Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!! [Archive]

FlyingLapinou

24th Sep 2012, 07:51

Hi LFE,

I know I'm over thinking it, I just want to be prepared
I obsess over small details

Don't beat yourself up about it. I know one shouldn't generalise too much, but I've noticed men and women seem to approach things in a slightly different way. I tend to want to have everything, but everything, straight in my mind before I go out there and do anything. I fret if I don't have the details nailed. In general, men seem to be happier, or simply more confident, about jumping in at the deep end, and seeing how things pan out.

This article rang a few bells with me:

Mars teaching Venus: Differences in learning between male and female student pilots (http://www.myskymom.com/pilot-education/mars-teaching-venus-differences-learning-between-male-and-female-student-pilots)

I like to visualise the circuit in my mind - over and over again :} Speeds, checks, procedures.. I'm sure you do already.

Have fun! Looking forward to hearing you did it :ok:

Pilot DAR

24th Sep 2012, 08:08

Yeah Local, you're over thinking this, but that's understandable...

When your instructor gets out, smile and take a breath - you are NOT being rushed, take your time - and savour the moment. Pause at each change in the phase of flight for a reality check - am I missing something simple? Refer to the checklist. Fly as you were trained, and don't look for differences in performance, you'll notice those later. Do enjoy flexing your right arm well into the right half of the cabin, and putting your kit on the empty seat beside you.

My first first solo came as a big surprise to me, as it was in the very first C 152 in Canada, and that plane had 33 hours total since new (the boss reamed out my instructor for that!). My second first solo was well briefed before the flight began.

As said, your instructor won't send you if it won't be right.... Have fun!

lenhamlad

24th Sep 2012, 09:40

I just imagined that my instructor was in the plane with me (easy as my first trainer was a cub with the instructor sitting behind not alongside). The plane does not know the instructor is no longer in the aircraft and will do exactly what you have been telling it to up until now ie you will fly the circuit yourself. Happy landings.

Rabbs

24th Sep 2012, 10:08

You will be smiling all the way round :) Only thing I remember (apart from hollering and whooping and smiling) was that the aircraft shot up after take off (due to half the people weight) but you already thought of that.

I'm sure you have been circuit bashing for the last weeks/months - and I expect the instructor has been keeping quiet during a lot of your ccts and landings, so its no different, except you get to do ot all on your own.

Don't worry - go enjoy - its the best experience, followed closely by your first solo land away, followed by passing the test :)

rolling20

24th Sep 2012, 10:32

Good Luck! Make sure ATC know its your first Solo.
My first Solo, I was cleared for a Left hand turnout, when all I had done were Right hand ones! I made it known it was my first Solo and was duely cleared for a Right hand circuit.
Dont be afraid to communicate with ATC on anything you are unsure about.

FANS

24th Sep 2012, 10:59

1. You never feel ready for solo, but it’s about getting the aircraft around safely.

2. Try and relax. Such an easy thing to say, but often quite useless advice!

3. Don’t feel the pressure of trying to go solo. Some students are so desperate to go solo, their flying seems to deteriorate just beforehand!

4. Don’t chance the weather. Your instructor shouldn’t anyway, but if there’s e.g. a 10 knot x-wind, it might be better to wait until it drops for your first solo, as it’s a lot about confidence.

5. Let us know how you get on!

maehhh

24th Sep 2012, 13:46

Make sure you FI takes a picture of your very first solo landing ;)
And as already mentioned you will probably not stop smiling for the rest of the day! :ok:

happy landings

localflighteast

24th Sep 2012, 16:58

So thanks for the replies. I guess nothing i didn't know deep down ...

FlyingLapinLOu - is it that obvious I'm female? :\I don't recall mentioning it , but the article did strike home to me too

DAR - good point about not rushing , I may want to pick my time when there is not a lot of commercial traffic around. I've had to do some crazy things to maintain spacing behind the big boys before

FANS - I take your point about the weather , the trouble is I'm hyper conservative . If I wait until the perfect day I'll be old and grey!

KIWI - any recommendations song wise? :) I must make sure I'm not hanging on to the mike trigger at the same time :)

A couple of you mentioned about telling ATC that its my first time (be gentle with me ? :uhoh:) . Ok so now you've given me somethign else to obsess over

what do I say?
when do I tell them , as I request taxiing ? takeoff? in the air? when they tell me to do something I don't wanna?
doesn't it sound a bit sad to broadcast that over the air?
why do I care?

See, completely beyond help :O

Echo Romeo

24th Sep 2012, 17:31

I would suggest you be careful when handling the plane as the blade is very sharp,

Sorry, some folks bugbear is spelling or grammar, mines referring to an aeroplane or aircraft as a plane,:rolleyes:

Hope all goes well and good luck :ok:

localflighteast

24th Sep 2012, 18:57

Echo Romeo

:O:D
yup , guess I fell into that one (not literally).

I concede your point

ggargan

24th Sep 2012, 19:02

I just did mines about two weeks ago, i found the most nerve wrecking thing actually leaving the ground on takeoff. But talked to myself the whole way and tried not to let any bad thoughts in.
My instructor always made me constantly call out Picture, Power, Speed on the approach which really helped, and it was probably the best landing that i have done.
Found myself trying to reach takeoff speed in the car on the way home :ok:
Make sure you enjoy, as you will always want to go back to this day and re-live it!

strake

24th Sep 2012, 19:10

I'm sure you will enjoy it and remember the event for ever. Not sure how many dual hours you have but here's an extract from an article about a young WW2 trainee pilot you might find interesting:
The chance to learn to fly an aeroplane was probably a factor in why many young men joined the Air Force in WWII. Those lucky enough to pass the tests and be selected for pilot training would soon have found themselves at a dusty Elementary Flying Training School, climbing aboard at a bright yellow Tiger Moth for what would be, in many cases, their first ever flight.

“This afternoon we had our first flying experience, a trip of about 1/2 hours duration. It was a very interesting business and it was just sufficient to demonstrate just how difficult a business it is to fly. The controls vary greatly in sensitivity and to the beginner in changing your attention from one thing to another it is very easy to loose [sic] control completely.” – Phil Smith, in a letter to his father written 14NOV40 (A01-125-001)

Despite spending a week in hospital with influenza (he had a temperature of 101 degrees – A01-126-001), it did not take Phil long to go solo for the first time. “When I recommenced flying on Monday [following hospitalisation] I found that I could do everything except land”, he wrote to his father on 28 November 1940, the day of his first solo (A01-132-001). “All my flying time since then has been in picking this up. I still don’t make good landings but they say I am fairly safe. So, this morning I did my first solo flight. Altogether I made three solo flights and landed satisfactorily each time.” He had about eight hours flying time in his logbook at this stage.
Phil Smith « Something Very Big (http://somethingverybig.wordpress.com/tag/phil-smith/)

lenhamlad

24th Sep 2012, 19:11

what do I say?
when do I tell them , as I request taxiing ? takeoff? in the air? when they tell me to do something I don't wanna?
doesn't it sound a bit sad to broadcast that over the air?
why do I care
You say almost exactly the same things at the same times you have done in the lead-up to your first solo. The only difference is that you preface your call sign with the word "student". That way, ATC (who should be aware anyway) but more importantly other pilots in the circuit, are aware that you are a student soloing and will be helpful in ensuring your circuit is uneventful and more importantly, enjoyable.

MacSki

25th Sep 2012, 07:18

The good thing about being a PPL student is the instructor makes all the big decisions for you, you won't go solo unless all the conditions -weather, airfield and YOU are right.

I recall the aircraft climbing much quicker without the instructor so reached circuit height quicker than usual, this reminded me it was all about running through the routines I'd been taught. After that I was so busy doing the calls, checks, positioning etc I didn't have much chance to think about the fact that I was on my own. Everything went well and it was only after I had landed my legs started to shake as I realised I'd done it!

