First Solo tomorrow (fingers crossed)!

[Tasslehoff]

Hi Guys,

Thought I might share the excitement with people who know how it feels... After 16 hours (18 months since first lesson) I might finally take to the skies on my own! Been delayed twice so hoping for blue skies and good skills on the day.

Any comments welcome,

LG

[MikeNYC]

You'll be amazed how much quicker the plane gets off the ground without the dead weight next to you!

[Lister Noble]

You will love it,but the first solo circuit seemed to pass in seconds.
I was really dreading it,but once it happened it was really marvellous.
Good luck and safe flying.
Lister:)

[Fuji Abound]

Have a blast, enjoy every moment, it will be a special day.

Whatever else happens be confident you can do it, because you can.

[glorygal]

I thought I would be terrified but I had a great time, in fact I was surprised to find that I felt really confident. :)

The plane will lift off the runway sooner, and climb much faster, without the instructor sitting next to you so if you have anyone who will be taking photos or video, make sure they are prepared for that and not standing too far down the runway!

Good luck, look forward to hearing about it! :ok:

[pploony]

I would concur with all the posts abve. This is one you will NEVER forget! My first solo was at Leeds Bradford in 1995. The best bits were doing it well, and being congratulated by the tower controller, and a Britannia 757 pilot who was holding for me. Made you feel like a proper pilot!
Good luck!

[Tasslehoff]

Thanks everyone.. I'll make sure to post and update tomorrow, let's hope it's the one I would like to post :)

Really looking forward to it and feeling confident!

[Pace]

Unless things have changed since I did my first solo 20plus years ago it is unusual for a student to be told when they are doing their first solo.

Some may relish the thought others would worry the night before and get into a state by the next day.

More usual was to know that you are almost ready for first solo then to have it dropped on you out of the blue at the end of a training session.

Hope all went well :)

Pace

[AndoniP]

i was told i'd get to do it the week before, thus started a weeks worth of worrying. but i knew deep down i didn't have anything to be worried about as i'd done so many circuits and was confident it wouldn't be too difficult.

without the instructor there your circuit goes a lot quicker than you think. when my circuit was over i was so underwhelmed because of the preceeding weeks' worrying :suspect::ok:

[oversteer]

I knew my first solo was coming up, because at 4pm on the Friday, I was strapped in ready to take off on my own, but the advancing cloud of rain was giving the instructor cause for concern. So we scrubbed, and I came back on the Monday knowing I'd be pretty much guaranteed to go solo..

Quite often someone will turn up at 9am on their 16th birthday, guaranteed to fly solo after having been as-good-as solo for the last few years ;)

[stevelup]

i was told i'd get to do it the week before, thus started a weeks worth of worrying.

It does seem a bit weird telling someone in advance that they will solo.

My instructor just told me to stop on the taxiway after we had landed, had a quick word with ATC, then jumped out! Didn't give me time to think about it...

[AndoniP]

the thing is i knew it was coming anyway as i'd been doing circuits for ages. i just placed such an importance on it that i worried myself to death with it. once i landed and taxi'd back to the school i didnt feel relieved, just satisfied that I landed but overall pretty underwhelmed.:hmm:

[Morris542]

I certainly didn't know I was going solo until my instructor took control and taxied off the runway - I hadn't thought about it that much up until that point!

That was almost three years ago and this afternoon I sent of my application to the CAA having completed the skills test yesterday afternoon.

My first solo has been one of the highlights of my flying so far. My advice would be to relax and enjoy it. The fact that your instructor thinks you can solo is a compliment to your abilities so far...

[avonflyer]

It was a fantastic experience .. going out to take off was not an issue as there were things to be done. BUT, 20 foot off of the ground, not a lot to do, it hit me - "the only person that's going to get this thing back on the ground is.....ME". It all went like clockwork and I taxied back with a grin too wide to get out of a 152 door.. Anyone about to go solo .. it will be a day you remember for ever.

[Tasslehoff]

Hi Guys,

Firstly: Yesterday at 18:05 my instructor indeed took control after touchdown and informed me of the big moment to come! After a few checks and a quick talk while taxying back, he hopped out and there I was...suddenly the call-sign was pre-fixed with "Student" and I was on my own!

I did notice the improvement in performance, take-off roll was much less than usual. It all went well and I ended up with a massive smile and a shaking hand to take my Instructor's with after I parked up:O:O:O:O!

It was one of the best moments of my life; certainly one to remember!

With regards to me knowing before-hand what to expect: On my last lession I was told that I would've gone alone, was it not for one more exam to be completed...thus I expected it. I was however prepared if he said not a good day for it, so I got in the plane thinking only of the task at hand (good, solid circuits with him still there).

Thanks for the intterest shown in my post, nice to share such a great event with you all.

PS: If you're reading, thanks I.K. :ok:

[172driver]

CONGRATS !!! It only gets better from here :ok:

[pmcobban]

The Best feeling ever, the whole plane just flys better, feels better and wants you to do better. You know what to do so just go and do it well...
It all start from here onwards.

[Dr Jekyll]

A lot of people do give up flying after the first solo though.

[Pilot DAR]

Mr. Hyde, do a lot of people eagerly carry on flying after their first solo?

[Tasslehoff]

Thankfully I'm one of the latter...:)

[Sam Rutherford]

So, any singing on the downwind leg? Lots of people get all musical on themselves!

Sam.

[AndoniP]

haha! singing and beatboxing, who doesn't??? :}

[Track5milefinal]

For memory I had that Lenny Kravitz song stuck in my head.. "I wanna fly Away"

And I let out a few fist pumps:ok::ok:

[Lincs_Flyer]

I had been pottering round the circuit with my instructor for the best part of an hour and had just done done a real greaser of a landing. I jokingly said, "OK, you can get out now".......so he did, telling me to bring it back after ONE circuit!
Like everyone else, I noticed the aircraft was much lighter and climbed much faster with one body missing....I hit circuit height halfway down the runway.

That experience was in a Cessna Aerobat, which I flew regularly and loved dearly. I know aircraft don't live forever, but I was dismayed to recently find a photo of her in a derelict state....nothing left but a section of fuselage. R.I.P. Oscar Pop

[Paul H]

I'll be honest with you, my first time in a car on my own was more exciting than my first solo. I'd done so many circuits (my instructor was very thorough) I knew the pattern inside out, and if I'm honest it was about damn time. I was so glad that I'd finally gotten around to doing it that I completely forget to enjoy it. It was only 18 months ago, and if I'm honest I don't even remember it.

[Ultra long hauler]

My instructor also surprised me!!
He came up with a large jerry can (full of water) and strapped that in the co-pilot seat--> to compensate for his weight.

I was very nervous.........when I was about to start my take off roll I noticed a problem with the brakes!
Killed the engine to stop, jumped out, and I was kind of hoping hat it would be postponed till the next day (it was late afternoon).
Alas, he fixed it quickly........and off I went!!

Boy, the weight difference was still incredible!!

Not that I remember the date or anything (have to check it in my pilot log) but the memory sticks, definitely!!

Cheers,

###Ultra Long Hauler###