Solo Finally!

[Cloudwatcher]

So at last it happened, after months of poor weather (when my lessons were booked) too much traffic, cross winds and business commitments that prevented me from getting airborne I finally bloody did it..... and the best of it was I can't recall being nervous,
And yet the weeks the months whilst waiting for my opportunity I thought I would be terrified.
So thanks to Elizabeth my instructer for that day, thank God for the weather which was ideal and thank Lydd for the low volume of traffic.
It can only get better , oh and my goal is to obtain my licence before the summer is out.

WHAT A GREAT FEELING , AND OH WHAT A RELIEF

Good luck to anybody else about to take this once in lifetime step.

It was a piper warrior for those who may be interested

[TheKentishFledgling]

Well done!

:D :D :D

tKF

[sean1]

Cloudwatcher,

Well done! now a go no and enjoy the rest of your training.

[Aussie Andy]

Yay! Way to go ;) Its a lovely feeling ... but there is better to come... wait for the QXC!

Well done,

Andy

[Penguina]

Congratulations! I think learning to land is the hardest bit, and what comes next is one of the most fun bits.

[flyingwysiwyg]

:ok: Nice One! :ok:

FWyg

[Hufty]

Nice one! Will probably be one of your most memorable flights ever!

Have fun and enjoy the rest! :D

[Max AirFactor]

Well Done!

Ditto with the weather/cancellations/traffic/xwind. Started in July. Nearly 70 lessons booked - only 30 proceeded to date, some in marginal conditions. With this and the concern that I would never master quality landings, I told myself to jack it in. Next lesson conditions were fine and I flew my most relaxed and precise circuit and landing - Solo!

I'm also aiming for end of August completion but realistically it may mean a trip to the US for a weeks flying, QXC and skills test. Anyone know if that is possible/advisable?

Keep at it.

[Cloudwatcher]

Thanx for the congrats everyone.
The solo circuit I did was also my most relaxed and the landing was a real greaser, the best I've ever done..... I didn't even feel the transition from air to ground....probarbly never do that again!
Anyway isn't it a fantastic feeling to think the next time I go flying it will be just me on my own (hopefully) consolidating what I've learned and getting some of those solo hours built up.

I haven't asked my instructer yet but will be alowed to fly in the local area, or will I have to confine myself to circuits?

Cheers
Cloudwatcher

[tacpot]

If things go to plan, you should now begin mixing odd solo flights with dual trips practising various types of landings, practice force landings and navigation. The solo flights should be consolidation exercises for the different types of landings, so I doubt you will fly solo to the local area. The next obvious milestone is your first solo navigation exercise (NAVEX).

The first solo navex is usually quite short, with lots of good landmarks to help you.


Congratualtions on reaching the first milestone though. A great acheivement. The fact you didn't feel nervous is down to your training. If you do as you have been trained, most of your flying should be similarly uneventful!

[bar shaker]

Well done Cloudwatcher, its something no pilot ever forgets.

You will probably do a few hours of circuits before being allowed "local". Some schools insist that you have done your exams before going out of circuit and I think all insist on Air Law as a minimum.

With the recent crap weather, you've probably done them all now anyway ;)

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

Tacpot is right. You are allowed to fly solo away from the airfield (under the supervision of your instructor on the ground), but there is not much to be gained from it at this stage. You will have plenty of time for that later!

I doubt your next flight will be solo. Possibly a couple of circuits with your instructor, then a couple solo. You will spend more and more time solo in the circuit, but I do not recall leaving the circuit solo until the Navex. Incidentally, I found my first solo away landing even more rewarding than first solo.

Did you notice the amazing performance improvement without your instructor onboard? The rate of climb (in a C152 anyway) was quite a surprise.

TG.

[Number Cruncher]

Well done Cloudwatcher!

It is a great experience, but for me so far the highlight has been the qualifying cross country flight. You really feel in charge and independent.

Enjoy!

[knobbygb]

Congratulations. Seems like only last week..........

Anyway, all my flights immediatley after first solo followed the same pattern: 2 or 3 circuits with the instructor followed by the rest of the session solo. This continued until I had 4 hours solo time in the book at which point we started navex's, dual for the first 2 - then the same route solo.

As I've said before, my first solo was a bit of an anti-climax - over before I knew what was happening. What I considered a real milestone was the first time I walked out to the aircraft and set off for an hour in the circuit completley alone from start to finish, without the obligatory 2 circuits with the instructor. The instructor didn't even watch - just sat in the office and ate her lunch apparently. That was when I KNEW I was a pilot. Enjoy it.

[Maxflyer]

Well done!

I did my first solo on 10th April 2002. I then managed to get everything completed up to going dual on a dry run QXC in the beginning of September 2002. It then took me until April of this year to get good wx for my actual solo QXC. I wish I had gone to the States now. I completed my skills test two weeks ago.

I hope the wx is good to you!

[On Track]

Congratulations Cloudwatcher.

You will now find that one of the great delights of aviation is that there always more challenges and accomplishments ahead.

Perhaps none of them will give you quite the same buzz as the first solo, but there is much to look forward to.

I will never forget what I was told when I finally got my PPL - it is a licence to learn more.

So learn I did - and eventually got my CPL - even though that was not part of my original plan.

I now realise that what I don't know, and may well never know, far exceeds the experience and knowledge that I've picked up so far.

Have fun flying!