So my advice - trust your instructor, if he says its right it is; focus on what you have to do, checks, radio calls as you have done many times; finally have confidence you can do it, a lot of sports/activities talk about visualising what good looks like, have that in your mind too.

When you get back in after a successful landing get a photo taken of you & the aircraft as its something you'll want to look at and smile for a long time.

Enjoy. :D

Pilot.Lyons

25th Sep 2012, 07:25

Dont worry!
Enjoy it, as others say it is the best feeling in the world.... Close to the virgin bit ;)
I also remember whooping and laughing and cheering to myself!
I thought it was just me that would do that haha
It will build speed faster, climb faster and feel much lighter. It could take a tiny bit longer to slow down.
Dont forget carb heat, flap speed range and airspeed! Do those (which you obviously already do) and it will go beautifuly!
Your instructor would NOT send you if you were not capable... Its more than his jobs worth!
Take it as a compliment.... Its a very nice one... Welcome to the world of being a captain ;)
I remember my instructor just hopping out on a circuit lesson and saying "take your time, enjoy it and DONT bend it!"
Haha made confident and laugh, dont think i pood a little bit either :D

davrus

25th Sep 2012, 18:14

Hi ya, hope all goes well.

I did my first solo about 5 years ago but the one difference i did notice with being in it on my own was i needed alot more right rudder input during the take off roll.
That was in a cessna 152 but aircrafts may vary and not sure what you are learning in.

Apart from that there was better rate of climb but i think that was about all that was different.

Main thing is smile and enjoy.

All the best and good luck.

Shaggy Sheep Driver

25th Sep 2012, 18:31

Mine was a long time ago, 1978. But I remember it like yesterday. It was at manchester Barton, and my instructor was the wonderful Tom Dugdale (still with us, but quite an elderly gent these days, still President of Lancs Aero Club).

....when we got back to the Tower Tom's next student had cancelled. I was in no hurry to go home so I readily agreed to doing some more work with Tom in the circuit. After two circuits, he said "just drop me off by the Tower. You're fine, you can go do one on your own now". I was gobsmacked; I wasn't expecting to fly solo until I'd done a few more hours of training (I'd done about 10). But Tom had already gone, having stowed his seat belt and closed the door. He didn't look back as he strode towards the Tower.

I did my checks very carefully and lined up at the 27 threshold, hand on throttle, looking along the short grass runway. "Once I get this thing into the air, I'll have to get it down in one piece" I thought; and pressed full power. The circuit went well, as Tom had known it would. My feet didn't touch the ground for weeks! I had actually flown an aeroplane entirely on my own! Tom was no fool; he knew it was exactly the confidence booster I needed at that stage of my training.

Just enjoy it!

SSD

flyinkiwi

26th Sep 2012, 22:42

KIWI - any recommendations song wise? http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif I must make sure I'm not hanging on to the mike trigger at the same time http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gifI'll leave that choice up to you. ;) And who said I sang on my first solo?!? :O

CharlieDeltaUK

27th Sep 2012, 06:20

If someone wise says you aren't ready to fly solo, you won't
Your first solo flight won't end prematurely!
Your parents will be impressed after your first solo flight
It's ok to keep track of the number if landings you make

:eek:

localflighteast

27th Sep 2012, 12:46

Well I've got a lesson booked for Saturday. I may not solo as Its been a couple of weeks since I flew.
Bad weather followed by Bad cold :(

I'll let you know how it goes but my main goal is just to get those landings consistently good

StarChaser

27th Sep 2012, 19:54

I remember my first solo, not long ago really, just a few months.

I knew I was close, I just needed the landings to come together, and when they did off I went!

FlyingLapinou (http://www.pprune.org/members/344439-flyinglapinou) post with the link to the article about how men and women learn with different styles, I think is very true. Men tend to "jump in at the deep end", whereas women like to have "all the bases convered". This is not to say be lax with your routines and procedures; god knows I did mine more accurately and slowly than I have ever done, but to take a typical male attitude and bite the bullet. I mean every time you get into a car, let alone an aircraft, is a risk. I don't know whether you are of the fairer sex, but I think a lot of the more senior pilots and members on this forum are correct in saying relax and enjoy it; I know I did :)

As has already been mentioned; you won't go solo until your instructor thinks you're ready. Besides, you never know, you may find you fly better without your instructor there! I know I do, which is no good as I've still to impress the examiner...!

Anyway here's to happy landings! ;)

BobD

27th Sep 2012, 21:58

You will love it. As has been said many times on here, it's a life experience you will never forget. I was lucky enough to have my first solo
filmed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlxYQV7y1wY&feature=youtube_gdata) by one of the guys on the same course as me. I never tire of watching it.

I remember looking at the empty right hand seat, and realising that this moment in time was the fulfilment of a lifetime ambition. It had taken me 60 years, but I got there !

Have fun

squidie

27th Sep 2012, 22:31

I was expecting mine anyway because the aeroplane went tech the day before. My advice to you is simply relax, concentrate and enjoy. There isn’t anything you’ll be doing that you haven’t done before.

dobbin1

28th Sep 2012, 08:07

Remember to use the "Student" prefix on your first call, just to be sure that ATC (or the other aircraft in the circuit) know that you are a student.

About 40% of my first solo students forget to do it, even though I brief them to do so as I leave the aircraft - too excited I suppose.

Enjoy yourself - you will only ever do one first solo:)

localflighteast

28th Sep 2012, 12:01

the "student" prefix, is that a British thing? I've never heard anyone here use it.
I'm almost 100% certain my husband didn't when he did his first solo (I was listening at the time).

I'm just wondering if it'll be a help or mark me as fair game fodder for the Dash 8s I play chicken with every lesson!

fattony

28th Sep 2012, 12:21

the "student" prefix, is that a British thing?Yes. It was implemented after a student died on his first solo.

Air Accidents Investigation: Download PDF document (http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/Cessna%20F150L,%20G-BABB%2007-07.pdf)

From the investigation:
Safety Recommendation 2007-050
The Civil Aviation Authority should instigate the use of a suitable prefix, for use in civil radiotelephony, to signify a student pilot, flying solo.

dobbin1

28th Sep 2012, 12:55

phnuff

28th Sep 2012, 13:47

I remember mine first solo (at Bourne). Lots of smiles, cheering and fun until on final, an idiot in a microlight turned in ahead of me then it was time to decide do I throw in an orbit to ensure separation or do I continue. (I did the former). Still enjoyed it though.

Rememeber, you wouldnt be in the situation if the guy normally in the right seat had 100% confidence in you. Take any advice he offers, including 'no you are not going to confront affor mentioned microlight pilot'

Good luck

localflighteast

28th Sep 2012, 13:52

Sorry for the confusion. I've changed my location to something slightly less cryptic.

I'm in Toronto, Canada

Pace

28th Sep 2012, 14:30

Mine was a complete accident! at 5 hrs!! had a major row with the instructor who as soon as we landed threw the door open and stormed off leaving me sitting there perplexed.

The row was about his insistence on pitch for speed and me sitting on the end of the runway pumping the elevator up and down with no effect just to win an argument!

That was the deterioration point!

I was told by other students to look out for the first solo and likely signs one which would be a silent departure of the instructor from the aircraft!

Taking that as the green light for solo I turned around lined up and was delighted to see so may instructors running to wave me off.

The low level fly past the control tower on my first attempt was not intentional!!! looking for the curled up seat belt on the seat I realized the instructor had wrapped it around the control column on his exit which initially gave me a few control problems but they all seemed well entertained on the ground as there was a lot of waving!

