I finally did it!!!
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I finally did it!!!
My Fellow Ppruners
Please indulge me while I allow my sheer happiness to overflow for a bit – in your forum.
Yesterday I did my first solo. Not unusual on this website I hear you say.
However…I have been in the circuit for 6 months trying to learn to land in lovely (?) gusty crosswinds. The weather this year…on Saturdays in particular… has been well and truly crap. It prevented me building any confidence in myself and certainly tested my instructor’s reflexes and patience whilst I tried to invent new and novel ways of killing us both.
The conditions were so bad (to me!!) that I even went through a longish period when all I’d do is go-arounds. I was scared to get near the ground in case the wing hit the runway if a gust caught me out.
Through the months of frustrations a number of Ppruners have been chatting to me and virtually SHOUTING at me down the PM system telling me to RELAX!!!! To Kaptain Kremen, Whirlybird and StiknRuda – Thank you.
I was so overwhelmed and emotional yesterday that I’m sure I forgot to thank the most important person in this saga – HFD (His anonymity intact!!).
Thank you for having the faith in me to do it on a day when the circuit pattern had been changed and the cloud base was low.
Thank you for giving me the confidence to look at the empty seat and not freak out. Thank you for drumming the pre landing checks into me so that I really didn’t have to think too hard how to do them.
Thank you for teaching me sufficient restraint so that I didn’t press the PTT and let everyone know how bad my language can be when an airplane suddenly appeared in front of me on Final (I didn’t even hear him call downwind!!).
Thank you for giving me the confidence to execute a go around, moving onto the dead side and keep the little bu**er in sight at all times.
Thank you for giving me the confidence to fly the “old” circuit pattern to try and get separation between us.
Thank you for teaching me so well that I could fly at the right speed, at the right height and on the right heading whilst frantically trying to spot where the hell he’d gone.
Thank you for teaching me to focus and give the approach my undivided attention so that I actually wasn’t the slightest bit nervous of what I was about to attempt (am I stupid or what??)
Thank you for coming to the airplane, opening the door, crouching down on the wing and giving me the biggest smile.
I don’t know if thank you are the words for laughing at me when I was obviously so emotional that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but was certainly starting to shake – but at least I didn’t fall apart until after the airplane was parked and made safe and for that I thank you.
I don’t know if thank you is the right thing to say for letting the CFI shove a camera at me and try to get me to smile – totally impossible at the time - I was still too shocked that I’d actually done it.
But I will say thank you for when I finally managed to get out of the airplane, you could see how much my hands were shaking and you put your arm around me for the photo.
Thank you for getting all of the staff to hunt high and low for the first solo certificates because you wanted me to have it THAT DAY.
Thank you for finding the corkscrew for the wine my partner brought to the club when I text him the magic word – “SOLO”.
Thank you (hmmm) for being the strictest, hardest, most critical, perfectionist instructor in the air – the hard man reputation is deserved!!
But also thank you for being the nicest, sweetest, gentlest and supportive person on the ground – Hard man reputation now well and truly shattered!!!
Going solo isn’t like doing aeros, where the adrenalin kicks in and the grin starts immediately.
It had to sink in….
I had to think about what I’d done and re-live virtually every hour I’ve been in the air up until that moment – all the frustrations, the doubts, believing I’d never come up to HFD’s expectations and that I was letting him down.
I had to re-live my 2 circuits and one landing, probably several hundred times.
I had to drink copious amounts of red wine at the Clubs Halloween party last night and wake up this morning without a hangover but a BIG smirk on my face.
Whilst writing this… the smile is getting bigger, and bigger and I’ve re-lived the moment again and again.
In case you didn’t get it HFD – THANK YOU.
You’ve made me the happiest person on the planet.
Your totally, utterly, devoted student
MG
Please indulge me while I allow my sheer happiness to overflow for a bit – in your forum.
Yesterday I did my first solo. Not unusual on this website I hear you say.
However…I have been in the circuit for 6 months trying to learn to land in lovely (?) gusty crosswinds. The weather this year…on Saturdays in particular… has been well and truly crap. It prevented me building any confidence in myself and certainly tested my instructor’s reflexes and patience whilst I tried to invent new and novel ways of killing us both.
The conditions were so bad (to me!!) that I even went through a longish period when all I’d do is go-arounds. I was scared to get near the ground in case the wing hit the runway if a gust caught me out.
Through the months of frustrations a number of Ppruners have been chatting to me and virtually SHOUTING at me down the PM system telling me to RELAX!!!! To Kaptain Kremen, Whirlybird and StiknRuda – Thank you.
I was so overwhelmed and emotional yesterday that I’m sure I forgot to thank the most important person in this saga – HFD (His anonymity intact!!).
Thank you for having the faith in me to do it on a day when the circuit pattern had been changed and the cloud base was low.
Thank you for giving me the confidence to look at the empty seat and not freak out. Thank you for drumming the pre landing checks into me so that I really didn’t have to think too hard how to do them.
