I remember my first solo...

[snapper41]

We surely all remember that first time when the instructor got out and left you to it. My recollection is of feeling fine on take off, but as I turned crosswind (to the right), on looking to the right I realised that there was no-one sitting next to me! I could feel everything I'd learned start to drain out of my head; gave myself a good, stiff talking to, and by the time I'd made my downwind checks, I was singing happily to myself! Made a pretty good landing, if I say so myself. What's your recollection of your momentous day??

[Whirlygig]

Not having my instructor's couple of hundredweight as ballast! Shot up like a rocket!

Then, on downwind leg, it suddenly dawning on me that I was the commander; captain, it was my aircraft and my decisions ...

Devil on my left shoulder: Shall I go around for the hell of it?
Angel on my right: No, he'll kill me.
DOMLS:Your helicopter, he's not to know you OK with the approach. Go on, go around, have another go.
AOMRS: He'll kill me!

In the end, like a good girl, I landed after one circuit. My instructor (Capt. 2cwt) said, "Oh, I expected you to go-around and have another go; I did on my first solo!)

In all honesty though, my first solo cross-country was more memorable.

Cheers

Whirls

[BackPacker]

I mostly remember the frustration on my first first solo, which caused all the nerves to disappear on my second first solo.

First first solo. I taxi out, all hyped up of course. Adrenaline above the eyeballs. Run-up checks, 250+ RPM drop on left. Agressive leaning wouldn't cure it so back to the apron. Very frustrated.

Second first solo, a few minutes later in another aircraft. I had already expended all my adrenaline so it was rather a non-event. Three very acceptable full stops/taxibacks then back to the school. The only thing I really remember was the "well done, congratulations" from the tower.

They were changing the spark plug on aircraft nr. 1 as I taxied back in. And since I had the intention to fly, I could legally actually write both sorties in my logbook. (But in the end, I didn't.)

[Will Hung]

I remember my left leg shaking un-controllably. Fortunately, it was a right -hand circuit using 08 at Elstree. It was the aero-club annual BBQ that same night, and we all got absolutely hammered, including the legendary instructor who sent me ! Happy days.

[Microfright]

Mine was on Sept 11th 2001

[strake]

So, there I was...

The only thing I recall on my first solo was that I talked to myself quite a lot.

It was my second solo a few weeks later which had the drama..well, for me anyway. Because the runway direction had changed from all the flights during my training (intensive two weeks flying) I was so spooked I couldn't land the plane. On my third attempt as I was half-way down finals, I looked down and saw some people walking in a field with upturned faces. That was when I experienced the the other side of "Better to be down here wishing you were up there...."

I landed safely then and have landed happily ever after....:)

[CapCon]

Pull up to the tower and my instructor jumps out. Checks completed, I press the button. 'Gulf Juliet Uniform........er...' promptly release the button. Sat there for a few minutes trying to remember what the bl**dy word for 'D' was! In all the excitement my alphabet had decided to do a runner!

Eventually remembered and had a fantastic 1st solo.
:ok:

[Cricket23]

............slow!

I remember thinking that there's no turning back now as I took a quick glance out of the cockpit at about 50ft. The slow bit came from following a chopper downwind. Got down to about 70kts with first stage of flap, but was still catching him. Luckily he peeled off to a parallel choppper runway otherwise I would have had to go-around.

C23

[Julian]

I remember taking off and getting in the circuit and thinking 'Hey this flying lark is easy...whats all the fuss about'

Then I remember that I had to land it one piece!!!!!:}

J.

[SkyHawk-N]

I remember the density altitude for my first solo, 9114 ft.

[High Wing Drifter]

I chicken out :hmm: Muttered something about more EFATO practice. An hour and half later off I went.

The thing that sticks in my mind the most was how amazing it is that the training just works, you just function despite the nerves. To be honest it was all over too quickly. The biggest buzz was reserved for my first solo navex (EGLK, Membury, Henley, EGLK) :)

[Shunter]

I remember mine well. I'd had a couple of hour-building instructors who had held me back a little, then I went up for dual-circuits with a 'proper' instructor who called a halt after the first circuit, said "wtf am I doing here... get on with it!" and off I went.