When I landed five times in the course of a few hundred meters they were all so excited they were red in the face and even sent the fire truck out to meet me and guide me to the parking space. (how kind)

Strange they advised another club for the rest of my ppl I suppose when you have someone that good you have to share him !!! ;)

Have fun and enjoy it :ok:

As for a song to sing ? " Hey bitch you will do what I say Not what you tell me" :ugh:

Pace

Shytehawk

28th Sep 2012, 15:09

I sang, I yelled, I whistled, I grinned, I laughed and wiggled the stick around for fun. Nearly 40 years and 18000 hours ago and I remember it like yesterday. Don't take it too seriously, be safe and enjoy it. It may even be better than sex.

Pace

28th Sep 2012, 15:20

It may even be better than sex.

depends who you are looking at over the breakfast table :E:E:E

Pace

localflighteast

28th Sep 2012, 15:34

Pace , its been a bad day at work. it took me three attempts to read your post and then I nearly wet myself laughing :eek:

Thank you :)

HowlingMad Murdock

28th Sep 2012, 22:44

Pace, your recountlng of your solo was too funny! http://dwightschultz.freeforums.org/download/file.php?icon=hysterical.gif (http://dwightschultz.freeforums.org/posting.php?mode=reply&f=9&t=4474#) fantastic!

Pace

29th Sep 2012, 07:17

Hi guys glad you liked my first solo account and that it brought a smile to your faces ;)
Hope the guy doing his "REAL" solo enjoys the experience?

Pace

thing

29th Sep 2012, 07:37

It may even be better than sex.

And cheaper in the long run.

foxmoth

29th Sep 2012, 08:04

Quote:
It may even be better than sex.
And cheaper in the long run.

Depends (in both cases) if you "buy" or "rent":E

localflighteast

29th Sep 2012, 12:53

Guy is a gal but thanks for the kind thoughts
Am leaving in about half an hour for my lesson

7 knot crosswind though so maybe no solo today
That's fine with me though
It'll happen when it happens !

localflighteast

29th Sep 2012, 18:40

So I'm back from throwing the airplane around the circuit.
No solo but an absolutely awesome lesson

first approach was too high , realised I was not going to make it down on the runway so called the overshoot and executed it perfectly.

Nailed every single one of my landings, including a flapless landing, an engine failure in the downwind and a simulated flat left tyre.

Instructor was obviously bored at having no flying to do, so would constantly bombard me with " where are you landing if your engine fails here?" , "what about now?". "your engine is on fire, what you going to do?" and so on.

I reasoned my way through every single one of them.

Feel unstoppable at the moment:ok:

Echo Romeo

29th Sep 2012, 18:57

Sounds to me like he should have got out and left you to it :D next time deffo :ok:

localflighteast

29th Sep 2012, 19:17

I did have a bit of a panic moment when he said " great that's three solid landings in a row". I'm wasn't sure if that meant he was going to exit stage left as it were !

By the time I'd practiced all the emergency stuff we wanted to do, it was time for the lesson to end but I suspect you are right about the next time.

We still had the emergency procedures bit in my PTR to sign off though. I survived the intense grilling on the ground afterwards about Low voltage warnings, over voltage situations, engine fires etc, so that has been signed off now.

He did mention that my solo would be "by mutual agreement". I know he thinks I'm ready but I don't know if I can ever bring myself to say "yes", if he asks " shall I get out now?"

gmcflyer

29th Sep 2012, 19:28

left tyre out -what's that all about! if it means what i think it does then you're definitely ready for solo

best of luck and enjoy

gmc

Steve6443

29th Sep 2012, 19:35

He did mention that my solo would be "by mutual agreement". I know he thinks I'm ready but I don't know if I can ever bring myself to say "yes", if he asks " shall I get out now?"

Think of it this way - if your instructor feels you are capable, then trust his judgement, after all, it's not a competition on his side to get you flying solo, if you mess it up, it's his reputation on the line. If he asks you, have faith in yourself and enjoy the moment - that first solo is something to savour.......

piperboy84

29th Sep 2012, 20:39

The 2 most vivid memories of my life, my son being born and first solo,

I remember after a few circuits with the instructor he jumped out and said "do 2 more" and that is where your training automatically kicks in. You get lined up, in goes the power and your off, then about 500 feet I thought "wait a minute I am the only bastard in this plane" I even looked in the back seat to make sure another CFI was not hiding back there, after about 2 seconds of panic then straight back to using your training and you don't have time to think about anything else.

Good luck it will be fun !!!

localflighteast

29th Sep 2012, 21:42

Well gotta wait til next weekend now
Hopefully be able to get a couple of lessons in after that as I've got some vacation owing as well

This flying stuff is so addictive !

RatherBeFlying

30th Sep 2012, 16:30

You just fly the plane the same as you had with the instructor, but "student" prefix on radio call won't hurt as it clues in ATC and other traffic.

It's more interesting in single seat gliders where you get to teach yourself to fly the thing;)

Then there's your first outlanding where you really do have to do your own thinking, not just grind out another circuit.

localflighteast

30th Sep 2012, 17:04

The thought of a solo cross country scares the living :mad: out of me.
I have no sense of direction. I know I'm going to head to Muskoka and end up in Buffalo !

Steve6443

30th Sep 2012, 17:42

Just have to say the solo cross country was what confirmed to me that taking my PPL was the best thing I could ever have done - ok, the first solo circuit was both awe-inspiring and breath-taking at the same time but my first solo cross country was simply fantastic, totally enjoyable. Just be aware that without "cheating" and resorting to using any available GPS, the amount of effort put into your preparation in selecting headings, VRPs and base lines will pay dividends ensuring you fly from A to B and back without any problems......

flyinkiwi

30th Sep 2012, 20:41

He did mention that my solo would be "by mutual agreement". I know he thinks I'm ready but I don't know if I can ever bring myself to say "yes", if he asks " shall I get out now?"

He'll only "pop the question" ;) if he has assessed that the conditions are just right for you to go up alone. This is where the leap of faith lies. The main thing to remember is that he would not be getting out if he wasn't 100% certain you were capable of bringing yourself and the plane back in one piece.

mike_foyle

30th Sep 2012, 23:17

I just did my first solo last week. it was awesome! Don't worry about it and don't over think it. The performance difference is not something which will throw you off or cause you any problems. Yes it climbs quicker but it doesn't affect the way you fly the aircraft. You may also notice that you float down the runway on your flare a little more than you did with your instructor due to the weight difference. But again, this is a very welcome change and won't cause you any problems. Use the same speeds, the same power settings etc.

Fly a comfortable circuit, don't cut it too tight.
Don't over bank on the climbing crosswind turn, keep it 15 degrees or less.
Make sure you have your BUMPFITCH checks memorised.
If the approach is less than ideal, don't be afraid to go around and try again until you get it right.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!! Here is the video from my first solo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KmSgSdaZvg

sevenstrokeroll

1st Oct 2012, 00:36

my dear fellow:

you are making too big a deal about it. it is not a life changing event. as a matter of fact I don't enjoy flying by myself..flying is something to be shared...

While I soloed in 1975, it was just a step towards being a better pilot. I don't remember the day. I do recall the "N" number ( as we call the number painted on the side of the plane (N41949)

But by talking about it so darn much...well I really think you need to relax a bit. Sure its possible the engine will quit, catch on fire...heck, its even possible someone with a gun will run up to the plane just as your instructor gets out and orders you to fly him to havana, or dublin, or deip.

But you will probably fly around the pattern (why do you guys call it circuit?)...oh and you will forget to do one thing...probably looking for traffic, or trimming for takeoff or something dumb.

but you will survive.

some first solos in the USA have their undershirt removed and a bit of it cut off and the name of the pilot and date of solo written upon it...then it will be tacked to the wall.

that didn't happen to me and I'm glad my t shirt stayed intact.

sorry to be so much of a let down...it isn't as good as love making, it isn't as good as serving the country you love, it isn't as good as many people will have you think.

