Memory Lane--your first solo?

[JohnR]

It was 1989, in a Piper Tomahawk. My CFI had barely fed me enough information for me to be dangerous, and set me loose to solo. My first landing, I was high and fast, and did a ham-handed slip that didn't work, so I went around and did three walk-away landings (not great but you could walk away from them). No shirt tail cut.

Much later when I was a CFI it occurred to me there was so much my own CFI never told me back then. I'd never really heard of the Practical Test Standards book, for instance, until training for my instrument rating. Somehow I passed the checkride and then started learning.

 

[HLT]

I had two "first solos". I soloed a Schwietzer 2-33 in 1968 at the ripe old age of 15. Second "first solo" was in my dad's C-150 on my 16th birthday in 1970. I really don't remember much about either flight though. That part of the hard drive has been overwritten. Strangely though, I remember the shirt that got cut on the power solo.

 

[Andy Greever]

I'll never forget my first solo.

I soloed on September 3rd 2006 at KDVT. It's the busiest GA airport in the country. Parralel runways, 2 controllers + Ground control.

I told them I was a Student on first solo. Took off from 7 Right and did my first touch'ngo and was on a right hand downwind when the south tower wants me to switch to the north tower/runway. I was not expecting this.
and for a moment I kinda freaked out! A few seconds later I finally dialed in the north tower frequency, and had to switch from a right hand pattern, to a left hand pattern did my second touch'ngo on 7 left and flew my left hand pattern for a full stop on the third.

My CFI was a little ****ed at the tower for throwing that at me, but said I handled it just fine. It doesn't seem like a big deal now, but at the time it was.

Then ensued the ritual shirt cutting ceremony!

 

[PostTenebrasLux]

Considering I soloed less than a month ago, I certainly remember it!

I posted the details on the red board and reckon it's too late to post a three week old solo report here. Or is it? Not that I get tired of talking about it..

Good to see you, J.D. I need to get over here more often.

 

[Henning]

Vivid memory. It was my 16th birthday. Being able to finally drive my motorcycle legally on the streets to the airport was a thrill to start with. I was SO glad to be able to fly without my CFI! He didn't smell very good, and liked to hug me in the airplane. He did stuff that nowadays would make him lose his license. Anyway, I was glad to be able to fly without him finally.

When I came in to land, I was too high and too hot, and knew it, but he felt obligated to wave his crutch at me from down there on the runway to go around. He had only one leg, and no prosthesis. I can still see him standing on his one leg waving that crutch at me. I knew I needed to go around and he didn't need to wave his crutch at me! Insert indignant 16-year-old emoticon here!

Gotta cut the poor guy some slack, I woulda perved on you too.

 

[Diana]

Gotta cut the poor guy some slack, I woulda perved on you too.

Yea, but I bet you would have smelled better!

 

[Gary]

The first solo is kinda fuzzy. The PP checkride however is firmly in my memory. Allentown/Bethlehem airport, June 1973. Thunderstorms in two quadrants, gusty and a bit messy. The plane I was supposed to take out of ABE is out of service, hustled over to nearby Queen City, different airplane a 1967 Cherokee 140 (basically the same as what I own), quick preflight, back over to ABE, pick up the DE (were they DE's back then?), do W&B, check documents. I had met and flown with the DE before, he was a decent guy. Finally take off and it was gusty and bumpy as all get out and the thunderstorms seemed right on top of us. The log says 1.7 hours, but it seemed much longer than that. My best friends' father was a tower controller and he knew what I was going up for, while on downwind he asked how it went, the DE cut in to tell him there was a new pilot in the sky. I clearly remember how proud I felt! I was 17 at the time.

Gary

 

[ReverendSlappy]

12/17/2005, N172NT. Remember it like yesterday... They were the 3 best landings I've made! Unfortunately, I only logged 12 more after those 3, due to money and time issues (I went and got myself a girlfriend... which, apparently, does more to drain the expendable funds portion of one's budget than any hobby could). But, with any luck, I'll be back up with an instructor in a couple weeks. I can't wait!

 

[CPTAUSRET]

1965 Ft Wolters, Texas. US Army flight school (Rotary Wing class 65-8), I remember it well!