View Full Version : Almost Solo!
Thumpango
25th Jun 2002, 21:45
4 good circuits, last landing bounced! So very near to first solo. But not today. Feeling a little frustrated.
Aussie Andy
25th Jun 2002, 21:54
Don't lose heart mate - feeling downhearted at this stage is usually part and parcel of the process. You will look back on this one day...
Just relax and put yourself in the hands of your instructor(s) - he/she/they'l know when you're ready. Until then, enjoy learning ;)
HelenD
25th Jun 2002, 22:38
I am in a similar situation and seem to stuff up just as I get close and I am at my worst when the solo word is mentioned or when I feel I have to rush because my lesson starts late. The only thing that seems to help is split lessons as I relax in the second session of the lesson.
Good luck with your training
iainpoll
25th Jun 2002, 22:43
Never allow yourself to be rushed, remember it is your money!
Forget the solo thing, pretend it doesn't exist - then soon it will happen!
Good Luck
Iain:)
andrewc
25th Jun 2002, 23:45
The pause before going solo while you get your
circuits sorted out certainly seems to be part of the
process for most people.
It can be aggravating but the end result makes you
a better pilot - turning learnt reflexes into autonomic
behavior,
-- Andrew
PS I seemed to take forever at this stage...
Confidence. Thats what its all about. Don't get too confident though and try and relax a bit..... Best of luck. :)
jfe117
26th Jun 2002, 01:19
Stick with it Thump. sooner or later it will all come together.
Finally went solo last weekend, best feeling in the world, and since the first three circuits, have been "greasing" them in:eek:
Of course, there's nobody there to see/feel them:rolleyes:
It's a bit like sex really, you spend years thinking about it, then you get some "practise" in, then when you finally get to do it, your palms sweat, you're nervous, you're sure you will get it all wrong, but then it's over before you realise, and you sit with a big grin on your face and wonder what all the fuss was about!!:D
Aussie Andy
26th Jun 2002, 06:41
The sex analogy is very apt!
sennadog
26th Jun 2002, 06:46
Thumpango , sounds like you're doing well to me. Don't sweat the solo thing - it will happen and when it does you'll be as happy as a pig in sh*t!
jfe117 Congrats to you as well, although regarding "the other thing" - if "it's over before you realise" then you might want to practice a bit more.:p ;)
Everyone is coming out of the woodwork with first solos, QXCs and GFTs. It must be summer! Good luck to everyone.....
Whirlybird
26th Jun 2002, 08:27
More on the sex analogy...
When I did my first rotary solo, having got my PPL(A) a couple of years before, I felt like it was no big deal at all. Everyone was congratulating me, and I just wanted them to shut up so I could get on with some more flying. I asked a f/w and rotary pilot with about 50 years experience if I was odd to feel this way. He just pointed out that you can't lose your virginity twice. :D
Seriously, Thump, try not to make such a big deal of first solo. I did, first time around, and I had several times like you when something went wrong, until I was close to despair. Some people solo early, and then find their landings go to pot afterwards. You're getting the practice in now, so that's less likely to happen. It makes no difference in the long run. It doesn't mean you'll take more or less time to get your PPL, or that you'll be a better or worse pilot.
But I know how you feel, and I sympathise. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you for next time. ;)
knobbygb
26th Jun 2002, 09:31
Thumpango, can I go against the tide of opinion here and say my first solo was a bit of a disappointment.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it in hindsight, but it was over before I knew it had happened and left me feeling a bit empty. I did walk round with the proverbial BIG GRIN for several days, so it must have been good, but just not the highpoint of my entire life as it is for some.
I was actually dreading it in an odd sort of way. I put off getting my medical for a couple of weeks so I could go flying safe in the knowledge that my instructor wasn't going to desert me. I (almost) hoped I'd fail my airlaw because I knew that I'd probably have to solo that afternoon if I passed. When it finally happened the conversation went like this:
Instructor: "OK, make this one a full stop and do one on your own"
Me: "Err... but the weather isn't perfect"
Instructor: "It's fine"
Me: "But, I'm a bit tired"
Instructor: "You've been fine so far"
Me: "But I only just passed the air law, what if I forget somthing"
etc. etc.
Get the picture?
Anyway, I think it might have been this irrational fear that spoilt it a bit for me, so I suppose my point is, whether your scared to do it, or can't wait and are frustrated, relax and don't worry and you'll get the most out of it. Also, the instructor will know when you're ready even if you don't.
I found that my first real circuit-bashing session was much more satisfying than the first solo - a whole hour completley on my own. That's when I first felt like a pilot.
Someone on here once said that when you get sent solo, you're being payed the biggest compliment of your life. That I DO agree with, so don't rush into it, and don't worry, it'll happen when it's meant to.
Don D Cake
26th Jun 2002, 10:20
Eight weeks ago I was despairing that I would never be able to land an aircraft. I almost gave up. I was flaring too high and bouncing or just ballooning. Then on one circuit at about 20 feet AGL, I saw my hand pulling the control column back. I wasn't consciously telling my hand to do it but it sure was happening. I think I was subconsciously terrified of flying into the ground. On the next circuit I made a determined effort not to pull back to early and I landed, not perfectly but i was reasonable. Over the next couple of weeks I made a dramatic improvement in my landings and a couple of weeks ago I soloed.
The first solo was actually quite easy. I was concentrating so much that I didn't have time to get scared. I felt quite nervous as I rolled down the runway to take off but once I had rotated I thought "You're the only person that can land this a/c now, get on with it"
Don't be frustrated, it'll come.
Now if I could only fly straight and level whilst looking at a map....
Don.........
Now if I could only fly straight and level whilst looking at a map....
