About to take my first solo.

M

Mafoo

Cleared for Takeoff
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Mafoo
About to go up in an hour or so.

I know it's something everyone here has done, but I'm excited about it!

Talk to you all afterwards :)
 
We haven't all done it, my friend. Good luck today....


Mafoo said:
About to go up in an hour or so.

I know it's something everyone here has done, but I'm excited about it!

Talk to you all afterwards :)
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Make sure you wear a cheap shirt you don't mind getting cut up. :wink2:

Cheers
 
If your CFI feels you're ready..you'll do fine..be confident & remember to fly the plane. Good luck! Report back how things went!
 
I haven't done it yet, but lookin forward to it. You're probably in the air by now, so hope all goes well and you nail all three landings!
 
Kim, you were almost right to the hour mark with that post. :)

I actually liked not knowing when I was going to solo. We worked towards it, and then one day, the instructor hopped out and off I went. It took a lot of the pressure/stress off because I had to perform on the spot - no time to think before hand (except for taxi out, which I spent most of the time laughing thinking how crazy it was "someone thinks I can fly an airplane? Are they nuts??!!").


So, how did it go? :D
 
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numl0ck said:
Kim, you were almost right to the hour mark with that post. :)

I actually liked not knowing when I was going to solo. We worked towards it, and then one day, the instructor hopped out and off I went. It took a lot of the pressure/stress off because I had to perform on the spot - no time to think before hand (except for taxi out, which I spent most of the time laughing thinking how crazy it was "someone thinks I can fly an airplane? Are they nuts??!!").


So, how did it go? :D
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Yah, I know, me too, and that was gonna happen - but that night (the perfect night / late afternoon) the nosewheel hit metal to metal and we still flew but I had to keep pressure off the wheel, full yoke back etc. Later he confessed that he planned to not tell me that night and just get out of the plane. He also confessed that he NEVER tells students when they are going to solo, but, that weekend if the plane was fixed I could solo. So I "knew" about mine in advance, and brought in a dozen donuts for everyone at the flight school. Turns out he was a vegan but cheated with one of my donuts.
 
Well, I am back. Winds were gusting at 15mph, so no solo :(.

I did however get to do a bunch of cross wind landings at about 70 degrees, so that was fun and challenging (for me anyway). (KLEB Runway 25)

Tomorrow the weather looks the same, with no wind, so postponed a day.

Oh well. :)
 
numl0ck said:
Kim, you were almost right to the hour mark with that post. :)

I actually liked not knowing when I was going to solo. We worked towards it, and then one day, the instructor hopped out and off I went. It took a lot of the pressure/stress off because I had to perform on the spot - no time to think before hand (except for taxi out, which I spent most of the time laughing thinking how crazy it was "someone thinks I can fly an airplane? Are they nuts??!!").


So, how did it go? :D
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That's what my instructor did too. I did 5 good T&Gs in a row and he told me to make the next a full stop, grabbed my logbook with Medical/SPC inside, signed em off and said "Do three more just like that" as he got out on the taxiway.
 
numl0ck said:
Kim, you were almost right to the hour mark with that post. :)

I actually liked not knowing when I was going to solo. We worked towards it, and then one day, the instructor hopped out and off I went. It took a lot of the pressure/stress off because I had to perform on the spot - no time to think before hand (except for taxi out, which I spent most of the time laughing thinking how crazy it was "someone thinks I can fly an airplane? Are they nuts??!!").


So, how did it go? :D
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I was not nervous at all really. I have done 20-30 or so already, and all of them were pretty good. Far better then a few of the ones I did today with the cross wind. One of them was almost so bad I thought about doing a go-round, but I had plenty of runway.

So I really just want to get my butt up there, and do it! :)

The only thing that makes me nervous at this point in my training, is talking on the radio. Not sure why that gets to me.

That, and on one of the runways we have a turn to final, where you pretty much keep the nose pointed into the trees. I am 500 feet above them, but it still looks like 20 to me.

I am aware of it, so I know not to pull up the nose and lose speed (that would be worse), but it still seems counter intuitive to me at the moment. I am sure it will fade with experience.
 
Henning said:
That's what my instructor did too. I did 5 good T&Gs in a row and he told me to make the next a full stop, grabbed my logbook with Medical/SPC inside, signed em off and said "Do three more just like that" as he got out on the taxiway.
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That is what I do. I don't tell them when they're going to solo - I just wait until the day is right and they're flying well. I already have the stickers with the endorsements signed and ready to go..takes me less than a minute to slap them in their logbook and sign their student certificate.
 
