V1-Vr-V2
Pre-Flight
8/17/95 is the first entry in my logbook, 1.0 hr intro flight around KGRI. I was 15 at the time and pursuing this crazy dream to be a pilot. But, life happened and flying had to take a back seat to other priorities. In total, I logged 8.6 hours that summer before hanging up the headset.
Fast forward to February 2002 and I logged another handful of hours at KLNK. At that time, I was a college sophomore and an aviation major and looking forward to a career behind a yoke. But, I would soon realize that in a post-9/11 world, my dream job might not be as much a dream as I had hoped. I changed majors, graduated with a business degree, and proceeded to not log any time for the next 11 years as life's priorities shifted and were reordered; jobs, girlfriends, which gave way to a wife, which led to kids, etc. etc.
Smash cut to March of this year and a Living Social deal for a local independent CFI with a pretty well equipped, "classic" PA-28-180 Cherokee pops up in my inbox. Now, compared to my college days, I had [slightly more] free time, [much more] disposable income, and a job that gave me the flexibility to take the required time off. So, with only moderate objection from the wife, I went for it.
And here I am - a few months later, the day after my first solo. In fact, I was "ready" for solo according to my CFI's signoff a month and a half ago but travel schedules and the ever-changing Colorado weather conspired against me on at least a half-dozen possible solo candidate days. So, instead of soloing where I typically would earlier on in training, we went the route of finishing most of my required training (dual XC - done, night flights - done, towered airports - done, IFR time - done, etc.) with the goal of getting the solo in when all forces aligned and I finally got a relatively nice day.
Well, that day was yesterday, 7/16/13. Yesterday's weather at KLMO wasn't perfect by any stretch but it wasn't bad either. The winds for runway 11 were at anywhere from 080° to 150° at calm to 10 knots, it was hot and bumpy as usual, and the density altitude was 7,800' but nevertheless, it was to be the day and I was ready for it.
I did a few performance takeoffs and landings with my instructor with varying degrees of success. Then, he got out and I was ready. Started up the GoPro to capture the event and triple checked the door (thanks to POA for instilling that routine), and off I went. In the video, you'll notice I forced myself to narrate throughout the flight hoping that it helps me keep the examiner in the loop during the checkride but also looking back, it should aid in figuring out what I was doing and when.
My First Solo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC1F6LK9l8I
The first landing was far from my best and *way* to the left of centerline due to poor compensation for wind drift. The subsequent two were slightly better but still not great. Regardless, I was giddy having finally passed this milestone.
I loved how the "mighty" 180 hp Cherokee climbed with only one person onboard. I swear I saw 700 fpm at one point after departing - instead of our usual 300-400 fpm at 85.
Now, some solo XC time, review/study/review, and hopefully it'll be time to schedule the exams.
Bottom line: Thanks POA for being such a great resource!
~Trevor
Fast forward to February 2002 and I logged another handful of hours at KLNK. At that time, I was a college sophomore and an aviation major and looking forward to a career behind a yoke. But, I would soon realize that in a post-9/11 world, my dream job might not be as much a dream as I had hoped. I changed majors, graduated with a business degree, and proceeded to not log any time for the next 11 years as life's priorities shifted and were reordered; jobs, girlfriends, which gave way to a wife, which led to kids, etc. etc.
Smash cut to March of this year and a Living Social deal for a local independent CFI with a pretty well equipped, "classic" PA-28-180 Cherokee pops up in my inbox. Now, compared to my college days, I had [slightly more] free time, [much more] disposable income, and a job that gave me the flexibility to take the required time off. So, with only moderate objection from the wife, I went for it.
And here I am - a few months later, the day after my first solo. In fact, I was "ready" for solo according to my CFI's signoff a month and a half ago but travel schedules and the ever-changing Colorado weather conspired against me on at least a half-dozen possible solo candidate days. So, instead of soloing where I typically would earlier on in training, we went the route of finishing most of my required training (dual XC - done, night flights - done, towered airports - done, IFR time - done, etc.) with the goal of getting the solo in when all forces aligned and I finally got a relatively nice day.
Well, that day was yesterday, 7/16/13. Yesterday's weather at KLMO wasn't perfect by any stretch but it wasn't bad either. The winds for runway 11 were at anywhere from 080° to 150° at calm to 10 knots, it was hot and bumpy as usual, and the density altitude was 7,800' but nevertheless, it was to be the day and I was ready for it.
I did a few performance takeoffs and landings with my instructor with varying degrees of success. Then, he got out and I was ready. Started up the GoPro to capture the event and triple checked the door (thanks to POA for instilling that routine), and off I went. In the video, you'll notice I forced myself to narrate throughout the flight hoping that it helps me keep the examiner in the loop during the checkride but also looking back, it should aid in figuring out what I was doing and when.
My First Solo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC1F6LK9l8I
The first landing was far from my best and *way* to the left of centerline due to poor compensation for wind drift. The subsequent two were slightly better but still not great. Regardless, I was giddy having finally passed this milestone.
I loved how the "mighty" 180 hp Cherokee climbed with only one person onboard. I swear I saw 700 fpm at one point after departing - instead of our usual 300-400 fpm at 85.Now, some solo XC time, review/study/review, and hopefully it'll be time to schedule the exams.
Bottom line: Thanks POA for being such a great resource!
~Trevor
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