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My first big flying milestone!

aarvig

aarvig

Well Known Member
Today was the big day. After four trips around the pattern my instructor said those famous words; "take me back to the tower." A dream that I have had since I was 16 came true yesterday, 18 years later when I soloed N242SP at KANE. I thought I would have been nervous but I actually had an absolute blast. On my first downwind as I briefly observed Minneapolis in the distance, I was suddenly amazed that here I was, sitting in a plane and I was the only one who could land it. So, I immediately fell back on my training. I set my power settings, managed my airspeed with pitch and altitude with power and all of a sudden the wheels were on the ground. WHAT AN EXCITING FEELING! I can't even describe how excited I am. :D
Big thanks are due to my instructor Wade Baribeau, my AOPA mentor and RV-7A multiple offender Tom Berge for their patient working with me and rock solid advice, AND my wife for putting up with this overpriced, time consuming hobby of mine. The flying community and RV community are a wonderful thing to be a part of.
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CONGRADS

When once you have tasted flight,
you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward,
for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci
 
Congratulations!

Well done! Now we'll all be looking forward to seeing your checkride photos in the not-too-distant future! :D

-- Chris
 
A day...

and an experience that you will never forget. Congratulations! Good luck with the rest of your training and your checkride.
 
Bringing your bird down....

There is nothing like the feeling of knowing you can bring your bird safely back down to earth.....Congrats!!
 
Booya!

Aaron - seriously cool!

Now we need to get you some more stick time in an RV! Shoot me a PM and we will work something out.
 
Congratulations Aaron! I bet that you will rememebr every detail for as long as you live. You brought back memories of my own First Solo at (believe it or not) Anoka County Airport!

Of course, it looked a WHOLE lot different back then.....
 
QUOTE=Raymond Smith;330665]Do they still cut off your shirttail and hang it up in the FBO?
Congratulations on your solo![/QUOTE]
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[Q[/IMG]
The tradition is still around!
Thanks for all the kind words guys. I'll keep you posted on my training as I progress. My wife is already planning on coming with on our cross-country to KEAU in a few weeks. I am glad that she is excited about flying as well.
 
Congrats Aaron - a big milestone indeed!

Think I might have been taxiing out not far behind you yesterday. It was a perfect day for flying.

Once I get my phase I done (hopefully next couple of weeks) give me a call and I'll take you up as well.
 
aarvig said:
I was suddenly amazed that here I was, sitting in a plane and I was the only one who could land it. So, I immediately fell back on my training.
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Boy, does that sound familiar. Those were my thoughts exactly on July 4, 2002.
Congratulations :)
 
Congrats

Good going! As so many others have said, it is something you never forget. Mine was over 30 years ago and I still think of it from time to time.
 
MTBehnke said:
Congrats Aaron - a big milestone indeed!

Think I might have been taxiing out not far behind you yesterday. It was a perfect day for flying.

Once I get my phase I done (hopefully next couple of weeks) give me a call and I'll take you up as well.
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You were Mike. I heard you call for taxi and take off clearance. In fact, I saw you taxi by on the way in. I tried to get over to your hanger to chat but you were gone by the time I could get over there. Thanks for the ride invite. I will definitely take you up on it.

Thanks again for all the kind words!
 
A great day

Hi,

I did my tower airport solo at KANE. After I landed the tower told me to come up and have a visit. It was fun to see how/what they do. I did my first solo at 21D. You'll never forget that day.
 
aarvig said:
Today was the big day. After four trips around the pattern my instructor said those famous words; "take me back to the tower." A dream that I have had since I was 16 came true yesterday, 18 years later when I soloed N242SP at KANE.
Click to expand...

Congratulations!

Stirs up some of my memories a bit.

I Soloed in a C-150 at KANE in 1976 when I was 16 years old.
I flew from an FBO/school called Northstar Aviation.

The airport has changed a lot since then. I hardly recognized it in 1993 when I stopped in there with My (then) brand new RV-6A on my way home from OSH. I'm sure it is even more different now.

Have fun on the new journey you have begun. I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined then that I would be in the aviation related career that I am now. You never know where this new skill will take you.

Hang on...it can be a fun ride.
 
Congratulations! Mine was only a couple of years ago, and I remember thinking...why on earth is he trusting me with a $250K airplane..what if those first 3 landings today were just a fluke??

I did my 3 landings..taxxied back and I can't find my flippin CFI. Turns out he wasn't even watching, he had to take a phone call! :eek:
 
Congratulation!

I did mine 3 years ago.... after a couple of t&g, my cfi says : alright, next landing is full stop... I exit the runway, he gets out, says me "good luck" and we shake hands...

What a blast, flying alone is the best feeling ever... and man does that small 172 climbs when you're alone!

Good memories!
 
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