One technical piece of advice, as a CFIIMEIATPMEL etc, because the plane will be lighter in weight, there is a slight chance that you will be more likely to land on your plane's nosewheel first. We call that wheelbarrowing which can lead to porposing...so be ready!

Steve6443

1st Oct 2012, 06:46

ome first solos in the USA have their undershirt removed and a bit of it cut off and the name of the pilot and date of solo written upon it...then it will be tacked to the wall.

Here in Germany, at our club, they cut your tie in two and pin it to the board with date and registration of the solo flight (but only for motor flight, not for gliders). Now it's not supposed to signify that you have cut the bonds between yourself and earth (like cutting the tail off of a shirt is supposed to in the US) but the story is that, in days of old when people wore ties as a matter of daily attire and not just to impress their bank manager when wanting a loan, electric starters for planes had not been invented, so it was normal for a pilot to be expected to know how to throw a prop to start a plane. The olden day Health and Safety people were concerned that the tie could foul the propellor - you can imagine the consequences......

Never actually HEARD of such a happening but hey ho, the Germans use any excuse to cut your tie......

localflighteast

1st Oct 2012, 09:04

Lol
I'm kind of hoping my underwear will stay intact
I only want to worry about my landings bouncing !
Just a tiny bit of background for those of you who ( probably correctly) think I'm making a big deal of this

Six months ago I could barely step on a commercial plane without having a panic attack
I've had to have therapy ( largely unsuccessful ) in order to fly without being medicated

What might not be a huge deal to you is absolutely life changing to me
To go from what I was to being able to fly the damn plane ON MY OWN is massive to me !

Pace

1st Oct 2012, 12:12

Six months ago I could barely step on a commercial plane without having a panic attack
I've had to have therapy ( largely unsuccessful ) in order to fly without being medicated

I hope you are not popping the pills for flying and you have discussed this with your AME?
You have stated that the therapy you have had to deal with panic attacks was unsuccessful?

My ex wife suffered with them badly till she got rid of me :E

Only joking I dragged her around every therapist available. She found the only thing that worked was Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT??
Have you tried that?

Pace

localflighteast

1st Oct 2012, 14:57

I've never actualy taken any medication for anxiety on an everday basis. SO don't worry about undisclosed stuff on my medical. i'm not that silly!
I'm a nervous flyer , valium was suggested. I took them once. It just gave me a headache.

I used to self medicate with alcohol on the plane , didn't help either.

The therapy got me to a stage where I could manage the panic attacks. They only happen in turbulence on large planes . Don't ask me why but the smaller the plane the happier I was!

The underlying issue is a control thing , not a flear of flying. But I'm still damn pleased with myself

fattony

1st Oct 2012, 16:34

But I'm still damn pleased with myself

And rightly so! It takes courage and determination to face one's fears and overcome them.

foxmoth

1st Oct 2012, 19:09

I used to self medicate with alcohol on the plane , didn't help either.

The therapy got me to a stage where I could manage the panic attacks. They only happen in turbulence on large planes . Don't ask me why but the smaller the plane the happier I was!

Booze definitely not the way when flying yourself, personally I always restrict myself to three G& T's beforehand!
Being a bit more serious I had a friend who bought a Stampe in GLA and when it came to flying to its base down south he had a cold, I went up with his wife, also a PPL, to bring it back - take off and landing on the BA flight she sat gripping my hand so tightly that it took an hour to get the feeling back - the flight back down she was fine, so it seems not that uncommon to be dodgy in big aircraft but ok in light ones.

Steve6443

1st Oct 2012, 19:48

Six months ago I could barely step on a commercial plane without having a panic attack
I've had to have therapy ( largely unsuccessful ) in order to fly without being medicated

What might not be a huge deal to you is absolutely life changing to me
To go from what I was to being able to fly the damn plane ON MY OWN is massive to me !

You'd be surprised how many people have learnt to fly to overcome the panic attacks. It was the same with me, I couldn't board a plane without panic attacks but now, I just enjoy every second.

And for all of us here, being able to fly a plane on your own is *always* life changing, you'll always be thinking of your next flight, looking forward to be back in the air......

flyinkiwi

1st Oct 2012, 19:57

And for all of us here, being able to fly a plane on your own is *always* life changing, you'll always be thinking of your next flight, looking forward to be back in the air......

I call it my flying habit because it costs as much as drugs and the high is the same. :} My wife always says I am always in a better mood after I fly, and when I endure long periods of not flying I get grumpy.

Crash one

1st Oct 2012, 22:58

At our fly in recently I flew a fireman who was terrified of the prospect of flying on holiday, never flown before. A bit white knuckled at takeoff but otherwise he held it together & enjoyed it.
Whether that was a clever thing for me to do is another thing.
He was 35yr old 200lbs, I'm 72yr old & 150lbs. If he had panicked we may have been in deep ****.

Pace

1st Oct 2012, 23:28

They only happen in turbulence on large planes

Turbulence is not an issue any more than it is an issue for a boat to ride up and down over waves compared to crossing a smooth water surface.
Get into the frame of mind that you will enjoy the turbulence.
Slap your side and state loudly to yourself "Ride em cowboy" ! turbulence of the kind you are likely to encounter will not harm you or the aircraft so accept it as a condition you relish, something which can be fun! rather than " Oh my god it bounced!!! the wings will fall off I am going to die"!
If its dying your worried about dispel that notion! Think no more bills, nagging partners, no more worries etc! Talk yourself out of it!
Really you have done incredibly well lets look forward to the post FIRST SOLO COMPLETE.

Pace

Steve6443

2nd Oct 2012, 10:29

I call it my flying habit because it costs as much as drugs and the high is the same. My wife always says I am always in a better mood after I fly, and when I endure long periods of not flying I get grumpy.

Sometimes I wake up grumpy........... sometimes I just let her sleep.......:D

localflighteast

2nd Oct 2012, 11:53

the stupid thing is , I love boats and I love rough water but I've never been able to apply the "boat on the waves" analogy to flying through turbulence,

My biggest problem is that I'm actually scared of having a panic attack , which in turn leads me to panic.

Again its a control thing. If I was in the cockpit flying or at least watching what was going on I'd be fine but being stuck at the back end of the tin can makes me nervous.

When I was first learning, initially any rough air freaked me out, primarily because I thought I was doing something wrong to make the plane shake like that. Now I understand what's going on and can even anticipate it in some cases I'm good.

sevenstrokeroll

3rd Oct 2012, 11:13

well, if turbulence and panic attacks are your problem...

1. be sure to tightent your seat belt extra tight. if not and you hit turbulence your rear end, butt, whatever you guys call it, will lift off the seat sending a message to your brain...NO GRAVITY< PANIC AND GET SICK RIGHT NOW!

so, keep your butt in the seat and you will not receive this brain/butt signal and you won't get sick or panic

and if you have a panic attack, place your hand on your stomach and breathe in and out saying, :"I'm....Calm" in and out.

sevenstrokeroll

3rd Oct 2012, 11:19

PS

you can make turbulence worse if you are not tightly in your seat. when you get the NO GRAVITY signal from your butt, the first thing you will want to do is restore gravity, by pulling on the controls.

which can be just the wrong thing to do.

so, keep the seatbelt tight.

localflighteast

3rd Oct 2012, 12:18

Thanks for the tips sevenstrokeroll. I always keep my seatblet tightly done up when I'm a passenger. I've got the bruises to prove it :)

Unfortuntely there doesn't need to be actuall bad turbulence to set me off , the second the wings start shaking slightly it sets me off in anticipation

Not really an issue when I'm flying, I make lots of noises like " woah, what the :mad: was that?" but don't physically compensate if you know what I mean, strange eh?

sevenstrokeroll

3rd Oct 2012, 14:45

what kind of plane are you flying...some are really much better than others for a good ride

cirrus_

3rd Oct 2012, 16:30

have a look at this 1st solo
My First Solo - Moorabbin - 12 November 2009 - Piper Warrior CGT - YouTube

localflighteast

4th Oct 2012, 12:15

Cirrus , thanks for sharing that. It made me feel both exhilarated and sick to my stomach at the same time !

