Hidy ho neighborinos... new member

[Mike Smith]

Welcome and congrats on the solo. XC's will be coming before you know it.

 

[Ghery]

You'll always remember that first solo. And don't worry about taking so long before you learned to fly. I passed my private check ride a couple days after I turned 49, and my instrument ride when I was 59. Ah, the old days.

Have fun with your training. You'll love the cross countries. Real flying, going from one place to another.

 

[TRocket]

Just wanted to say howdy...this is my first post here on POA.
I woke up a few months ago on a cool November morning, and as soon as I opened my eyes I said to myself "I'm going to get my pilots license".
This was 1 month before my 54th birthday, and I have no idea why it took so long.
I, like most all of you, had looked to the skies in awe since childhood.
We flew the gas powered model airplanes attached to control strings/handles, and had dogfights with them (in the early 70's). I loved that, and also building model airplanes.
Even jumped out of the barn once with cardboard wings I had made....but only once. (too much sink rate)
My mom divorced and that life went away.
Then at age 14 I sat in a Japanese Zero Kamikaze suspended from a tall ceiling. According to the museum guide it was one of a few (four I believe he said) that flew to Pearl Harbor and was recalled as the attack had ended before this plane carried out it's task. I was with someone that knew the management, and they rolled out some tall stairs and gave me special permission to get in.
That was pretty dang cool... and stuck with me forever as I sat there and imagined flying, machine guns blazing.
From that point on, up until Feb. 1st 2017, I had never since stepped foot inside a small aircraft or even stood next to one.
But on this day, finally, I would fly.
I climbed into the local Cessna 172N, checklist, taxi, full power, gave the CFI a new visual of what a scared snake looks like going down a runway...and then boom!!! lift off!!

Scared the crap out of me.

but then I thought, hey.....at least they aren't cardboard wings.

Welcome to flying and to POA!