Wise counsel before first solo.
All of us will surely remember the circumstances of our first solo - the aerodrome, aircraft type if not the rego, instructor's name and hours flown before being sent aloft alone. Very few however will remember the last words of advice from our instructor as he pats us on the shoulder and says off you go.
Mostly it is the traditional words of wisdom like "If you are in doubt, go around". I saw one student take that advice literally when after the smallest of bounces each time he went around FIVE TIMES. His instructor (a former RAF Mosquito pilot age 70) got on the radio and told him in no uncertain terms to stop stuffing around and land the bloody thing. This time he bounced and stuffed the stick forward at the top of the teeny wheeny bounce and jammed the prop into the deck (it was a Cessna 150) and went arse over head. His instructor roared up in his car (it was a country airfield and no security) with camera in hand to find the student on his knees safe and sound rocking like a baby. "Hold that pose" said the instructor and clicked the camera. He was a no-nonsense instructor that old bloke.
Back to the title of this post. What advice would you give your student as you send him off on his/her first solo?
Me? I just say "off you go and do just one circuit - if you bounce just apply a little power to cushion the bounce and do a gentle landing off it"
I ensure the student is quite competent at bounced recovery and re-landing within the remaining field length before sending a student on first solo. Also quite competent at going around with full flap and low airspeed from after the flare manoeuvre. It is not fair to the student to be sent solo unless he has the skill to conduct both choices - re-land off a bounce or go around from the flare.