Sweet landing !

Great video quality as well , what set up is that?

Pace

5th Oct 2012, 09:10

LocalFlightEast

Please do tell us how you are getting on? This is an expensive hobby and should be something which is pleasurable for you.
Somewhere you have to change your mind set and start to enjoy it rather than seeing it as an ordeal to get through?
I am sure you have discussed this problem with your instructor? All of us are nervous on first solo I remember on mine sitting there on the end of the runway and really having to force my self to advance the throttle! Once I had turned final it all seemed to have happened too fast and I can remember again thinking what the instructor would say if I did another? I was enjoying the feeling of being in command of the aircraft and not having him rabbiting on from the right seat;)
So please do keep us informed on how you get on and awaiting you coming on here to tell us the first solo complete and that you cannot wait for the next solo stint :ok:

Pace

localflighteast

5th Oct 2012, 12:05

Pace , thank you for your kind inquiries J

I have another lesson tomorrow, so I will certainly let you know how that goes. I don’t think I will be soloing tomorrow just because thewinds look a little gusty with a fair amount of cross wind component. Still it’ll be a good challenge to practice mycross wind landing technique so that doesn’t worry me.
I don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression (I knowthis thread seems to consist of me mostly whinging), so let me state for therecord

I LOVE FLYING AN AEROPLANE!!!!!
This is the single most amazing thing I have everexperienced or done in my entire life. I suffer from severe withdrawal symptomsif I don’t fly! I just need a kick up the proverbial to get over this “hump”

I experienced the same thing when I had to do stalls,spirals and spins. Luckily I am blessed with an AMAZING instructor who not only gets how nervous I can be but understands when I need handholding and when I needto be told to just get on with it. In fact, quite frankly if it wasn’t for himI don’t think I would really be considering getting my PPL, the plan was justfor me to take a few lessons so that I could help out when my husband was flying( he has his PPL). The combination of his enthusiasm for flying and himtreating me like I was someone who couldactually do this persuaded me to take it as far as I could.
I won’t bore you with the details but the confidence I’vegained so far has had a huge impact on my everyday life.

I just need to get over the first solo hurdle and I’ll begood (for a while anyways , until I find the next thing to obsess over!)

Pace

5th Oct 2012, 12:42

Do change your mindset. Turbulence or a shudder think great I love a bit of movement! Ride em cowGIRL!!! THINK how boring still air is :yuk:

You will not break the plane. It is as normal as a boat riding a few waves.

I have seen turbulence you would not want to see and its only then that you realize how strong aircraft are and what they will take.

Certainly nothing your instructor will send you solo in!

I have hit the roof as I hate wearing seatbelts on numerous occasions and even had 2 inch long cuts to my head, I have had the aircraft drop like an elevator over Spain 2000 feet from my cruising level at 12000 feet :eek:

Flying at night in a wreck of a Citation from India through a Monsoon :eek:where it was permanent day light with the amount of flashes!!and turbulence to die for :E The relief at landing in Karachi again at night! But that is extreme stuff you will never experience! I had so many problems with that Citation you did not need a simulator!

So turbulence does not bother me in the slightest infact if I am honest I quite like bumps especially the unique turbulence you get at the Jetstream when I fly a jet. It is more like an urgent shudder.

So please take my word for it! As a PPL you will not experience anything extreme only idiots like me who fly in 70 80 mph winds get that :E and I am still here (My friends think that is questionable)

So please change your mind set and start to treat the things you fear as things you can enjoy!!!
its just a simple matter of changing how you think of them!
You will not break the plane it is not about to fall out of the sky!!
So man up :ok: whoops woman up ;)

Take care

Pace

localflighteast

6th Oct 2012, 15:59

I went down to the flight school today, nervous but not overly so. Had "the chat" with my instructor about my impending solo.
Agreed that I needed to be bullied into it when the time was right
Briefed about the procedure for instructor drop off just in case. Filled out all the requisite paperwork, "just in case".

Winds were high but striaght down the runway so not impossibly so.
Went up did a few circuits, high workload due to the gusty conditions (getting worse). Despite the challenges, really good landings (still a little to the left of the centre line though)

Unfortuntely at this point the winds had gotten beyond the flight schools limits for solo students :{

Long story short, I'm still nervous about my first solo but I'm not stupidly scared anymore.
Had a bit of a Eureka moment on the ferry back when I realised that yes , it was a challenging flight but my instrcutors hands weer still no where near the controls !

flyinkiwi

7th Oct 2012, 20:15

If you can handle the aircraft in those conditions with minimal instructor invention then you are very close indeed! :ok:

I for one cannot wait to read about your first solo.:}

localflighteast

7th Oct 2012, 21:53

Instructor and I are now just waiting " for the stars to align"
IE reasonable wind conditions for me to solo now
I was really happy with all my landings last lesson, one was so gentle I wasn't sure if we'd actually touched down !
No more dropping it onto the runway so hard I knock my headset off!
Wind predictions look really really crappy for the next week or so though :(

sevenstrokeroll

11th Oct 2012, 19:44

try to put the line between your feet

also

what kind of plane are you flying?

localflighteast

11th Oct 2012, 23:26

I'm in a c172
I'm going to try the line between the feet thing
I always reckoned my head was on wonky !
The winds have been totally and utterly crap this week gusting up to 35 knots
This is soooooooo frustrating !

But appreciate all the tips

sevenstrokeroll

12th Oct 2012, 03:38

hi

tell me...where will you land if , as you are soloing, the airport closes for some reason? (IE disabled aircraft blocking runway)

have you been to another nearby airport to practice? do you know the frequencies etc?

stevelup

12th Oct 2012, 06:24

This is someones first solo. It is impossible that they would be expected to divert to another airfield under any circumstances. What a daft post.

Back Pressure

12th Oct 2012, 07:13

Hmm, if the airfield has just the one strip, then it's not a daft post at all - it's actually a damn good question.

And she's not a he...

stevelup

12th Oct 2012, 07:22

Fixed the gender issue... sorry about that.

Think about where you were with your training when you were in the circuit and getting ready for first solo for a minute. Do you seriously think navigating to and landing away at an unfamiliar airfield is something that could possibly be briefed for, let alone achieved?

Heston

12th Oct 2012, 07:25

stevelup - there is no way that a student of mine is going solo UNLESS they can handle a divert should the airfield be closed while they are in the circuit. This is a standard requirement.

H

Back Pressure

12th Oct 2012, 07:29

I did my training at a field which has multiple parallel runways, so it was never a consideration for me, but I would assume an instructor at a single runway field would cover the possibility and train/brief for it. If I were an instructor I think I certainly would...

Heston confirms...

Pace

12th Oct 2012, 07:31

I cannot remember in all my time a first solo ever having to divert due to a blocked or closed runway!
I am sure the instructor would slot her solo into a lull period where she has the circuit to herself especially if she is nervous!
Who knows maybe unforecast fog will roll in during the solo equally as likely :ugh:

Pace

stevelup

12th Oct 2012, 07:33

stevelup - there is no way that a student of mine is going solo UNLESS they can handle a divert should the airfield be closed while they are in the circuit. This is a standard requirement.

I'm clearly wrong then (in your opinion) - but at the same time, I find it impossible to believe that your way is common.

