Went solo on PA-28 at Fairoaks yesterday at 12 hours, unexpectedly but comfortably (well, I was comfortable - I assume my instructor was too
). Like another correspondent here, I vividly remember my T21 Slingsby Kadett solo at Kenley in 1985, when I was seventeen, though I can't recall the number of training hours (minutes!). Both wonderful experiences, just a great melange of excitement, responsibilty and liberation; the purity and open-cockpit sensuality of the glider solo contrasted pleasingly with the more complex and 'busy' powered thang, though I think the R/T gives the latter a more inclusive edge, even if it is only routine calls! Also, as I banked over-steeply from base to final over Kenley all those years ago I couldn't resist the urge to yell: 'Banzaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!' down at my long-suffering instructor (a Jaguar pilot as a day job) before bowling at an alarming rate of descent into the sward. He retired soon after
. I avoided that this time. I didn't think ATC would be impressed.
Capt* W. E. Johns's (the 'Biggles' author) first solo was remarkable in that he stalled on take-off and wrecked his mount. He then later went on to crash three aircraft in three days. And he became a top instructor
. Even M. von Richthofen was a distinctly un-natural novice and took a while to get going. So, I agree that the number of hours to 1st solo is irrelevant and potentially misleading. My instructor yesterday said; 'Well done! But remember you'll probably be crap next time - most people are'.
*(He wasn't ever a Captain either, but a Flying Officer - he claimed children would recognise 'Captain' more easily than F.O. So I'm going to put 'AVM' on my logbook, in that case. Seems fair enough. No, even better, I'm changing my name to....
The Black Falcon. Er, yeah:
The Black Falcon, of ****ehawk Squadron. Sounds much better...
