More fireworks at Rochester - TODAY!

[eveepee]

Not really ! but I thought it would be a change from "Oh No - Not another 1st Solo" posting,,,,,:D

Well I finally did it today - My 1st Solo - it has been a l o n g time coming (29hrs) - but it was well worth it and the smile will be there for some time I can assure you.:)

Can't remember much about it though except for the lady Pitts pilot landing just after me - if it was you then I'm sorry that I performed the after landing checks so close to the runway :D

Off to lie down in a darkened room now.........

[sennadog]

Did you get the usual feelings? Why is my instructor letting me up on my own etc etc? B*gga - this aircraft shifts with only one on board!;)

Nice one anyway.

:D

[AerBabe]

Woohoo!!! I think my smile is almost as big as yours! Excellent news Eveepee :):):) I bet you're buzzing. Now, I've got to say it... I told you so :D

[Crossedcontrols]

Congratulations!!!!
As they say in the land of Jim "Go oan yer sel"

A lovely day for it, keep it up, next solo hurdle the QXC, but loads of circuits before that.
You must be feeling really good.

Well done.
CC

[stiknruda]

Well done!

Now let's hear more about the lady Pitts pilot!! I know a couple of UK girlies that fly Pitts' very well and there are a whole bunch competing in the States, my buddy Patty W used to campaign an S1S before moving to monoplanes.

Betty Skelton is one of my all time heroines, too! And because of her the "Stinker" epithet that some of the Pitts models have acquired.

Stik

[Select Zone Five]

Nice one eveepee. Sounds like mine...concentrating so hard you don't really remember it. My first solo was 4 circuits but having read numerous posts on PPRuNe, it seems more usual to do just one?

I do remember that I had to do spacing orbits and early crosswind turns coz it was quite busy though :eek:

[Genghis the Engineer]

Jolly well done.

G

[iainpoll]

Well done evee, great news.:) :) :) :)

[Who has control?]

Eveepee,

What can I say - WELL DONE!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

I know you've worked hard & worried about it but you've finally made it - really pleased for you.

The smile will fade in a week or too, but you will never forget your first solo.

You'll be on solo Navexes and land aways before you know it. And this time next year...... brown book time!


P.S Have you noticed how many Magpies have taken up walking instead of flying ? :)

[FlyingForFun]

Eveepee,

Congratulations!!! Knew you could do it!

:)

FFF
--------------

[Grim Reaper 14]

TWF!! :D :D :D

[seat_of_my_pants]

top one geezer!

SOMP

[Don D Cake]

Brilliant. Well done. Keep reading that Nav book, you're going to need to know that stuff soon....

[eveepee]

Now that I'm suitably recovered, apart from the slight hangover, and I've had a night to relive the experience, I thought I'd try a more coherent report.:)

First of all, Ppruners, many thanks for your replies, inspiration and support you've given me over the past few months and OK Aerbabe, I concede, you were right :)

I'll try and make it brief, without the waffle, but as I'm still somewhere "up on the ceiling" my apologies if I prattle on....

I'd waited all week to fly and had 2 lessons cancelled due to bad weather ; I'd passed Air Law (a prerequisite of my club), and kinda knew that Solo maybe on the cards anyday :o . Thursday's weather started beautifully, clear skies and not too windy. However, by the time I arrived at Rochester, late afternoon, clouds had been building all day and the runway in use (20) was one I had not used for some time....not the best start...

After 6 circuits (including one quite heavy landing:o ), a practice EFATO and a flapless landing, my instructor turned to me and said "Make this one a full stop, I'm getting out!"..... I didn't think I'd been that bad ! He qualified it by saying he thought I was ready for it.. ! Before I knew it I was on my own taxiing all the way back to the hold..that was the worst part for me....sweaty palms, wobbly knees and "Oh sh*t - wish I'd worn the brown trousers today"

:D Then I was off... and Oh Boy, did the 152 shift with just me in it (How right Sennadog!) ; reached 1000ft circuit height in half the time it usually takes. I talked to myself all the way round (at my age, that's nothing unusual) and before I knew it I was making the finals call. It dawned upon me then that the only other voices I'd heard on this circuit, were all female....Rochester Information (Thanks Julie), the lady Pitts pilot following me in (I'll bet she gave me plenty of room!:D ), and my own in my head...Watch out boys :D The approach was suitably high over the housing estate but the landing went fine....and then it was all over. The welcoming party were waiting with hugs and kisses all round, I'd finally DONE IT !

Was it worth the wait ? (not to mention the money!), - OH YES...I'm really enjoying this journey and looking forward to discovering what's "round the next bend".:)

PS Nearly forgot..WHC...funny how all the magpies have migrated from the Rochester area...watch out, I heard they were on their to North Weald:D