Just looking through my log book, and I'd done 14 solo circuits before we did any navexes that left the local area.

Heston

12th Oct 2012, 07:39

Steve - that's fair enough, but you should have had a good breifing before the solo on what to do if the runway was blocked (or any other emergency for that matter). The action would have been quite precisely defined and specific to the airfield - not a general instruction to "decide for yourself on a diversion and carry it out".

H

stevelup

12th Oct 2012, 07:43

I can honestly say that I do not remember this being discussed.

I trained at an airfield with three runways. Surely that, coupled with the fact that the instructor would have picked his moment for the first solo is enough.

With the nearest licensed airfield being 30 odd miles away, I still find it difficult to accept that a student on first solo would ever be put in a position where they would need to divert. On that basis, what would be the point of filling the student's head with more stuff to worry about?

Back Pressure

12th Oct 2012, 07:49

As a bit of irrelevant trivia, I did my first solo in the exact same aircraft in the video in post 77 - VH-CGT PA28-161 at Moorabbin.

And the poor bird ended it's days written off in the trees just short of runway 17L as seen in the video :{ (no casualties luckily)

And no, it wasn't me who did it

stevelup

12th Oct 2012, 07:52

An airport with six runways no less!

-edit- oops, you already said that wasn't a problem. Sorry!

Heston

12th Oct 2012, 08:31

Certainly if alternative runways are available then that would be OK (but I thought we were discussing what to do at an airfield with only one runway).

Emergencies that I want a student to be able to handle before solo:
- engine failure at any point in the takeoff, circuit or landing, including off airfield forced landing if necessary
- radio failure in circuit
- suitable alternatives if the original landing runway becomes unusable - this could include a divert, landing on an alternative runway if available, or making a precautionary landing off airfield. Which of these depends on local factors, as I said, and would be briefed before the flight.

H

goldeneaglepilot

12th Oct 2012, 08:56

At Birmingham (UK) when it had an active GA community, it was a requirement that students had been trained to divert to another airfield (Wellesbourne was the airfield of choice) prior to their first solo.

This was simply to cater for the small risk of an incident closing the airport whilst they were airbourne or to allow for a radio failiure in flight, after which they would have to leave the control zone ASAP rather than continuing to land on their first solo.

Orbits in the circuit for a first solo were also very common as was a runway direction change (on a calm day) For example, "G-ABCD cleared takeoff (33) with a right hand turnout to right base for 24"

Students seemed to cope with no issue

Pace

12th Oct 2012, 09:17

Heston

This person is quite nervous already of getting over flying one circuit!

I do not think that filling her head with the prospects of a 30 mile first solo cross country which must be so rare as I have never heard of one in 30 years will help her situation. As well as it will not happen!

I do not know where she is flying from but it is likely to be some small club airfield where the instructor can look for a lull in activities giving her the freedom of the circuit and no chance of a diversion due to runway closure or blockage.

I am sure its not Heathrow :ugh:

Pace

Heston

12th Oct 2012, 09:47

She doesn't sound nervous to me - just suitably anticipating a big day and not wanting to f*** up - same as we all do.
And I never said anything about a 30mile divert - I said a solo student needed to be able to cope with emergencies that could arise in the circuit. Under some circumstances that might mean a diversion. I have no doubt that the OP's instructor will have this base covered.

Which student would be most nervous on their first solo - the one who thinks "if anything goes wrong I don't know what to do, so I'll be stuffed" or the one who knows "I have been trained well to cope with most forseeable eventualities"? Hmmm?

(I'm talking about students spending their own money here by the way - its not the RAF in war-time. And I'd quite like my aeroplane back in one piece too)

H

Pace

12th Oct 2012, 10:21

Heston

I should not have posted this to you specifically but this Lady is a confessed very nervous flyer who has done amazingly well to overcome those nerves.
As stated you are as likely to have a first solo have to divert because of runway closure as you are to have unforecast fog roll in.
In 30 years of flying I have never heard of a first solo having to divert have you?

Pace

I've never actualy taken any medication for anxiety on an everday basis. SO don't worry about undisclosed stuff on my medical. i'm not that silly!
I'm a nervous flyer , valium was suggested. I took them once. It just gave me a headache.

I used to self medicate with alcohol on the plane , didn't help either.

The therapy got me to a stage where I could manage the panic attacks. They only happen in turbulence on large planes . Don't ask me why but the smaller the plane the happier I was!

The underlying issue is a control thing , not a flear of flying. But I'm still damn pleased with myself

She has every right to be pleased as she has changed her mindset on a number of things since the above post in this thread

Heston

12th Oct 2012, 11:46

...done amazingly well to overcome those nerves.
As stated you are as likely to have a first solo have to divert because of runway closure as you are to have unforecast fog roll in.
In 30 years of flying I have never heard of a first solo having to divert have you?

Yep absolutely agree. As I said, she doesnt sound unduly nervous (any more). That's one of the great things about learning to fly - for many people it is as much about whats going on in your head emotionally as it is the actual ability to do it well.

And no I've never known a first time solo student have to divert to another airfield. I have known one have to land on an alternative runway though.

And to the OP - you're clearly doing really well and asking good questions. Trust your instructor and pay attention to what s/he says before the flight (it will be just a few points to help it go well)

Best wishes

H

Piper.Classique

12th Oct 2012, 12:05

Emergencies that I want a student to be able to handle before solo:
- engine failure at any point in the takeoff, circuit or landing, including off airfield forced landing if necessary
- radio failure in circuit
- suitable alternatives if the original landing runway becomes unusable - this could include a divert, landing on an alternative runway if available, or making a precautionary landing off airfield. Which of these depends on local factors, as I said, and would be briefed before the flight.

H

Of course. Otherwise they aren't ready for solo. I believe in doing at least one land away short nav before solo, which is anyway standard practice here in France. I have to say I would not brief a possibility of a precautionary off airfield before solo, my briefing is more on the lines of "ok, just do one circuit on your own,like the last one you just did. If you don't like the approach go round and do another one. You will probably get off the ground a bit sooner without me on board."
Then I go and watch from the tower, radio on in case of need (uncontrolled field, Nordo allowed) but normally all I need to say is "well done!)

localflighteast

12th Oct 2012, 12:25

Wow that's what happens when I go to sleep !
The thread suddenly explodes

Ok I will admit that the thought of diverting had occured to me , but not until I read someone else's post essay back in the archives about that happening
Tbh I think it unlikely , I'm actually at a fairly busy controlled airport with a lot of commercial traffic ( CYTZ) and by my reckoning have about 5 hours worth of fuel
I think it's much more likely that I'll end up orbiting for a while than diverting
I have some local navigation experience as our practice area is a good 10 minutes away
And if the worst came to it I could def follow an Atc vector

I am very confident about all my other emergency procedures , I used to joke to my instructor that it would be a lot easier if he stopped breaking things !

The weather has totally sucked this week , I'm hoping to fly on Saturday , even if the conditions are not good for my Solo we can get some
More crosswind practice in !!

Heston

12th Oct 2012, 12:50

That all sounds good to me. Enjoy it when it comes. Remember to take two seconds (but not longer!) when you are somewhere on the downwind leg to say to yourself "Wow! I'm really doing this!!!" You only get to fly your first solo once in your life.

H

sevenstrokeroll

12th Oct 2012, 20:34

you commented that my post was "DAFT".

looking at your age, I soloed the year you were born. got that? I've listed my quals before, but in addition to being an airline captain for a very, very large airline, I was also a CFI CFII CFIMEI. Now, maybe you don't know what that means. maybe someone will tell you.

I taught at one of the busiest areas in the United States for both general aviation, military and airline flying. Chances are that my little 2500' runway was shorter than yours...and that a crackup can happen and close the runway. I've watched it happen. As a matter of fact I have seen the runway blocked by an inverted SweringenII, a C152 and a C414...and it took HOURS to open the runway.

