how many friends hung out to watch you solo?

woodstock

woodstock

Final Approach
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I'm pretty much ready to solo - the only thing holding me back is that my regular CFI is away training on a new plane and I want him to be there when I solo - I've been flying with a substitute lately who can sign me off but I want my regular guy to be there since he put up with all the cuss words! (the new guy took over when I was pretty much ready to go...)

This is definitely going to be a party. This has been a huge long odyssey - medical issues, weather, a lot of traveling, built a new house... etc etc. I've got all the pre-solo requirements out of the way (for the most part - a few more hours under the hood), now it's just soloing and the post-solo stuff - mostly cross-countries. not to mention polishing things up that I haven't done in a year.

so, did you just quietly get it over with one day and then told some friends or did you have a huge contingent of friends hanging out and cheering you on?
 
None. Not even sure if I told anyone I soloed. To me, it wasn't that big of a deal.
 
None. If I remember correctly my CFI was gone and on his way home before I even finished the three landings.
 
wow, don't you guys have any friends???

I'm telling everyone! I'm glad it's all nearly over - I only have to get my solo XCs done, take the written, and polish up my skills before the checkride.
 
None of my friends are interested in flying. I might as well announce that I found 35 cents in my washing machine.
 
N2212R said:
None of my friends are interested in flying. I might as well announce that I found 35 cents in my washing machine.
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ouch! I think most of my friends are indifferent to flying but they are still pretty excited about the fact that I do...
 
None of my firends where there and I don't think I would have wanted them to be there either.

The solo was an exilerating, nerve racking, wonderfull, anxious time. It really did not sink until later that night what I had done. I am just glad that noone other than my instructor saw my third landing which still ranks as one of the worst ever. At least no metal was bent.
 
My CFI took a tug out beside the runway and videotaped my solo along with a friend of mine. Only problem was that the camcorder was messed up, so the tape is worthless :(

But that memory is there. Along with the first 100$ hamburger I had after getting my license. Good stuff!
 
None. Anyone that knew I was soloing got as far away as possible, and they still often do!
 
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My friends at the time thought it was an enormous waste of time and money. They couldn't have cared less had they known I was soloing. But the fact is, I didn't even know that I was to solo that day. My instructor got in the plane with a handheld transceiver which he had never done before. After a coupla t&gs at Fernindina, he had me stop so he could get out.
 
None for me. I didn't know when I was going to solo, so the specific timing was a bit of a surprise.
 
None. It's a "hey, it's time NOW" kind of thing so you really can't schedule it (usually).

I had been carrying a camera in my bag, so my instructor took pictures for me.
 
smigaldi said:
None of my firends where there and I don't think I would have wanted them to be there either.
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I agree with this philosophy. Don't put any undue pressure on yourself to perform. You want to be thinking about flying, not how you look in front of your firends.
 
at this point, since we've waited so damn long, and frankly I've been long past "ready" to solo... this is anticlimactic - so I'll know where and when.

we were mostly getting me ready for the SODA ride which to me seemed more nerve wracking - how would you like to have had a mini-checkride before you even soloed??

hopefully the rest of it will go pretty quickly. I can't believe it's this close.
 
No one came to see me solo, no one, not even my parents, came to see me pass the PPL practical test. In fact, only one of my friends has even gone flying with me.

And my parents haven't.
 
Eliz....do you have a brother near by? If so have him video your solo. My brother did mine. I called him that day & asked him if he wanted to ride to the airport where I was going to solo & he was like I am going to Sanford but not to see you solo. I was begging him to come. Well he showed up along with his 5 friends...aka my "other brothers" and my CFI said..."No, your brother will video tape this. That way if he messes it up you can be mad at him & not me." Ok fair enough.

Airplane rental on solo day $216
CFI on solo day $80
Having your brothers comentary on your solo video PRICELESS!!!!!
 
None for either airplane or helicopter -- in both cases I didn't know the date in advance (but I knew I was close -- helicopter instructor kept saying things like "when you're alone, you have to be careful because the CG will move aft", or airplane instructor "when you're by yourself the Warrior will surprise you with how fast it'll climb"). I've never had anybody watch me do a checkride either.

