SOLO FINALLY!!!

so after almost 2 months of delayed flights and windy conditions, and medical appointments that had flights canceled, and instructor scheduling conflicts................... I FINALLY SOLO'd ON THE 26TH!!!!!!!


we had tried to solo everyday for the past 2 weeks, but something got in the way of the flight EVERYTIME!! then on tuesday we went out to solo even though the winds were a bit above my flying club's limits for first solo, and just played around the pattern did some t/o's and landings, crosswind landings, slips, simulated emergencies, etc... but we weren't "allowed" to solo cause the cross wind was above "first solo requirements"... and i knew that there were gonna be scheduling conflicts for at LEAST the next week, so as soon as we landed i grabbed my CFI and said what time do i have to be here in the morning for us to be able to fly tomorrow... i don't care how early (i work nights.. don't like getting up early), he said he couldn't make it, i asked if i can have the plane ready to go by 7 could he give me an hour? ok, DEAL!!

7am preflight complete, weather brief complete, flight plan filed.. instructor shows up.. lets do this!! quick hop over to HEG and a few quick touch-and-goes to make sure i could still do "calm wind landings" hahaha and then full stop.. out he goes, i toss him my camera, and he grabs his radio, lets me know that my landings will be full stop taxi back around then take the active again and go for another..

uneventful run-up, all felt smooth, went thru all my checklists in my head, sent out a quick txt message to the girl, told her i loved her and i was really stoked!! checked for any other traffic... all clear

took the active, wasn't even nervous, full power, huge smile on my face, called my roll, not scared at all, approaching rotation speed... got really nervous haha, rotated.. realized that now the only way that this plane will land is that i gotta land it.. swallowed hard thought about how pissed people would be if i crashed, laughed, got out my cell phone and took a quick pic of myself at 300ft. (i know i shouldn't have, don't get mad), turned crosswind, turned downwind, radio calls, altitude, speed, all perfect, look left, saw my touchdown point, immediately all fear and nervousness left... my brain took over, it's time to do what i know how to do... turned base... check final, check right traffic, all clear... it's time.............................. glide slope looks good, speed looks good, lookin at my spot.. start looking up the runway..flare... hear the tires skid as they spool up quick...... big smile comes over my face... i am now among the ranks of a few.

next landing i decide i'm gonna pick an exact spot i wanna touch down... missed it by a few feet... good landing, but i wanted perfection... final one.. i wanna hit that spot.. so i did.

then pick up the CFI, quick hop back to NIP, land. congrats to me..

knowing that scheduling is a bit problematic he asks when i wanna get with head CFI for stage check. i said as soon as i can, immediately the head CFI walks out to congratulate me and i ask when he's available for stage check... he says, "right now, your not busy are you?" ummmm sure, lets go!!

so first solo and excellent stage check are done!!

but since my instructor has gotten super busy with his full time job, he offered to switch me to another instructor.. a guy who flies fighters in the Air Force.... and a man that i greatly respect.. (about 2 years older than me), and a good compliment to my personality.. also a good buddy of mine.. i'm very excited to learn from him as well, and my current CFI will do my stage checks! i am very excited about how this day has gone.

-wingnut

Congrats!! That's a huge step into your new world...

Solo

Ian,
CONGRATULATIONS! Well done. What a rush!!! Your solo experience sounds like mine for my check ride. 2 months of bad weather, schedule conflicts,etc. By the time that it happened, it was a non-event, even when the plane broke down in the middle of the check ride-flaps stuck in full extended position during emergency landing proceedure. Worked my way out of that mess.
Again, congrats, and welcome to the club,
Mike H 9A/8A

Ian,

That is great news!

Flying with different CFI's is a good thing. Each will teach you different ways to do the same thing. That will add to your skill set and make you a better pilot in the end.

I learned at a school with five different CFI's and I was able to fly and with and learn from each of them.

Again, congratulations!

Good goin', Ian.

Congrats! It's a great feeling isn't it? I just soloed at the first of March and just did my first solo XC two weekends ago. You have a lot of fun and learning ahead of you.

Congrats!

Ian, After our "motivational" ride in my RV-4, I'm delighted to see you continue with training and complete your solo flight. You'll have the ticket before you know it. ....and one day, that RV-8! Congratulations!

Got to question the texting and cell phone picture taking.

Ron Lee said:

Got to question the texting and cell phone picture taking.

Click to expand...

txt was before i took the active... i was holding short in the run-up area... (no excuse, i know. it was unsafe)

pic... well, what's done is done.. true it was a poor decision, i apologize for that. I won't be so careless next time.

Roy, yeah it was exciting!! i'm so glad the weather cleared and scheduling worked out for me to finally get it done!!! and go figure i had to cancel my very next flight for IMC all day...

Dave, thanks!!!! that "motivational" flight was soooo much fun!! and i'm thrilled to have made it this far!! and i have all the paperwork lined up to start my -8, but i need to finish school first....

Good goin'

Congrats, Ian. I think the biggest smile of my life was on my first solo. Though I might have a bigger one when my I fly my 9A the first time!

I worked with two instructors, as well. Both were great, but each had their own technique. I think it's a better way to learn.

Great write up! You'll have your ticket pretty soon.

Congrats on your solo Ian,,,,however the decision to take the opportunity for a self portrait photo op while flying the plane was bad. What is worse is that you knew you should not have done that and instead just concentrate on flying the airplane,,,you knew it was the wrong thing to do but you did it anyways!! Please don't make that kind of decision making a habit.

AARRRGGHHH

dangit. i just typed a very long apologetic post... then lost it all.... stupid work computers....


anyway. here's a VERY brief version:

I understand that i made a poor decision, even against my own better judgement. But i chose not to omit that part of the flight from my post solo write-up. I did that not to brag about something dumb that i had done. I included it because i know that when we, as people, make a bad choice we like to hide it. I know myself well enough to know that the criticism that i'm getting now doesn't go un-noticed. I willingly exposed that part of the story, knowing that i'd take some heat. I'll be more careful in the future, and not take unnecessary risks in aviation.

I made a bad decision, but i'm no fool. I know that i sometimes i need to be called out on poor choices...

I hear yall, and acknowledge that i made a bad choice. I apologize to those of you who were bothered by it, and more importantly, i apologize to the pilots and civillians who were at or near HEG when i was flying around while not actively paying attention to my surroundings.

again, i very highly regard the pilots of Vans Air Force, and i do take this criticism seriously. I will use more CRM in the future and avoid such risks, especially as such a low time student pilot.

Very Respectfully,