First Solo XC today!

StinkBug

StinkBug

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About to head to the airport for my first Solo XC. Flying from KCRQ to KTOA. I did the same flight with my instructor a few weeks ago so it should be pretty simple, and the weather looks great. Lookin forward to having some fun!
 
My first solo XC was when I first felt like a pilot. Enjoy!
 
Branch out a little further each time. It still feels like I'm setting off for a trip to the moon when the distance is more that 2 hours (1 leg in the air). Try new airports.

By the way, always "brief" yourself on new AND old airports. I got sloppy a couple of weeks ago and returned to an old airport I was previously based at. The runways and traffic can be a little confusing for transients and guess what: I got confused. Nothing was bent, but I felt like a fool ... Basically, keep your instructor's voice in your ear - even once you are on your own..

And have fun!
 
Brings back memories. My instructor required me to pick two airports that I had never flown into before, one of which had to be towered (I learned to fly at an untowered field).
 
Good luck and have fun. The first cross country solo ,will make you deal like a pilot.
 
I did that same flight last week for my first Solo XC - just the other way around. Threw RNM in just for kicks :)
 
You won't forget the flight. Enjoy being a pilot while you're worried about "what should I be doing next..."
 
Well that didn't go quite as planned. Instead of getting my first solo XC experience, I got my first in-flight mechanical experience. I did a thorough pre-flight on the plane, got all my stuff organized, had the tanks topped off, followed the checklists, etc. Taxi'd to the run up area and went through that check list. Everything was fine there, working properly and running well, however I just had this little feeling that something didn't sound quite right. I checked and double checked and actually did the run up again, but everything was green and running smooth so I figured it was just a bit of nerves. I'm still not sure if I actually heard anything or if it was just in my head. Got cleared to take off, everything was great going down the runway, lifted off and started climbing, hit about 300'AGL and the Alternator light came on. I cycled the alternator switch, nothing. Checked the breakers, all in. Now I'm at 500AGL, call the tower "six charlie alpha, I'm gonna need to return to the airport"
Tower: "6CA say again"
me: "I'm gonna need to return to the field, I have an alternator light on, 6CA"
Tower: "6CA make right traffic #2 runway 24 cleared to land traffic is a Cessna on final"
me "#2 cleared to land 24 6CA"

From there it was pretty uneventful. Just did a normal loop of the traffic pattern, nice normal landing, then asked to taxi to maintenance. The guys there were kind enough to look at it right away and determined that the alternator had gone bad and it wasn't anything else simple like a belt or fuse. I was glad I didn't freak out about it or anything. Just turned around and came back home. Probably would have been a bit more stressful had it happened halfway to TOA, but even then I'm sure I could have gotten it to one of the many airports along the way.
 
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Thankful it occurred then and not later. On one of my IFR XC flights May, had to have a belt repair done in IA at an airport.
 
StinkBug said:
Well that didn't go quite as planned. Instead of getting my first solo XC experience, I got my first in-flight mechanical experience. I did a thorough pre-flight on the plane, got all my stuff organized, had the tanks topped off, followed the checklists, etc. Taxi'd to the run up area and went through that check list. Everything was fine there, working properly and running well, however I just had this little feeling that something didn't sound quite right. I checked and double checked and actually did the run up again, but everything was green and running smooth so I figured it was just a bit of nerves. I'm still not sure if I actually heard anything or if it was just in my head. Got cleared to take off, everything was great going down the runway, lifted off and started climbing, hit about 300'AGL and the Alternator light came on. I cycled the alternator switch, nothing. Checked the breakers, all in. Now I'm at 500AGL, call the tower "six charlie alpha, I'm gonna need to return to the airport"
Tower: "6CA say again"
me: "I'm gonna need to return to the field, I have an alternator light on, 6CA"
Tower: "6CA make right traffic #2 runway 24 cleared to land traffic is a Cessna on final"
me "#2 cleared to land 24 6CA"

From there it was pretty uneventful. Just did a normal loop of the traffic pattern, nice normal landing, then asked to taxi to maintenance. The guys there were kind enough to look at it right away and determined that the alternator had gone bad and it wasn't anything else simple like a belt or fuse. I was glad I didn't freak out about it or anything. Just turned around and came back home. Probably would have been a bit more stressful had it happened halfway to TOA, but even then I'm sure I could have gotten it to one of the many airports along the way.
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You are probably pretty bummed out but you showed great ADM and your instructor is probably proud of you for doing that.
 
Eh, not really all that bummed. I know I'll get to do the flight soon enough. I've got plenty of studying to do before my check ride, so I don't think this will delay things much if at all. I'm actually glad to have gotten the experience of a (minor) mechanical failure, so I could see how I deal with it.
 
