Mazzy - I know this is your PPL diary thread but....
Yahoo! Yahoo! Yahoo!
I woke up this morning, and it was snowing in the Pennines where I live. I went to LBA anyway to sit my Nav exam. I haven't been in the sky since 23rd Jan - 5 weeks and was still waiting for the good weather for solo.
Snowing at LBA just after 0900.
BUT Sandtoft was open for circuits.
Sat the Nav exam to start with in order to pass the time to see if the weather would improve.
BONUS #1 - Passed Navigation with 100%, and I haven't even had the ground school & practice yet. Shows what I've been doing while I've been grounded
BONUS #2 - That is
ALL my ground exams now complete. Only R/T practical to do.
Then the weather cleared. We set off to Sandtoft. I did 7 touch and goes. Some poor, some good. But after 5 weeks off I was a bit rusty and needed to gain my confidence again. I was nervous and holding the controls tightly. On the 7th touch down the instructor took control and asked if 'I wanted to go alone'. I thought about it for a few seconds then thought that if not now then when?
We pulled to the stand, the instructor got out and I was alone. Requested information for a solo circuit. Backtracked down the runway to R05. Saw another a/c in the circuit turning to base and thought - do I wait or do I go. I decided to go: the a/c in the circuit was so far away.
R05 - full power. Take off, turn at 500, level at 1000, turn. Call downwind. Pre-landing checks. Turn. Power + pitch for approach. Turn for finals to hear that another a/c was to taxi for t/o - but radio told them I was in the circuit, and on first solo. I got on the radio asap to announce final on 05
Approach. Nice glide. Slight power. Aim for the numbers. Pull back and, if I may say so myself, almost a greaser of a landing. As the wheels touched down I heard the stall warner. No balloon, no float, just perfect intersection of a/c and ground.
Taxied to the parking area, congrats from the Radio. Instructor there to meet me for the obligatory photos. Then for a bacon sandwich in the cafe.
BONUS #3 - MY FIRST SOLO
It was a bizarre feeling, I hadn't been at all excited or apprehensive in the past few weeks, but once I'd done it I was so euphoric. I wanted to tell the world! The return flight to Leeds was more of a pleasure flight with the instructor doing most of the R/T and nav work. I was just grinning from ear to ear.
The closing remark from my instructor as I left the school was 'take care in the car' and I fully understand. Driving home I was floating on air, and still am. I feel great relief now, I feel as if a major hurdle is over, and now I can spend my time focussing on improving handling and nav.
For the record, I went solo at 20hrs 10mins. Although I've spent a lot of time doing exercises later in the syllabus due to poor wx in the UK I can now move forwards and work towards the 45hr mark.