I'll never forget the complete change in the behaviour of the 152 with only 1 POB as it (in context of course) tore off the runway!

[PompeyPaul]

I remember my first solo, every second of it, vividly as if I was still there.

Took off down the runway, felt incredible, climbed out and thought "sh*t, I'm commited to doing this now" :eek:

I'm guessing the range of emotions I felt as I climbed out of the aircraft are going to be similar to the emotions I feel when I see my first child.

Although my FI told me that quite a few people flew until there first solo then never flew again.

[daxwax]

Lots of talking to myself and loudly humming 'ride of the valkyries' whilst turning base leg. I was young.....

[Tim Dawson]

Haha, I sang ride of the valkyries too! Then I overshot on a flapless and ended up in a ploughed field.

[Lister Noble]

I thought,
" I can't believe I'm doing this"
Still think it every time I fly, now around 16 months after getting the licence.
The magic never goes away.
Lister:)

One for Arclite;);)

['Chuffer' Dandridge]

Just looked at my logbook. 8th October 1983 at Southend after 4hr 10 mins dual. Had previously been solo in a glider with the Air Cadets but to have an engine up front - magic!

Can still hear my instructor Alan Palmer saying "70 knots, 70 knots" in his distinctive Kiwi accent as we came down finals, and then off on my own..........

Does anyone know where Alan Palmer is these days? Together with fellow instructors Barry Murray, Dave Giles, Tony Crossland, Mark Beard, George Hoskins - all apart from Mark were from New Zealand. I suppose most have gone back to NZ

Happy days:ok:

[High Wing Drifter]

Lister,
Still think it every time I fly, now around 16 months after getting the licence. The magic never goes away.
Ditto, except five years now :ok:

[flyingsteve55]

Shooting off the runway - like others minus a couple of cwt! - I wondered how i'd got to 800ft so quickly and I'm only just turning crosswind. Lots of talking to myself (not much has changed). The same feeling as others expressed was that I'm up here and it's up to me get this thing down. The actual landing was pretty average and my final recollection was AFIS telling me "Congratulations, you can start breathing again now".

Every time I fly, especially when I'm alone, I still get the same feeling of elation when I'm back on the ground. I think it borders on self satisfied "I did that - how many of you down there can say the same"

[effortless]

Mine was many years ago and I felt relieved. I found that I didn't have to worry about what the chap in front thought and just got on with it. I also thought that I made fewer mistakes. I was wrong. When I got out onto the apron I was bollocked from there to Christmas. It was almost as if he had been up there with me and he listed al the checks I missed. I suppose he just knew me but I was flummoxed.:eek:

[SKYYACHT]

My first solo flight was as an Air Cadet in a Kirby Cadet MkIII open cockpit glider. I accomplished this feat at the age of 16 at RAF Kenley, in the early/mid 1970s. The winch launch seemed so much faster, and the angle steeper. I can still play this flight back with absoloute clarity even after all these years - the soft creaking of the airframe, the smell of doped fabric, the scent of grass. It was the middle of June, and it was very warm, and when I finally got the the top, and pulled off, the world became very quiet. I could see most of South London spread beneath me, from my lofty 1300 feet! Then it was time to concentrate..... My circuit was a bit egg shaped, as I managed to stay higher for longer (I think that Whirly's Captain 2 cwt was also my instructor) but once I cracked the spoilers, I made a reasonable approach and landing. Well, it must have been, because they let me go up a few more times.
I soloed my first powered aeroplane (Cessna C152 N714AT) at Alliance Field in Texas. This airfield houses American Airlines main maintenance facility and has a runway some 3200m long. My instructor (Bill Davidson where are you now?) asked me to taxi back to the tower after I had flown a few circuits there, and then, before I could tell him that I wasnt ready he was out of the aeroplane like a jackrabbit, and disappeared, shouting "Three circuits, then collect me from here"
I sat there for a few moments, the realisation that I was alone in the cockpit, and then with a shaking hand and a dry mouth, I picked up the microphone (No Headsets back then!) and requested taxi clearance. I did the checks, and lined up, then opened the throttle, and like all the other posters, we accelerated very fast and the little 'plane leapt into the air. I was at circuit height, and could still see the end of the runway.
I did the requisite circuits, and then landed and picked Bill up. The sad thing is, you can only ever go solo once!
However, each time I pass a check ride of some description, I still get that same adrenalin rush, and the buzz...the most recent of which was going solo for the first time in the aeroplane in which I have just bought a share - a Piper Super Cub 150.... I got checked out last Friday - and I am STILL grinning.
Have a good one!