So, being able to fly to another airfield, in this hugely busy area is vital. You see, as PILOT IN COMMAND, even on your first solo, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING.

IF you were lucky enough to have multiple runways, hooray for you. But even the biggest airport in the world can be closed due to problems.

There are pilots who can handle things, and there are those who just manage to get by. I know what kind of pilot I am...and I can guess what kind of pilot you are.

By the way, I wouldn't solo anyone who hadn't passed the private pilot written examination.

Soloing today in modern airspace isn't like soloing in the middle of a cornfield in nebraska. There is more to know and it takes longer to know it.

now...think about it...who here is really :DAFT? you or me?

sevenstrokeroll

12th Oct 2012, 22:40

I do hope the impending first solo person will realize that there are many views about how to fly a plane. being prepared, thinking ahead, and knowledge make the operation safer.

simply saying that something is daft is contrary to increasing knowledge.

I know of pilots who soloed in three hours of instruction...and orville and wilbur did it on their own.

but being prepared for just about anything (ok, don't worry about alien abduction, or crossing a transdimensional threshold ) that COULD happen, means it probably WON"T happen.

modelman

12th Oct 2012, 22:43

I remember being briefed on diversion airfield, what heading/time it was from ours and a short visit there.
As a very busy training airport, the risk of someone else 'contaminating' the runway was reasonably real and thought it good advice.

eharding

12th Oct 2012, 23:58

...and orville and wilbur did it on their own.

No need for false modesty - I'm sure you were there at the time of the first flight of the Wright Flyer, bellowing bumptious guff through a megaphone at Orville, whilst at the same time slapping Wilbur around the back of the head for suggesting that it was daft to insist that Orville should have planned a diversion in case the turf 120 feet upwind was suddenly closed to arriving traffic. :E

sevenstrokeroll

13th Oct 2012, 00:30

eaharding...yes, I was there...but you see, there weren't any other airports available then. but of course you were kidding. that great british wit.
it always amuses me that when someone is right...someone demands the most out of our flying heritage he is attacked.

you have all the charm of joe biden...is that a blarney stone in your pocket or are you just happy to seeme?

Big Pistons Forever

13th Oct 2012, 01:13

localflighteast

As someone who has sent a fair few folks on their first solo you should approach it the same way your instructor will. A little bit nervous, anxious to do well, but above all confident that you can do this.

hval

13th Oct 2012, 08:05

sevenstrokeroll,

Ye gods old chap, you were somewhat harsh to Stevelup, were you not?

In one post you say how much experience you have and were flying before he was born and in another you sat how the Wright brother taught themselves to fly, and low hours pilots can be good.

Personally I am of the opinion that having high hours PIC does not necessarily mean that you are a great pilot, I am also of the opinion that some low hours pilots can be miles better than I will ever be due to their innate ability to fly and to understand all that is necessary to fly.

I would never say that I am a better, or worse, pilot than you as I haven't a clue who you are, nor your abilities.

I am also aware that there can be more than one correct answer and that different solutions suit different people.

I get called names a lot worse than daft. I don't even think that being called daft is rude. Your response was uncalled for and abusive.

As for the Wrights brothers, so they flew, so what. People flew before them. Big deal.

Mods, I can totally understand Stevelups response to Sevenstrokerolls post where Sevenstrokerolls is so abusive to Stevelups. I would feel the same after such a rude abusive posting.

looking at your age, I soloed the year you were born. got that? I've listed my quals before, but in addition to being an airline captain for a very, very large airline, I was also a CFI CFII CFIMEI. Now, maybe you don't know what that means. maybe someone will tell you.

There are pilots who can handle things, and there are those who just manage to get by. I know what kind of pilot I am...and I can guess what kind of pilot you are.

localflighteast

13th Oct 2012, 12:16

Ummmmm,

Wow , OK . I've really got to stop sleeping, bizarre **** happens here when I do :hmm:

I have a lesson in a couple of hours, there's currently a 90 degree crosswind @ 7kts, so not exactly looking promising.

Plan is to probably go out to practice area and practice some steep turns and stalls, just to mix it up a little.

play nicely boys!

matthew_w100

13th Oct 2012, 13:55

Blimey - this sounds a bit different to my first solo. I was told to take off, fly off to the local training area, bimble about for twenty minutes or so, getting the feel of the now lighter plane, find my way back, join circuit and land. I'd have had no trouble going somewhere else.

Is this not typical?

PS I've done loads more than 2 posts - what's happened to the counter?

localflighteast

13th Oct 2012, 14:30

For anyone who is interested I'm about to head out now.
9kt crosswind so no solo for me today I suspect
Nice sailing weather though

Again thanks to all the people who have offered advice. I go up everytime with something different to try,

thing

13th Oct 2012, 14:38

Can't remember any blather about diversions when I did my first solo. Mind you it was a glider.

sevenstrokeroll

15th Oct 2012, 23:41

how did keeping the centerline between your feet work?

localflighteast

16th Oct 2012, 00:45

Not so good
Not my finest flight this time round
Nothing majorly wrong or dangerous , just a bit sloppy
90 degree crosswinds , must have been quite variable though as they switched runway in me mid circuit !
Never done a 180 on the downwind before

I think I've flogged the circuit to death at the moment
Instructor reckons if winds are good next lesson ( saturday) then I can solo, if they are marginal we will go do some steep turns and stalls

Still enjoying the flying , nervous about the solo but no more than I should be I reckon

Thanks for asking !

flyinkiwi

16th Oct 2012, 02:32

These things like ATC changing runways mid circuit can and do happen, and you know you are flying well when you can adjust quickly to the change without your brain getting overloaded.

I performed my first dumbbell turn solo (not during my first solo though!) based on what I'd read in the training manual because ATC instructed me to do it. As it was a logical extension of other things I had done dual it wasn't all that big a deal, despite my version not quite matching up to what was in the textbook. :O

localflighteast

16th Oct 2012, 10:47

Yeah I reckon I've done pretty much everything Atc can throw at me now
I've done 360 for spacing , extended crosswinds, extended downwinds, tight downwinds , last minute switch from 26 to 24
180 for runway switch
S turns on final for spacing , I've followed dash 8s, a group of 7 Harvards , a Lancaster bomber !

Really don't know what else is left
An alien invasion fleet maybe ?

localflighteast

20th Oct 2012, 18:28

well the title says it all really !

For those of you who have offered welcome advice while I whined about the fact I'd never be able to do it, thank you !!!

Wasn't even sure I was going to fly today , the TAF called for clouds at 800 ft
then I had an okish lesson with some scrappy ( by my standard ) landings.

6 kt crosswind and my least favorite runway didn't help. Thought we were coming in to end the lesson, then instrcutor asked me how I felt about soloing.

I told him that my landings weren't good enough today, so no way:eek:. He politely disagreed and left me to it.

Solo was loooooong. waited at least 5 mins at hold shortline for backtracking traffic, then had three other planes in the circuit to deal with.

They tried to switch me onto another runway ( more crosswind) because of spacing but the nice instructor in the plane in front obviously heard my hesitation in accepting and very kindly overshot for me !!!

And yes , they dumped a bucket of water over me !!!!!

Crash one

20th Oct 2012, 18:33

Well done girl, congratulations.
You are now officially an aviator:ok::ok:
You may have to have the smile surgically removed after a month.

Big Pistons Forever

20th Oct 2012, 18:40

Congratulations. Your post reminds me of July 23 1977 and another then student pilot who thought they were not ready, but really was ! ;)

Cessna 172S Skyhawk

20th Oct 2012, 18:49

Congrats on the first solo
Reminds me of my first solo in May this year, I thought it would never come and then when the time was right, I was not even nervous, just focused on getting the job done.