Hope the winds calm and you get your solo in tomorrow. For me anyway, the solo was the start of an incredible journey in which I am still very much at the start of even after I've passed my check ride. You'll always remember the first time you fly by yourself- it's an amazing experience. I hope you take a moment during the solo to appreciate the awesomeness of the moment.

Let us know how it goes when your done so you can get the congratulations you will have earned!
 
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numl0ck said:
I actually liked not knowing when I was going to solo.
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I knew I was getting close when I took the pre solo exam. Then one day he said you're going to solo tomorrow. I wasn't nervous at all when he said that cause I knew I was ready. Then the day off my solo my heart rate was up all day and I could not figure out why. Then it hit...I am bad nervous. We did the 3 take offs and landings, did some stall work, then he cut me loose. What a day I will never forget 18 march 2012!!!!


Good luck with it tomorrow you truly will never forget that day! Get someone to video it. I did and as I was taxing back to the hangar you can see my cheesy grin as I taxied past the camera!
 
jesse said:
That is what I do. I don't tell them when they're going to solo - I just wait until the day is right and they're flying well. I already have the stickers with the endorsements signed and ready to go..takes me less than a minute to slap them in their logbook and sign their student certificate.
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We didn't have stickers in the days of way back...:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
Thanks everyone for the posts. I will let you all know tomorrow how it went :)
 
Stolen from a humor thread on the Red Board
bluefishbeagle said:
Picture this:

I was once working with a student I'll call "Super Dave"

The first time I flew with Super Dave he was wearing an insulated Air Force flight suit carrying an Air Force pilots helmet with flip down visor. He was very disappointed to learn my plane did not have Air Force style plugs for the mike. He insisted on wearing the flight suit however and did for every lesson.

Super Dave was fearless
Super Dave was implusive
Super Dave was over confident
Super Dave was always seeking approval
Super Dave was invincible
Super Dave drove me nuts.

To be fair Super Dave was a good stick but a stick without a lick of common sense.

He could have soloed in 5 hours but I held him back till he had 12 and we had covered every pre solo manuver three times over.

Finally it was time for Super Dave to solo. I feared the day but it had arrived. Super Dave arrived at the airport early (flight suit and all) and did a preflight while I was in the hanger praying.

Super Dave was instructed to make three "Stop and go landing PLUS I instructed him to taxi back to the end and use full length each time.

What could go wrong I reasoned as I signed his student Lic and logbook. He had been making perfect patterns and landings for the last 7 hours.

Super Dave lined up and off he went, the rotation was textbook. But that's where all things normal stopped.

Super Dave was all over the sky. Banking crazily, pitching like a seal with a great white on it's tail. I could not talk to Super Dave this was before hand helds and the small country airport did not have a working unicom.

The downwind was wild as well as his final approach. He rolled and pitched I envisioned my trusty C150 in a pile of smoking rubble with me explaing to the FAA why I let this wild man solo.

It was time to flare or crash, just as suddenly as he lost control he regained it, the plane leveled off just in time an made a perfect touchdown. I ran out to the runway to flag him in as he taxied back. But Super Dave did not taxi back he did a touch and go.

Again a perfect takeoff, then the previous nightmare started all over again. I could not imagine what was happening. Again just before the second landing he seemed to regain control and make a perfect landing.

Again Super Dave did not stop he did a touch and go. The wild gyrations continued during the third circut and again just before he crashed, the plane smoothed out and he made his third perfect touch down. Finally I thought "It's over" That is until Super Dave was off again. Super Dave could not count. His fourth time around the patterned was no better but true to form he regained control and made a perfect fouth landing.

Finally Super Dave taxied back to the ramp, exited the aircraft with sweating running from every pore in his body, his insulated flight suit drenched, but not out of fear it was July with 90 per cent humidity.

Super Dave's first words upon exiting the plane was. "how'd I do, how'd I do, it was good wasn't it".

I drew a deep breath and said "the takeoff and landing were perfect but what in the "blazes" (cleaned up to meet forum rules) were you doing the rest of the time."

Oh he said " I was taking pictures" as he pulled a camera out of one of the many pockets in his flight suit.
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I believe my first instructor used a stylus and a clay tablet.

Cheers
 
I think my instructor is the same age as me: 26.

