't called John Wayne then) and climbing over the mountains to Apple Valley. After I landed and shut down on the ramp I popped opened the side window and just sat there soaking in the enormity of what had happened. Approaching 5,000 flight hours later I still remember the difference of this flight hitting me as I climbed through 7,000 feet and later sitting on the ramp at Apple Valley. Don't worry, you still have big moments to look forward to.
Bob Axsom
Last edited by Bob Axsom : 03-12-2008 at 10:48 AM.
Reason: Typos and cleanup
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03-12-2008, 09:12 AM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Congratulations!!!
Way to go.
You have now done something only a very small percent of the worlds population has experienced.
Cherish and nourish it.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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03-12-2008, 09:17 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Waco, Texas
Posts: 1,658
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Great News, David!!
I'm in Kingwood too, let me know if I can do anything to help you.
Where are you doing your training?
Phil
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03-12-2008, 09:23 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Axsom
[...] The solo seemed like a non-event to me because I had flown the pattern so many times with the instructor but the first solo cross country was a when I really knew I was passing into a different realm. [...]
Bob Axsom
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First, congrats to David! I'm just a few lessons ahead of you, but the solo is a big milestone.
Second - (sorry about the thread hijack) I had to respond to this, because I feel exactly the same way as you, Bob.
I just flew my first solo cross country yesterday, and it felt like much more of an accomplishment than doing the pattern. As I was pushing the plane to it's tie down and closing it up, it hit me that I had just done everything a "real pilot" would do - navigation, flying, communications with ATC - the works.
Now it feels like it's all downhill from here.
-- Ulrich
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03-12-2008, 09:59 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Huskerland, USA
Posts: 5,862
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Congrats! There is only one 1st solo. Remember this day, fly safe.
__________________
RV-7 : In the hangar
RV-10 : In the hangar
RV-12 : Built and sold
RV-44 : 4 place helicopter on order.
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03-12-2008, 10:24 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 163
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Remembering mine..
I remember my first solo 23 yrs ago.. Instructor told me to do 3 stop and goes. Between numbers 2 and 3, just as I was about to turn base, Some clown in a bonanza called turning base as well. I didn't see him, so I took the prudent way out and bailed out of the pattern to the south and came back around. After landing I asked my instructor if he ever saw the guy. Turns out that there was (at that time) another airport a few miles away using the same unicom freq and the guy called the wrong airport! 
__________________
Bill S.
A+P, RV Dreamer + Schemer
RV-9 preplans in hand
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03-12-2008, 11:02 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 736
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Congratulations!!
That's one feeling I wish I could bottle and sell. I wrote my thoughts about that day and keep it in my log book. It's fun to pull it out and read every once in awhile...almost as good as the day it happened.
__________________
Rick Sked
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