Seems to me that spectators just increase the pressure on you...
 
woodstock said:
ouch! I think most of my friends are indifferent to flying but they are still pretty excited about the fact that I do...
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Doesn't bother me in the least. I don't bother them about flying, and I don't have to listen to them drone on incessently about something I could care less about. I fly for me, not my friends. Hell, a lot of the people I know don't even know I am a pilot, or own an airplane.
 
N2212R said:
Doesn't bother me in the least. I don't bother them about flying, and I don't have to listen to them drone on incessently about something I could care less about. I fly for me, not my friends. Hell, a lot of the people I know don't even know I am a pilot, or own an airplane.
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sounds like you have a lot of close-knit friends! ;)
 
I didn't really know the exact day or hour of my solo, but I wouldn't have had anyone there to watch it, anyway. It was -20 degrees with snow flurries on that day (Crookston, MN) and I did four nice go arounds and the worst landing I ever did (didn't break or bend anything though). There were only three other people at the airport. I got more congratulations from the two airport dogs and the folks here at PoA than I did from anyone I knew "in person". LOL!!! Maybe the second solo (coming up soon I hope) will be much, MUCH better! (At least I know it will be above zero!)

I hope your first solo is a wonderful experience and you get someone to document it for you!

terry
 
woodstock said:
sounds like you have a lot of close-knit friends! ;)
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They are all married, and their wives don't much care for me. Mostly because they can't p-whip and control me like they can my jelly spined acquaintances. So, we don't hang out much anymore. Poor souls.
 
woodstock said:
so, did you just quietly get it over with one day and then told some friends or did you have a huge contingent of friends hanging out and cheering you on?
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Ray told me that I might want to invite Sherry and Holly (wife and daughter) to the airport for the next lesson, so I did and they witnessed my first 3 t&g's solo.
 
SkyHog said:
In fact, only one of my friends has even gone flying with me.
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It is interesting to see which subset of friends are interested in flying with me. My motorcycle buds are there, they can't wait to go for a flight. My church friends are about 50/50 on wanting to fly in small planes. My cow-orkers mostly are not interested. But to them, motorcycling is also a looney pastime. Fun to look at the risk tolerance of different groupps.

And my parents haven't.
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Dad did, his first time in an aircraft smaller than a corp jet, he loved it. "I can see why you love this!" Mom had a boyfriend in highschool who owned a 172, so she has been, but not with me yet. My brothers want to fly, but thus far no confluence of people and airplanes yet to make that happen.

I mostly fly with other pilots, they seem to make the best passengers (and best critics of my landings :( )
 
N2212R said:
They are all married, and their wives don't much care for me. Mostly because they can't p-whip and control me like they can my jelly spined acquaintances. So, we don't hang out much anymore. Poor souls.
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Ah yes, I've had many of these wives come up to me at parties after they heard their husbands were talking about flying with me. I'd get an earfull from the wife, then the husband sould retreat with a sheepish look on his face, never to be seen or heard of again.

Poor souls indeed, stuck on the island of misfit toys, with nothing to play with but the magnetic soccer balls on the back of their minivans. :rolleyes:
 
None. They all think I'm crazy for getting IN to a small plane, let alone fly one..and ALONE! Heaven forbid.

My CFI did videotape it for me though, and all the guys at the FBO came out and watched and clapped for me (and graded my touch and goes). I get the biggest kick out of watching that video tape and hearing my CFI say "What a landing... what an instructor!" :rofl:
 
I soloed my first day with a new instructor an ex-Airline pilot, after a two month layoff from flying. He said, "Why wait? Let's go!"

He watched quietly from the grass, nobody else was there.

I still haven't told my parents :rolleyes:.

It was a strange day for me, and one I'll never forget. The plane I flew has sinced crashed, killing its pilot.
 