I remember my first solo. My instructor told me it was coming one day. Since my logbook was signed and ready to go, she said that whenever the weather looks good, expect to solo. I still remember her hopping out. Then on each leg I looked and she wasn't there!
 
well, I am back. Everything went well. Uneventful, which I guess is good news :).

Was an odd feeling going inside with my CFI, doing all the paperwork, and then him handing me the keys and saying "see ya when you get back".

That's when it hit me that at the smallest of levels, I am now a pilot :). One that can just to pattern work with CFI approved weather, but still a pilot.

So I am happy!
 
Mafoo said:
well, I am back. Everything went well. Uneventful, which I guess is good news :).

Was an odd feeling going inside with my CFI, doing all the paperwork, and then him handing me the keys and saying "see ya when you get back".

That's when it hit me that at the smallest of levels, I am now a pilot :). One that can just to pattern work with CFI approved weather, but still a pilot.

So I am happy!
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You are one of the lucky ones. Even after I'd solo'd many times, my instructor would always want to fly with me first, then get out of the plane, and even then only if I was having a "good" day. Didn't do my second solo for months, something about my flare. Frustrating.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
You are one of the lucky ones. Even after I'd solo'd many times, my instructor would always want to fly with me first, then get out of the plane, and even then only if I was having a "good" day. Didn't do my second solo for months, something about my flare. Frustrating.
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I guess I am lucky. My instructor is heading out of town this weekend. I have a "lesson" on sunday. He said just text him before I go up, and he will check the weather and let me know if it's ok.

If so, I can just take the plane and do some more pattern work. My flairs are not that great, but I never bounce, so that must be good. I do on about 20% of my landings, balloon, catch it, re-flare, and land softly.

I know what I am doing wrong, but like an idiot, I just keep doing it.

I guess because my faults don't risk the plane, they don't really care so much. I just end up taking another 75 feet of runway.
 
simtech said:
Congrats!!! That is awesome news! So did you look over and see an empty seat and grin from ear to ear?
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Thanks! Yes I did :)

I also loved that I was at 500 feet twice as quickly as it took with my 200 lbs CFI in the plane :)
 
;)
Mafoo said:
well, I am back. Everything went well. Uneventful, which I guess is good news :).

Was an odd feeling going inside with my CFI, doing all the paperwork, and then him handing me the keys and saying "see ya when you get back".

That's when it hit me that at the smallest of levels, I am now a pilot :). One that can just to pattern work with CFI approved weather, but still a pilot.

So I am happy!
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Congrats ..:cheers:..

On my solo the first thing that came to mind was when I looked over to see an empty right seat where the instructor sat 5 minutes before " Holy cow... no one to save my a$$ now if I screw up":yikes:;)
 
Mafoo said:
Thanks! Yes I did :)

I also loved that I was at 500 feet twice as quickly as it took with my 200 lbs CFI in the plane :)
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Yeah it is crazy how quick it climbs with an empty seat. On my first solo I found myself way to high on final without him in the seat. But I heard that little CFI voice in my head...push forward...Oh yes he did instill a lot in me!

Again Congrats and enjoy your new privilege!
 
Mafoo said:
I guess I am lucky. My instructor is heading out of town this weekend. I have a "lesson" on sunday. He said just text him before I go up, and he will check the weather and let me know if it's ok.

If so, I can just take the plane and do some more pattern work. My flairs are not that great, but I never bounce, so that must be good. I do on about 20% of my landings, balloon, catch it, re-flare, and land softly.

I know what I am doing wrong, but like an idiot, I just keep doing it.

I guess because my faults don't risk the plane, they don't really care so much. I just end up taking another 75 feet of runway.
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You're not an idiot. (Either that, or I'm an idiot too).

I often repeat my own mistakes over and over. We all do in the beginning. Often, after I go home - still P.O.'d at myself for screwing things up, I have time to analyze what I did and how I should have fixed it. Then the next time it comes up I do better.
 
simtech said:
Yeah it is crazy how quick it climbs with an empty seat. On my first solo I found myself way to high on final without him in the seat. But I heard that little CFI voice in my head...push forward...Oh yes he did instill a lot in me!

Again Congrats and enjoy your new privilege!
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Last night, on my second Private Pilot Ground School class, I met a student pilot who has my CFI and my training plane. He was very new, and I found myself sounding like "our" CFI - talking about the left to right, landing sequence, carb heat out, throttle back, mixture, white arc confirmed, flaps to 10, etc. I went home thinking "wow, my CFI's teachings are still with me."
 
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