(Pics) of the BIG DAY (Solo)

[nimdabew]

I want a moral booster thread for all of the student pilots that are just starting, and a booster for all of the old timers that soloed eons ago. Pic thread of memorabilia of the day you soloed! Pics and possibly a funny story if you may.

I soloed on the same day as my cousins wedding so there was a tiny bit of pressure to get it done sooner rather than later. Quick pre-solo check and I was in the plane by myself taxing to the 34R at KPAE. First two landings went well, I remembered my instructor wanted me to only do 3 landings. Bah I said! I went for fourth. He had a laugh, I had a laugh, and my family was there to share the special day.

 

[N801BH]

Sorry for the poor quality,,, It is a pic of a pic...

Back in 1981, bought the plane after my first lesson with 1.5 hours total time in my log book ( I hate renting).....
Solo'ed at 21 hours in N5416M. This pic was after passing my PP checkride at Orlando Country Airport (X04)with 42 hours in the book. ....

 

[Mike Smith]

August 23, 2014







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[Bman.]

Just a few weeks ago! 06.04.2015

 

[German guy]

Martina and I did our PPLs together in St. Augustine, FL. April 2010.

Martina (Skywalker) after her first solo:

Myself:

 

[LDJones]

Two Solos I vividly remember:

 

[Luvrv8]

I wish I had a picture of the plane and me on my first solo. It was 3/18/1990 at Lantana airport Florida, N173LG

 

[jordane93]

A 17 year old me back in 2011. Why did I wear that hat?

 

[Timmer]

I don't have any pictures of me after my solo, but here are two pictures during my first solo.

The first is a picture I took just as I had dropped my CFI off and I called Ground to taxi and was told to hold for traffic. Once I saw the traffic, I quickly grabbed my camera:

And this is a picture my CFI took from the tower on my first solo landing:

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

 

[OkieAviator]

This was actually a year ago today! Love flying when it's 100 degrees out.

 

[ettsn]

Shoot! My solo was just a couple weeks ago, and I didn't think to take a picture of anything.

 

[BigBadLou]

We did not take any pictures after my first solo but my CFI took a video and pictures of my first crash landing (until I proved him wrong and put her down safely, 3 times in a row, lol).

The best part? The airplane shown is my own that I bought for training to save on rental costs. It came with vinyl letters Green Hornet on the starboard side (barely visible in the picture, right behind the cowling). I pulled the ET off to indicate who flies the airplane and to get out of the way.

In the next few years, I had flown that thing all over Texas. Up/down, left/right, you name it. Good times!!

 

[James Adkins]

Just soloed on 6/24/15

 

[N801BH]

Just soloed on 6/24/15

Kool... Congrats....

 

[Scott@KTYR]

Just soloed on 6/24/15

CONGRATS!!!

 

[gitmo234]

i got nothing for my first solo. Everything was fine, winds were calm, etc until I got on my second trip in the pattern, and everything changed. We both checked the weather independently and it showed nothing. Next thing I know I'm landing with a 15G22 crosswind.

Landed.... told tower I was calling it. no more. Tower said "good idea, it's expected to get much worse all of a sudden". Picked up my CFI and headed for home. By the time we got there he said "Holy ****, I wouldnt be flying in this normally.... " as we hit our heads on the ceiling. He was afraid to take a picture or make a fuss about it because he didnt want to get in trouble for me soloing that day..he did anyway

Here's a pic from my checkride though

 

[Jay Honeck]

I soloed in October 1994, East Troy, WI. (57C) On the grass, Rwy 36. Winds gusting over 20. 6.2 hours in the logbook.

With my instructor, Bob, the following February, after passing my checkride. It was, like, 10 above zero.

Both events changed my life forever!

 

[mkosmo]

I slightly regret not getting a picture when I did my first solo now.

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[Jay Honeck]

I slightly regret not getting a picture when I did my first solo now.

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If it makes you feel any better, mine was staged the next day. I was way too excited to remember to take a picture. (And, of course, we didn't all have cell phone cameras back then.)

I made Mary come out to see the plane, and take the picture, the next day. (No mean feat. That was a 40 minute drive, out into the Wisconsin countryside!)

I knew it was a Big Deal. Glad I got the pic. Better yet: It's on the wall next to Mary's (1998), and our son's (2007), solo pics...

 

[jordane93]

My student's first solo and my first solo sign off!