Thats the funny thing I think about learning/training for your PPL, you enjoy it when the flight is over and have time to reflect on what just happened.

I really is great. I was driving on a road trip with my wife today and out of the blue I said to her - Its mad, I can fly a plane and she smiled!!!!

fireflybob

20th Oct 2012, 19:53

Many congratulations!

Goals are important but it's who you become on the way to your dreams.

First solo is a "game changer" - consolidate on this now and enjoy the freedom of the skies.

Happy Landings!

trident3A

20th Oct 2012, 21:16

Well done! You'll never forget it:)

thing

20th Oct 2012, 21:49

:D:D:D:D Well done that woman. your wallet will never be the same...:)

Heston

21st Oct 2012, 08:05

That's great! Well done. Feels good doesn't it?

H

Pace

21st Oct 2012, 08:07

Local Flight East

Wow ;) So pleased for you well done ! Brilliant ;););)

Pace

Piper.Classique

21st Oct 2012, 09:16

Excellent! It gets even better now, cross country, solo cross country, licence. Good for you!:ok::ok::ok::ok:

FlyingLapinou

21st Oct 2012, 09:25

Well done you! You can be very proud of your achievement :D:ok:

Wishing you happy and safe flying in the future...

csvpa

21st Oct 2012, 11:52

Congratulations! I am just coming up to circuit training so guessing first solo circuit isn't massively far away :S

localflighteast

21st Oct 2012, 12:29

Thank you everyone
I got some great advice on here
I will admit that I almost bottled out !
My instructor is a great guy , just the right mix of handholding ( given my nerves) and throwing me under the proverbial bus

This has been a truly life changing experience for me in so many ways.

Seriously looking back for my first few lessons my biggest achievement was not hyperventilating and panicking
I've gone from barely being able to breath to being in sole control !

( just to throw it in there , I don't drive , an aeroplane is the first vehicle I've ever been in sole command of !)

Captain Gadget

21st Oct 2012, 17:47

Hi Local

I'd like to add my congratulations to those above. As stated above, you are now officially an Aviator - there's no going (or holding you) back now.

And as the old Chinese proverb says, The longest of journeys begins with a single step (Lau Tzu, I think)...

...some journey. Some step.

Welcome to the club, fellow Pilot.

Tailwinds and soft landings

Gadget :ok:

Crash one

21st Oct 2012, 21:48

Tailwinds and soft landings

Don't confuse the poor girl, they don't mix:ok:

mike_foyle

22nd Oct 2012, 07:59

Fantastic! Congratulations to you! Having only just done my first solo around a month ago, I am still buzzing from the thrill of it. And as one of our fellow forum members just mentioned, there have been a few times where I've almost had to pinch myself... and in a sudden moment of realisation said to my girlfriend out of nowhere, "Sam, I can fly an aeroplane, that's weird isn't it!"

It's something that many of us have dreamed about doing since we were young, but never realistically believed it would happen.

Keep up the great work and have many happy landings.

PS How many hours did it take to get to solo standard in the end?

Best,

Mike

localflighteast

22nd Oct 2012, 10:46

Hi Mike
I need to update my log book but i think it was around 25 hours
A couple of those lessons were in fairly heavy crosswinds , I was ready to go solo but couldn't
Looking back though I didn't have any "wasted" lessons
Every lesson something new happened which was valuable learning experience
Including on my solo where i learnt how I should have dealt with ATC trying to switch me onto a crosswind runway !!!

DaveyC

22nd Oct 2012, 11:52

I was in the same situation this time last year, the weather was doing nothing but prolonging the misery.

But by God, its worth the wait.

Well done, especially after finding out you don't drive!

Big Pistons Forever

22nd Oct 2012, 15:59

I also soloed before getting a drivers license. Montreal has an excellent public transit system and horrible parking so there was not a lot of pressure for young people to drive. I got my license because my flight school was 20 miles South of the city and only accessable by car....and my father got tired of driving me to the airport :O

flyinkiwi

22nd Oct 2012, 22:48

Firstly, congratulations LFE! :D For someone who doesn't drive that's a big step for sure being in sole charge of ~$100,000 worth of metal. From someone who does drive, I can say at least for me personally I didn't find any of the skills one uses when driving translate into flying. I'd go so far as to suggest learning to fly was as daunting for me as it was for you.

Secondly, tell us more about your flight. It certainly sounded like it was not your average first solo but you seemed to cope well enough. If some questions would help then here goes:

What was the first thing you thought about when the door closed with your instructor on the outside rather than inside?
How hard was it to make that leap of faith and trust your instructors judgement?
Did you do any of the actions on the list I provided earlier in this thread? :ok:
Have you stopped smiling yet? :}:}:}

localflighteast

23rd Oct 2012, 12:35

Hey Flyinkiwi , thank you very much for your kind words!

I refrained from posting a blow by blow account because I wasn’t sure how interested people would be, but hey if you insist!
First to answer your questions

1) Please don’t let me run him over

2) Yes. I had a scrappy lesson beforehand and couldn’t quite believe that he was stupid enough to let me go solo. In fact I told him I wasn’t good enough yet. He gently persuaded me otherwise. I have no idea how because I have no recall of a lot of events that day

3) I didn’t sing, whoop or holler. I concentrated on breathing. Breathing is good. I like breathing. I also swore a great deal.

4) Nope !!!!!!

OK so the flight itself. I remember my instructor telling ground that it was an instructor drop off for student first solo.Then I recall him giving me some last minute advice. I know his mouth was moving, I know he was speaking English. I have no idea what he said.
I got my taxi clearance. Just to be 100% sure I told them that it was to enter the circuit for first solo. I trundled off to the run up area acutely aware that there was a honking big Dash 8 in front of me. I taxied very very slowly and kept my distance.

Did my checks, verbalized my GO/NO GO briefing. Laughed and asked myself “who the hell are you talking to?”, took on last look around to make sure no one was in my way and taxied to the hold short line. Where I waited

And waited

And waited

Suddenly there was a whole load of traffic in the circuit and a guy doing, stop and goes with a backtrack on MY runway!!!!!. After what felt like half an hour (probably 5 minutes) I made a call to the tower just to let them know I was there. Got the expected continue to hold short reply.

At some point I obviously got my takeoff clearance and I lined up to go. At 55 knots the tarmac and I parted company and I continued to fly runway heading as instructed by ATC. I recall being told to follow traffic(I think there were 4 of us in the circuit at this point). I did my downwind checks, everything was going great up to this point. Until I turned base….

At this point it just felt horribly wrong for some reason. The plane felt so nose high, yet my airspeed was fine. I was a little high so I throttled back some more and added another 10 of flaps. Still felt I was too nose up but the ASI said otherwise so I chose to believe it. Then ATC cleared the guy in front of me to stop and backtrack on my runway. He then tried to switch me to another one, with a significant crosswind.

What followed was the most excruciating radio call of my (admittedly short) flying career. You see I prefer the runway he offered me, but I still don’t like crosswinds. All of this was going through my head along with the realization I was already on final by this point. I literally “ummed“ and “erred” on the radio before accepting reluctantly the runway change ( bad move)

Finally Mr ATC man must have realized that I was on my first solo and instructed the plane in front to overshoot and cleared me for my first choice. Great now I just had to get it onto the tarmac.

I have surprisingly little memory of the landing. I know I bounced. I’d bounced a couple of them in the lesson before. I remember saying out loud “let it settle”. And it did. And I was on the ground.

JOB DONE !!!

PS If anyone is interested I have been blogging since I started my flight training. I don't think I'm allowed to tout the URL on here but if anyone wants to PM me. I will share. It has photos on it of me getting soaked!