I hope that all of my students show the good decision making, proper procedure, and thought of working through a problem that you did. One of my favorite "emergencies" is a loss of oil pressure indication and then asking my student what they would do next.
 
Good job!

I've had two generator/alternator failures. They're not common but not exactly uncommon either. As a result, I think about electrical failure scenarios on a regular basis.
 
jsstevens said:
My first solo XC was when I first felt like a pilot. Enjoy!
Click to expand...

William Langweische spoke of feeling one with the sky after about 3,000 hours. It took me less than that to feel more at home in the air. There is hope fellow aviator.
 
nimdabew said:
I hope that all of my students show the good decision making, proper procedure, and thought of working through a problem that you did. One of my favorite "emergencies" is a loss of oil pressure indication and then asking my student what they would do next.
Click to expand...

That's a good lesson plan. My first time wasn't pretend. A night cross I noticed low oil press. but we were already circling for final. The landing was eventful because I hadn't anticipated a black hole to the airport and there were taller than FAA-standard trees under the approach. I stayed high which also helped in case of sudden engine failure. I landed long but squeaked it on. On the ramp I diagnosed an O ring failure at the dipstick...something my CFI could hardly believe until I shined the flashlight upon it. Reseated the stick, 2 quarts added, the return trip was uneventful...until taxi after landing. Let mx take care of her now.

My 1st total elec failure was a post-solo cross country on a full moon night. All three flashlights failed after initial power on. That saying about flashlights being storage cases for dead batteries is true! I always kept fresh batts! Situational awareness, I knew where to turn for nearest. After the turn the full moon shown in through the window to illuminate the panel. Uneventful landing. But before then my anxiety was high. Good for you to teach this stuff. All my CFIs, up through ME comm add-on only taught emergency procedures by rote via 'the checklist'. God forbid the pilot should experience an actual emergency and not have memorized Section 4 of the POH which is standard today.
 
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Good Catch.

I was leaving Pueblo CO last week and my Alternator stopped working just before take off. It took 6 hours to find a loose wire.
 
StinkBug said:
I'm actually glad to have gotten the experience of a (minor) mechanical failure, so I could see how I deal with it.
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Glad you're not bummed and ever more glad that you showed true PIC decision skills and remained calm. You dealt with it very well.
I remember my first call "I need to return to the airport". You will remember yours. Glad you played it safe and don't worry, your XC will be a blast.
 
Plane got out of the shop this afternoon, and I got to do the trip this evening. Just managed to get out and back in before the sun went back down and the clouds rolled in. Pretty uneventful overall. Got flight following from SoCal both ways and traffic was pretty light. I did get a couple spectators on departure at Torrance though. Seems a couple foxes decided they wanted to relax and chill on the edge of 29L and get a good look! I didn't realize Torrance had so much wild life!

Also had a nice sunset on the way back in.
10422984_10204435653441555_1663672929148117999_n.jpg
 
Congrats! What a great feeling to fly solo from point a to point b huh?! Great shot too of the sunset, looks peaceful.
 
Congratulations! Sounds like you handled the mx issue well (probably the most important part of this thread). Glad you got to complete the flight successfully, too! You must be getting excited for the next few weeks/months leading up to your checkride.
 
StinkBug said:
Well that didn't go quite as planned. Instead of getting my first solo XC experience, I got my first in-flight mechanical experience. I did a thorough pre-flight on the plane, got all my stuff organized, had the tanks topped off, followed the checklists, etc. Taxi'd to the run up area and went through that check list. Everything was fine there, working properly and running well, however I just had this little feeling that something didn't sound quite right. I checked and double checked and actually did the run up again, but everything was green and running smooth so I figured it was just a bit of nerves. I'm still not sure if I actually heard anything or if it was just in my head. Got cleared to take off, everything was great going down the runway, lifted off and started climbing, hit about 300'AGL and the Alternator light came on. I cycled the alternator switch, nothing. Checked the breakers, all in. Now I'm at 500AGL, call the tower "six charlie alpha, I'm gonna need to return to the airport"
Tower: "6CA say again"
me: "I'm gonna need to return to the field, I have an alternator light on, 6CA"
Tower: "6CA make right traffic #2 runway 24 cleared to land traffic is a Cessna on final"
me "#2 cleared to land 24 6CA"

From there it was pretty uneventful. Just did a normal loop of the traffic pattern, nice normal landing, then asked to taxi to maintenance. The guys there were kind enough to look at it right away and determined that the alternator had gone bad and it wasn't anything else simple like a belt or fuse. I was glad I didn't freak out about it or anything. Just turned around and came back home. Probably would have been a bit more stressful had it happened halfway to TOA, but even then I'm sure I could have gotten it to one of the many airports along the way.
Click to expand...

You got lucky...and you got more than a mere no event xcntry done. Now when you go out, what can go wrong, worse? Nevermind...
 
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