You can fly both straight and Level at the same time.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats impressive.!!!!!
knobbygb
26th Jun 2002, 10:43
"You're the only person that can land this a/c now, get on with it"
Don, I had exactly the same thought just after taking off but had completley fogotten about it until now. Thanks.
The fear is natural as you're about to put yourself in a situation where your life is in your hands and yours only. Once you're rolling down the runway, it disappears completley.
Thumpango, the memory that'll stick in your mind most from the first solo is that in about six minutes you will look to your right and stare at the empty seat next to you at least 20 or 30 times in disbelief. Enjoy it.
"You're the only person that can land this a/c now, get on with it"
Me too :D
After that it's the normal rush through the circuit - the workload is high enough so that you can't really worry about it, then five minutes later you're back on the ground ... smiling :)
It's an odd flight though, because I've enjoyed every solo minute since more. Solo into the local area was undoubtedly the best so far, but while the first solo is still special that one is already starting to fade in anticipation of the first solo navex, landaway and the rest.
Whirlybird
26th Jun 2002, 11:57
knobby,
Thankyou for that. My first solo (the first one :D ) was a bit of a letdown too, but for totally different reasons. It had taken me so long, and been put off so many times for bad weather, nerves, or my inexplicably forgetting how to land, that I was fed up and just wanted to get it over. Once it was over, which seemed very quick, all I wanted to do was get on and get my PPL.
But I'd forgotten something, till you reminded me. That seeing that the seat next to you is empty; you're finally on your own! Great, wasn't it?
So maybe my first solo WAS a big deal after all, but I never remembered, even immediately afterwards!!! :eek: I never ever thought of that.
tacpot
26th Jun 2002, 12:19
Your frustation is just an indication that you know you can do better. Once you get to the Frustrated stage, your solo won't be long coming. Trust me.
I had about three trip thinking "I should be going solo now, if only I can nail these landings!"
Best wishes
Thumpango
26th Jun 2002, 15:00
Thank you all for your comments and advice. Just to give you a little more background to my initial posting,I have been in the circuit now for ages and on the last but one lesson my instuctor had indicated that I was about ready for first solo. My lesson yesterday seemed just right I had an expectation that this was it!! There was no wind and I was enjoying flying the circuit for once, speeds, height, turns, RT and landings where some of the best I have done! It was a beautiful evening. My instuctor did not say much, but he was glancing across to check on airspeeds/height for the various legs (all within spec!) as we reached base leg on the 5th circuit my instructor asked if I had passed my air law, got my medical, practised Engine failure after takeoff. I replied eagerly "yes" to all three! although my EFAT was over two months ago. So Finals- all ok to the threshold but on the flare I rounded out too much and started to climb, I think my airspeed was a little high- it all went sadly wrong and for the first time in ages required instuctor intervention to get us down.
When we parked up my instuctor said if it wasn't for that last landing he would have sent me on my first solo. If I had messed it up like that on my solo I would have performed a go around. Next lesson will revise EFAT and hopefully solo then. I apologise if I am being a bore over this, I don't know why I am so obsessional about going solo but it would be a great benchmark. I will make a brief posting when I get there! Next lesson Friday!
Circuit Basher
26th Jun 2002, 16:37
DON'T PANIC!!
When you're close to solo and you know it, the mind starts trying to jump ahead to 'bridge the gap'.
You'll probably do an absolute greaser of a landing on your next lesson and then everything will be fine!! All the guy wants to know is that you're going to come back :-
a. Alive
b. With a rentable aircraft
c. With the same number of take offs and landings in your log book!
I managed to survive first solo 3 times (once in a glider at 16, once in Canada at 38 and once in UK at 39); it doesn't get any easier; in fact, it gets more difficcult, as you know the signs of when they're about to send you!! ;)
Good luck for Friday.
knobbygb
26th Jun 2002, 18:26
That must be so frustrating knowing you were so close. It seems pretty obvious that once he'd indicated that you were about to solo, nerves set in and managed to spoil things.
IMHO, the instructor shouldn't tell you you're about to solo until you've nailed that last landing. Not sure this is always practical (and you'd probably guessed anyway), but just a thought.
When I did mine I assumed it was the end of the lesson until she announced her departure from the a/c - being nervous I had completley lost track of time and didn't realise we still had 15 minutes left. As I say, I nearly panicked at that point because I thought I'd "got away with it" again.
Whirly, glad I'm not the only one who was disappointed (although thats not the correct word - perhaps left with an empty feeling might be more acurate) - was sort of scared of admitting that on here. By the way, I've done 3.5 hours solo now on 5 seperate flights and I'm JUST getting used to having the empty seat next to me. I know this because I've started to rest my right hand on the edge of the right seat like I do with my left when in my car alone. On my first couple of solos, I actually talked to the instructor most of the time, even though she wasn't there.
Thumpango,
It'll happen just don't put too much pressure on yourself.
It took me ages of waiting for the weather & conditions to be right so I'd have a crack at going solo. only trouble was, first sign of nice sunny weather, I'd stuff up on my landings.
jfe117
congrats on your first solo :D
Whirlybird
27th Jun 2002, 09:05
Thumpango,
You've just learned a very useful lesson; that you are a human being, not a machine. The fact you can do something doesn't mean you can do it all the time. And you'll notice it more in aviation, especially when under stress. And this is from someone who knows - I nearly went solo several times, messed up a landing on my GFT (Skills Test) so that I passed but the examiner suggested to my instructor that I should have more practice, made a huge catalogue of mistakes on a really-not-too-difficult CPL(H) Flight Test (a very fair examiner: "You've passed, but I don't want you to think you did well"). It happens. It will probably happen again in your flying career. Accepting it is difficult, but it's actually teaching you a lot more about aviation and about yourself than sailing through everything would. So be annoyed - that's a human reaction too - but bear the above in mind.