[FLCH]

My first solo was in a Kirby Cadet too, at RAF Cosford back in the 70's. I remember the glider was a hell of a lot lighter despite having sandbags in the glider because I was a mere slip of a boy. That was when I was 16, now years later at 48 and after 30 years of powered flying including 20 years of flying (or shall I say pushing buttons) on jetliners, I'm getting back to my roots and into soaring again with my 15 year old son.

[DBisDogOne]

:DHahaha, That takes me back! Thought it was just me who noticed that well-shagged old 150's suddenly possess the ability to climb when you haven't got a bulky instructor (American in my case, whattaya gonna do?) sat in the P2 seat!!!!
It's also great to know prettymuch everyone else thinks "Well, getting it up and around the circuit is easy, holy sh*t Batman, :eek: I've got to land it on my own now preferably without killing myself" :uhoh: Still, wouldn't have had it any other way.
LN & HDW: You're spot on.

I guess the age old saying is relevent as ever

"Take-offs are optional, Landings are compulsary"

Blue skies to all.
Be seeing you....

dB

PS: If you're reading this and are about to do your first solo, I (& I suspect all other Ppruners) wish you all the best and many future ones.:ok:

[Whirlybird]

I was just relieved to get it done! It had been put off for ages due to bad weather and to me having a bad attack of nerves whenever flying with someone new, and I had to as my regular instructor was only an AFI...now called FI(R). So I just felt glad it was over, wanted to get on with the rest of the course, and absolutely loathed all the hype and fuss and congratulations.

My first solo crosscountry though...now that was totally, utterly, and completely wonderful. :ok:

[seeyoujimmy]

great stories guys, still waiting on my first solo.

[PompeyPaul]

Funny,

The solo XCQ, for me, just felt like something I had to do that day, rather than a big event.

Although looking back on it now, that first XC flight is a hell of an achievement. That really is when you feel like a "proper" pilot

[IFMU]

My first solo was in a PA12. The instructor sat in back, so initially I could just pretend he was there and silently observing. But finally I turned around to look at the empty seat and for some reason couldn't stop laughing for a minute. Nervous hysterics, I guess.

My second first solo was in an Enstrom F28A. We were doing touchdown autos from 50' cruise, kind of like a quick stop. There was a bunch of FW traffic in the pattern of the uncontrolled field. Conscious of a FW on short final, I got the collective down, maxed the throttle, got the RPM to the top of the green, did a very aggressive departure to get out of the way and back into the mix. Apparently this fooled the instructor into actually thinking I could fly the thing. He says "I got it, it's too busy for this, we'll try something else." Lands on the grass, undoes his seatbelt, jumps out, and says "Go around the pattern 3 times, do a hover check before you go each time, then I'll get back in." Yanks the headset plug out and ambles over to the fence, apparently uninterested. This was when I learned that when you go from dual to solo, you had best run the trim to the right a bunch (Enstroms solo from the left). I picked it up and immediately translated left 15'. Not a great way to begin a first solo. But it turned out ok, though I think if I could have found my voice I would have told him "wait, I'm really not ready!"

The other memorable first solo in type was in a Schweizer 1-26. I had soloed the 2 place 2-33 already. It was a little more intimidating soloing my first single place glider. I got off tow with the traditional right hand climbing turn. The pawnee did its diving left hand turn. I just stayed in a right hand circle for a couple times around trying to gather my thoughts about what to do next. Finally it hit me that I should look for some lift. Looked down at the instruments and realized I had already climbed 500' and was going up at 5 kts. I'd rather be lucky than good if I could always arrange for it! Ended up being a great flight, a little over an hour, and ventured the furthest I'd been from home at that time.

-- IFMU