Please stop speculating and posting ridiculous comments! Nobody at RVAC sends anyone out on a first solo unless the conditions are judged suitable and the student has been thoroughly checked by an appropriately qualified instructor, often more than one. When the time arrives, the last call the instructor makes to the tower before getting out is "XXX - first solo" to alert all concerned.
As for YMMB being busy, yes it usually is, but please bear in mind that the students at YMMB have done all their training in that busy environment and are therefore quite familiar with it, and it's presided over by an absolutely first class ATC group in the tower, and in any case we don't know whether the amount of traffic at the time had anything whatsoever to do with this tragedy.
My condolences to the family and my sympathies to all the students and staff at RVAC, and especially the instructors. This is rotten bad luck, but at least CGT made it back with two on board - great airmanship!
I first solo'd in little UPY four years ago, and I'll be back flying out of RVAC when things calm down.
Life will go on..
Last edited by Sunfish; 27th August 2008 at 20:21.