mad girl,
Everyone's different, whether male or female. For both my first solos, f/w and rotary, I was fed up with all the hype and fuss before I even did them. And afterwards, all I could think was, "Right, that's over, now shut up and can we get on with the rest of the course please". With helicopters, they grounded me for the rest of the day, as was the rule, and I was outraged. Apparently, I wasn't expected to be in a suitable frame of mind to carry on, after this Big Event. Me, I was just really pissed off at being told how well I'd flown, when I knew I hadn't actually, and I wanted to get out and correct my mistakes. I don't like being lied to, for any reason.
I know I'm not typical. I actually now get more excited about my students' first solos than I ever did about my own. I finally realise what a big deal it is...somehow, for some reason, it never felt it to me at the time. Individual differences, folks - all instructors should remember that these two words are probably the most important thing to remember when instructing.
My first solo crosscountry, though, that was another matter. The absolute highlight of my flying career, and I'll never forget it. Aircraft trimmed out, knew where I was, sun shining, and nothing to do for ages but look at the seat next to me, realise there was no-one in it, and marvel at being up in the big wide blue sky all by myself. You'll love it, MG!
