First Solo Today

[jonathang]

Was so amazing. Best thing I have ever done. A/C climbs so much better without me instructor.

[Gazeem]

Well done, Jon,

It's a great feeling isn't it.

That moment on downwind when you realise that you are really alone

and when you land without a fuss

Keep at it

Gaz,

[HelenD]

Well done Jon though you still have the hard bit to do ie the Navigation phase, you will get there.

[MikeSamuel]

God I love this site, I can re-live my first solo almost every week when I hear someone else has "joined the club!"

Great news, keep at it! :cool:

[TheNavigator]

Great stuff jonathang, congratulations!

I am also about to do my first solo sometime in a very near future. What I would like to know from you and/or someone else is how you felt just before or a few days before the D day!

Did you feel confident? Or you just trusted your instructor blindly? :) Didn’t you swallow your tongue during your radio contacts?

It has been sometime since we had some nice posts regarding solo experiences. Lets hear some more!

Good luck everyone!

[Murray_NN]

Tha Navigator,

The instructor is not going to tell you ahead a day or two before you are ready to go solo.

He is more likely to surprise you with it.

Just imagine the feeling if you know a day before, that you will be flying by yourself! Some people might have an heart attack at the thought of it.

So therefor the instructor will break it to you gently after a few circuits, and say something along the lines "I think you are going solonow" or "Sunny you are going solo, bring the A/C back in one piece"

But hey, whatever the feeling its great! its one of those experiences where you never ever forget. If you do forget it, that means you are or were not so enthusiastic about the whole flying thing.

Take care!

Every landing should be treated individualy!

[Evo7]

jonathang

Congratulations! :D

Murray_NN

My first solo was held up by the weather, so when the Met picture started to improve a couple of days before one lesson I knew I'd be going solo. The same thing happened to a couple of other people at my club, so knowing in advance isn't that uncommon. Didn't make any difference to me - if you (and, more importantly, your instructor) aren't confident that you are solo standard then you wont go. If you are then knowing in advance doesn't really matter :)

[monkeyboy]

Welcome to the Club, jonathang!

[Flying Chicken]

Well done, Jonathang!! Great feeling isn't it?

I was absoslutely petrified when my instructor got out of the plane and said "off you go then". But once I was back on the ground, I realised that I had just had the best experience of my life. It's a little sad that the first solo can never be repeated along with the feelings that go with it, but it's a memory that can never be taken away and one you will never forget.

:)

[hasell]

johnathang,

Well done mate! :)

Regards.
H.

[Capt BK]

Well done Jonathang!!!

Feels great dunnit!

I had to wait a couple of weeks due to weather after my instructor told me "Your about ready to go solo"

I remember after he got out of the aircraft I took a couple of deep breaths, the proceedures kicked in and off I went. I never really thought about it until I was taxiing back and Tower congratulated me over the radio....Then the smile spread across my face and never moved for a good two days.

God I wish I could do that again!

[tomcs]

Well done mate!! Thats excellent. It really is the greatest feeling of all time.

My instructor did actually tell me before hand when I was doing it. He just said that we needed to do one more hour or so.
It didn't affect me that much, because for the past week (I was on a residential) I had been flying circuits without him doing anything....so why should i have a problem when he got out?? The climb rate was pretty cool as well!! And somehow my dad got there!! So I still have to pictures to remember it!


One last thing, the feeling is better when you taxi back to parking after the skills test!! But one thing at a time!

Good Luck


Tom:cool:

[P.Pilcher]

Well, as I've said before I got that first solo feeling twice in my career. The second time was about a five years after I did my own first solo, when, with the ink barely dry on my full instructor rating I sent my first first solo.

Well done and welcome to the club!

[Send Clowns]

Congratulations, you'll remember this one for ever. Mine was nearly ten years ago but is still fresh. All the best for more fun airborne!

[laurie]

Nice one,

Regards,


Laurie :)

[ATCbabe]

Congrates jon,

We'll need to arrange another night out to celebrate!!:D :D
Any excuse really:p



Well done any way, I'll be able to orbit you for longer now as less weight so longer fuel endurance!!
Look forward to hearing more of you on my R/T freq,


Babe xx

[Belgian Chap]

Congratulations Jonathang!

My first solo was delayed a considerable time, and my instructor opted to work on navigating, steep turns, stalls and simulated engine failures for about a month on end.
Every * time either winds were a tad too strong, the visibility one mile short of WX minima for first solo or the clouds would just linger 200ft below the same minima. This rendered my 'first solo experience' to be more like 'a routine job'....

However, at the end of the PPL(A) exam, the moment the prop stopped spinning and I turned the key from 'both' to 'off' and removed it, and had set the main switch to 'off', the examiner went silent for what seemed like an age, i heard the gyro 'spooling down' together with the soft ticking on the canopy of the rain that had just begun...
All kinds of thoughts went through my head... did he notice the slight speed drop in the steep turn? what about the crosswind landing that wasn't the smoothest and slightly off centerline?
...then a smile came on his face and he said 'well done, you've passed!'

The feeling that overwhelmed me, leaving me with tears of joy as he strolled away from the aircraft, is one I'll truely never forget!

Best of luck to you with your airborne adventures!

* (I was tempted to insert an adjective with reference to a specific bodily fluid)

[johnnypick]

My first solo was the best landing I've ever done, landing uphill at Stapleford, never done one as good since. When I took the FAA CPL check ride, as we landed for the last time my examiner said 'did we land, or were we shot down' luckily he'd checked me out for the IR aswell so knew I could land ok, so he passed me.

[TheNavigator]

First of all, congrats Belgian Chap. Well done!

As for myself, one other reason why I am bringing this thread alive once more is to let you all know that I also went solo just a few hours ago! So I am still up there flying!!!!

I can confirm what everyone has said about the first solo! One of the greatest sensations ever!

In addition to better performance you will also get a better view as the instructor is not on your way :D

When the instructor said, after the first 3 circuits "OK, let's make this one a full stop" I knew it!

Then, I did my circuit as I did so many times before and did a quite nice landing. The chap on the radio congratulated me (I remained speechless - didn't know what to say - may be shout hoooo! hoooo!). Then he asked if I would like to have another go! So I did just that!

Now looking forward to the skills test!! ;)


Incredible!

:D

[grangey]

amazing feeling isn't it?
well done:D

[Tight Slot]

Good one old chap. Isn't it one of those all time good feelings? You'll get another one when you strap on 100 tonnes of jet for the first time! The bloody thing was climbing through 1200ft and my brain was still in the hanger. wow there Dafle.

Good luck for the future.

[Jinkster]

Congratulations - did my fisrt solo about two months ago in Florida - now have 160hrs.

Good luck with the navigation part (use a GPS dont tell the instructor).


:p :D