Happy to have had two solo's, in two very different pieces of air space.
My first was at Thruxton last August, after only 12 hours spread out over 2 years. We did a few circuits and Bob Cole my instructor took control after a reasonable arrival. Back tracked down the runway, lined up and throttled back. 'Right i want you to go around, and pick me up on the way past'. Pardon? Looks at me with a strange glance, 'it's not hard, go around and pick me up on your way past'. And that was that, time to go solo. I have to admit to almost bottling out. I looked over at him stood at the side of the runway with a what do i do now look. He tapped his watch and waved me away. I remember sitting there thinking what do i do now? I called ready for departure, was given the clearance. Took a deep breath and thought, f**k it!
What an amazing feeling when the wheels lifted off, i was in control of this flying machine. No one else, me. I think they should recored students on there first solo, i talked to my self the whole way around.
I managed about 20 further hours at Thruxton, including 2 solo cross country flights, then moved away. I joined a new flying school located at an international airport. My next solo (which you could class as a second solo) was way more demanding. Having to request start and taxi instructions, taxing past 747's and being on a parallel taxi way to an Emirates A380, and behind a Qatar Airways A320 is something every student should have the chance to experience. Being told to line up and wait behind the landing A320, and then being able to see passengers faces as they speed past while I'm sat there in a PA28 at the holding point. Having to change between ground, tower, radar, approach and tower, do a touch and go at another airfield, then back again. It's safe to say i have well and truly caught the flying bug!