Amsirahc
Filing Flight Plan
Hey everyone, it's been a bit since I've posted anything on here and I wanted to share how things are going. Back when I started flight training, I applied for a 3rd class medical at about 7 hours of flight time. My instructor was ready to solo me then, and I was to the point where I knew this is absolutely something I should be doing for the rest of my life. The medical, as expected due to my history, was deferred. While I was expecting the deferral, I wasn't expecting everything that came afterwards. Months of going back and forth with the FAA and doctors providing the information they requested with long periods of time between responses due to COVID-19 and government issues, racking up nearly $2k in medical expenses, traveling halfway across the state to see a qualified doctor, topping it off with not being able to fly for 6 months because my instructor's work took him out of the area for a long period of time and he got stuck there due to COVID-19. Between waiting for the medical and COVID-19 though, we had continued training and completed nearly all requirements except for the solo work. So, after 6 months of not flying, I finally received my medical, and my instructor was back!
All the cards seemed to fall right into place. I donned a face mask, got back in the plane with my instructor, and did a quick refresher course. Luckily, I had continued to study throughout my ground time, kept using simulators, and my body didn't forget in the 6 months of not flying. I went back for another lesson the day after the refresher, and we flew some slow flights, stall recoveries, steep turns, more touch-and-goes, etc. Then he says, "Let's make this one a full-stop." I thought we were done for the day and I'd be back the following day for another refresher. Imagine my surprise when we came to a stop and he said, "Now go give me 3 more touch-and-goes and one full-stop."
The smile on my face was larger than ever. The feeling of the plane completely changed being 170lbs lighter. It was an absolute dream come true. Then, as I was jokingly told repeatedly in previous lessons, everything that doesn't happen during training will likely happen during the first solo. There were deer crossing the runway on takeoff, birds circling within the downwind, another plane entering the opposite runway pattern at the speed of light as I was taking off (he announced 10 miles out when I was throttling up and was right beside me as I passed the trees... at least he smiled and waved), the wind completely changed directions on my second touch-and-go forcing me to change runways to avoid a nasty tailwind landing and put the sun right in my face, and the PAPI lights stopped working until I was on my full-stop landing about 50' from the runway. And as is tradition after the first solo, he was standing there waiting on me, scissors in hand.
TL;DR - I soloed!
All the cards seemed to fall right into place. I donned a face mask, got back in the plane with my instructor, and did a quick refresher course. Luckily, I had continued to study throughout my ground time, kept using simulators, and my body didn't forget in the 6 months of not flying. I went back for another lesson the day after the refresher, and we flew some slow flights, stall recoveries, steep turns, more touch-and-goes, etc. Then he says, "Let's make this one a full-stop." I thought we were done for the day and I'd be back the following day for another refresher. Imagine my surprise when we came to a stop and he said, "Now go give me 3 more touch-and-goes and one full-stop."
The smile on my face was larger than ever. The feeling of the plane completely changed being 170lbs lighter. It was an absolute dream come true. Then, as I was jokingly told repeatedly in previous lessons, everything that doesn't happen during training will likely happen during the first solo. There were deer crossing the runway on takeoff, birds circling within the downwind, another plane entering the opposite runway pattern at the speed of light as I was taking off (he announced 10 miles out when I was throttling up and was right beside me as I passed the trees... at least he smiled and waved), the wind completely changed directions on my second touch-and-go forcing me to change runways to avoid a nasty tailwind landing and put the sun right in my face, and the PAPI lights stopped working until I was on my full-stop landing about 50' from the runway. And as is tradition after the first solo, he was standing there waiting on me, scissors in hand.
TL;DR - I soloed!
