Finally! First solo!

Late Bloomer

Late Bloomer

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Late Bloomer
I finally soloed this morning after many years and hours! It was terrifying and exciting at the same time!

This afternoon, I went up solo again to practice ground reference maneuvers. I had a hard time doing those, as I was more interested in exploring my new found freedom!

Kudos to the fine people at Ocala Aviation (KOCF) for helping me to achieve this milestone!

Here I am being congratulated by my instructor. I'm on the right.

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Congratulations! Well done and a memory you'll never forget.
 
Congrads..

Funny how nervous you get without someone sitting on the right.
 
Pretty awesome feeling, eh? I still remember it 35 years later...and relive it with each of my students. I currently have three that are on the verge of getting booted out of the nest (and several more anxious to get there), and look forward to them getting there.

Enjoy!
 
One question: I just looked at the KOCF METAR and it shows 46 deg F at 9 pm. Why is your instructor wearing a stocking hat?!? We don't use those above 20 deg for fear of overheating!
 
LDJones said:
One question: I just looked at the KOCF METAR and it shows 46 deg F at 9 pm. Why is your instructor wearing a stocking hat?!? We don't use those above 20 deg for fear of overheating!
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Ocala be in Florida, and 46F is freezing for us displaced New Yorkers, Michiganders, and others now living in Florida.

On another note, congratulations to the OP.
 
Well done on the solo. A very good moment. You've joined a small group of people who can claim to have taken a plane into the sky, flown by themselves and returned safely to tell others about it. Congrats!
 
marcoseddi said:
Wow very cool! How many hours were you at? Curious I am just starting..
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He said "many years....many hours"....if you spread it out over a long period of time it can take a number of hours.

I know of people who've soloed in 6 hours...but they're rare. Most of mine solo around 10-14 hours if they're flying frequently. Some take 20 or more.

In the end, it doesn't matter how many hours it takes. You need at least 40 for your license and only 10 need be solo.
 
Congrats! I'm not far ahead of you as I'm only at about 20 hours and entering my X-Country flights as the weather warms up here in frozen PA. I remember that feeling of an empty right seat very well!
 
Seeing what others have gone through just to get through training makes me appreciate more that I was able to knock a large portion of training out pretty quickly, and I realize that my issues as far as getting through the process are small compared to what many others have overcome. In the whole scheme of things, slowing down for college or having to wait a couple of weeks for a checkride is nothing. Glad to see you persevered through this and finally got your solo in without giving up! Although, I have the suspicion that you took this long because you were afraid of what your instructor is holding in his left hand ;) Hope you had an old T-shirt on under that one!
 
Why is your instructor wearing a stocking hat?!?
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It was 34 degrees that morning! There was light coating of frost on the wings when it was preflighted. Luckily, it was all melted by the time I started the engine.

How many hours were you at?
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Looking through my logbook, I began training in 1995. 60+ hours later, I soloed. However, when I began training in Ocala last week, they started me as a zero-time student. 10 hours later, I soloed. So it took 10 hours or 60+ hours, depending on how you look at it.
 
Congrats! A memorable occasion you will never forget!
 
Congrats on your solo,

As a student pilot last year, my very first solo x/c was from KLAL (Lakeland) to KOCF, when I arrived up around Ocala I announced inbound and my intentions for a full stop, and also that I was a student pilot on my first solo x/c, the ATC guy, was just the best, he warned me of gusting winds down the runway, and suggested I stay in the pattern for a while get myself calm and he would keep a close eye on how the wind was doing, twice around the pattern, and I'm on downwind for 36 wondering if I am going to do another and he asks me if I am comfortable with a short base and final as the gusts had settled down but could flare up again quite quickly, I said yes I'm good to go short base/final, and he says ok clear to land 36, but hey you take care, if you don't feel happy abort and go around.

I completed the landing without an issues and as I taxied off the runway, he came on the radio and congratulated me on my pattern work and landing, it was a very nice confidence building comment.

Shortly after when I left for my return trip home he wished me a safe flight and said come back and see us soon..

I see KOCF as well as my home field KLAL are both on the list for possible tower closure, that will be such a big loss if it goes ahead, GA needs these tower guys watching out for us.
 
Just wait until you do your first solo XC - that is when you really get your butt bitten by the fly bug!

Safe skies!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Just wait until you do your first solo XC
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I'm supposed to do that on Saturday. We did the night XC last night (KOCF - KORL - KGNV - KOCF), and scheduled to do the dual XC tomorrow (KOCF - KCTY - KBKV - KOCF).
 
alland said:
Congrats on your solo,

As a student pilot last year, my very first solo x/c was from KLAL (Lakeland) to KOCF, when I arrived up around Ocala I announced inbound and my intentions for a full stop, and also that I was a student pilot on my first solo x/c, the ATC guy, was just the best, he warned me of gusting winds down the runway, and suggested I stay in the pattern for a while get myself calm and he would keep a close eye on how the wind was doing, twice around the pattern, and I'm on downwind for 36 wondering if I am going to do another and he asks me if I am comfortable with a short base and final as the gusts had settled down but could flare up again quite quickly, I said yes I'm good to go short base/final, and he says ok clear to land 36, but hey you take care, if you don't feel happy abort and go around.

I completed the landing without an issues and as I taxied off the runway, he came on the radio and congratulated me on my pattern work and landing, it was a very nice confidence building comment.

Shortly after when I left for my return trip home he wished me a safe flight and said come back and see us soon..
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That's what I'm talking about! Nice to hear a story about pleasant and helpful ATC personnel!

And to the OP: CONGRATS! and +1 to hoping you weren't wearing a nice shirt :)
 
Congratulations Man and good luck with your X country :)
 
Great job!

Never worry about the hours (unless, in the rare case, the CFI is jerking you around). Hours flying are hours flying, after all!

I still remember my solo out at Bay Bridge in Maryland way back in 2002.
 
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