lightning
Well Known Member
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
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