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There was no planned date, so no friends or hubby, except some airport bums that happened to be around. I had worried about soloing as I thought how would the CFI really know I wasn't going to crash the plane. The day I soloed, the flying felt really good, and when my CFI had me do a go-around on a "perfect" approach, I knew he was getting out on the next landing! Do believe I did some partying that night with friends.:yes:

Just remember.....the planned date may not happen. When the hubby was training, his solo was scheduled. I went with him to take pictures. He and the instuctor went together for the warm-up, and on the first landing I thought "wow, he's (hubby) really good!" Turns out the plane had a problem with the elevator sticking and the CFI took over the landing.....so no solo that day.

Most important.....enjoy the thrill of that flight!!!

Kaye
 
No one but me. No extra pressure needed. Got a nice certificate from the FBO and my CFI and that was about it.
 
woodstock said:
wow, don't you guys have any friends???

I'm telling everyone!
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This is not some adventure experience thing you go on with your buddies from work to do a team building exercise. Its real.
 
When I made my 3rd landing and taxied to the FBO my dad was there. The CFI had called to tell him I was going to solo that day. I thought it was pretty lame at the time (I was 16 and my dad wasn't nearly as cool then as he became later) but now I think it was very thoughtful of him to call. My instructor had the movie camera out (super 8) and was filming the whole thing, but I never saw it. I sure wish I had that film now. They were the best three landings I've ever made. It's all been downhill since then. :yes:
 
None at all, my parents were dead set against me flying, my teenage friends though it was weird that i wanted to fly, so i didnt make a big deal out of it, good thing too, darned near killed myself.
 
Anthony said:
This is not some adventure experience thing you go on with your buddies from work to do a team building exercise. Its real.
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I didn't mean I was telling everyone to have them come out to watch - I meant I was telling everyone I soloed.

is it real? really? ;)
 
woodstock said:
This is definitely going to be a party. so, did you just quietly get it over with one day and then told some friends or did you have a huge contingent of friends hanging out and cheering you on?
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Sorry I misunderstood, but "a huge contingent of friends hanging out and cheering you on" sounds like they're all going to be at the airport watching you. Tell everyone about your accomplishment AFTER you do it.
 
well, my 99s friends DO want to be there - at least a couple of them. and my brother... and I'm pretty good friends with our flight crew at work. if they are in town they want to come by too. I haven't decided if I'm telling random friends yet or not.

I doubt I'd feel "pressure" when I'm up there because when I'm flying I'm not giving a single solitary thought as to who may be on the ground watching but you never know. I'm pretty focused though.
 
Elizabeth....hopefully if your brother shows up he won't say this like my bro did "Look at those dumbasses !!!!! Except for the guy in the white shirt!!!!!" Then he zoomed in on his friends balls. Talk about brotherly love.
 
HPNFlyGirl said:
Elizabeth....hopefully if your brother shows up he won't say this like my bro did "Look at those dumbasses !!!!! Except for the guy in the white shirt!!!!!" Then he zoomed in on his friends balls. Talk about brotherly love.
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hahahahaha!!
 
I soled in Army flight school. Most of the other guys in the class either soled or washed out. We were out at a shabby little staging field west of Mineral Wells, Texas. Told my wife that night, but she was upset about my Daughter not sleeping. Did share some Cold Duck that night with a neighbor in the class behind me; he washed out the next week.

Mom and Dad were proudest when I was commissioned as an officer and gentlemen by Congress. Dad came to one graduation and Mom to another.

As ready as I thought I was, it was really weird to look at the seat next to me and see it empty!!

Good luck Beth. May your solo be smooth and your friends be many at the event!

Best,

Dave
 
I had aviation friends that I told after my solo, but my friends from home really don't care. This is what one of them said (half jokingly) after I told them I got my IR "Not to sound mean, but we really don't care until you're flying F-16s or something" I put up with them talking about their cars, I figure they can put up with me talking airplanes once in a while :yes:
 
Did any of you get "oh you soloed. your instructor was sitting there next to you right? i mean you were at the controls but he was sitting there?"

Uh NO..just me and the plane. Well I had 2 passengers if you count myself, and I.
 
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