Thank you for teaching me sufficient restraint so that I didn’t press the PTT and let everyone know how bad my language can be when an airplane suddenly appeared in front of me on Final (I didn’t even hear him call downwind!!).
Thank you for giving me the confidence to execute a go around, moving onto the dead side and keep the little bu**er in sight at all times.
Thank you for giving me the confidence to fly the “old” circuit pattern to try and get separation between us.
Thank you for teaching me so well that I could fly at the right speed, at the right height and on the right heading whilst frantically trying to spot where the hell he’d gone.
Thank you for teaching me to focus and give the approach my undivided attention so that I actually wasn’t the slightest bit nervous of what I was about to attempt (am I stupid or what??)
Thank you for coming to the airplane, opening the door, crouching down on the wing and giving me the biggest smile.
I don’t know if thank you are the words for laughing at me when I was obviously so emotional that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but was certainly starting to shake – but at least I didn’t fall apart until after the airplane was parked and made safe and for that I thank you.
I don’t know if thank you is the right thing to say for letting the CFI shove a camera at me and try to get me to smile – totally impossible at the time - I was still too shocked that I’d actually done it.
But I will say thank you for when I finally managed to get out of the airplane, you could see how much my hands were shaking and you put your arm around me for the photo.
Thank you for getting all of the staff to hunt high and low for the first solo certificates because you wanted me to have it THAT DAY.
Thank you for finding the corkscrew for the wine my partner brought to the club when I text him the magic word – “SOLO”.
Thank you (hmmm) for being the strictest, hardest, most critical, perfectionist instructor in the air – the hard man reputation is deserved!!
But also thank you for being the nicest, sweetest, gentlest and supportive person on the ground – Hard man reputation now well and truly shattered!!!
Going solo isn’t like doing aeros, where the adrenalin kicks in and the grin starts immediately.
It had to sink in….
I had to think about what I’d done and re-live virtually every hour I’ve been in the air up until that moment – all the frustrations, the doubts, believing I’d never come up to HFD’s expectations and that I was letting him down.
I had to re-live my 2 circuits and one landing, probably several hundred times.
I had to drink copious amounts of red wine at the Clubs Halloween party last night and wake up this morning without a hangover but a BIG smirk on my face.
Whilst writing this… the smile is getting bigger, and bigger and I’ve re-lived the moment again and again.
In case you didn’t get it HFD – THANK YOU.
You’ve made me the happiest person on the planet.
Your totally, utterly, devoted student
MG
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May I be the first then to write "Congratulations" and " well done " 
I hope that you keep it up and continue to face the challenges within aviation.
Well done
MrM
I hope that you keep it up and continue to face the challenges within aviation.
Well done
MrM
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May I also be the second to second the congratulations fellicitated above.
I still remember vividly my first solo. I can tell you the exact time, date, aircraft reg, weather, cloud, wind, even what the instructor said as the bounded off the wing with a cheery wave. Everything about that day was golden, and I guess the shame is that I will never get the same sense of elation that I had that glorious day. Enjoy the moment.
I still remember vividly my first solo. I can tell you the exact time, date, aircraft reg, weather, cloud, wind, even what the instructor said as the bounded off the wing with a cheery wave. Everything about that day was golden, and I guess the shame is that I will never get the same sense of elation that I had that glorious day. Enjoy the moment.
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Nice one
Nice one Mad Girl. Enjoy the moment, it'll get more and more crazy from now on. Nothing like looking across at that empty right hand seat, whilst you are "temporarily uncertain of position" on a solo nav ex...
Tabs please !
Your first solo out of the circuit will be almost as much fun.
Well done, now go and hang the certificate in the loo
Well done, now go and hang the certificate in the loo
Join Date: Oct 2006
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So basically from what I can gather on your first solo you had some joker come in and cut you up on final? Thats harsh, would have **** myself if that had happened to me on my first one, well done!
By the way, whoever this girl's instructor is, get in there! She obviously fancies the pants off you!
By the way, whoever this girl's instructor is, get in there! She obviously fancies the pants off you!
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Mad Girl - Fantastic girl!
Your write up reminded me of my very first solo flight over 15 years ago. You hear about all of those that go smoothly and how fantastic it was, blah, blah.
On my first solo I took off without having set the flaps. I knew that it wasn't right when I did my checks after take off. ATC changed runways on me... So that added some more time in the air (loved it) The landing went well ..... Until I lost my nerve as it seemed to float on forever (AA5) and I decided that I should go around. I opened the throttle and "forgot" the nose pitch up.
The next attempt went like a dream. Not having the bulk of another body by the side of you makes a lot of difference.
My instructor was a "real" instructor who was doing it for the love of it. Like yours he made damned sure I had all the tools (and could demonstrate that I had them) to deal with eventualities, before sending me out. Even if I did make a pigs ear of it first time. I learned a heck of a lot on that first solo. From that point on I really got on well with my instructor. I even told him about my fears and weaknesses, that I wouldn't do before that flight.
From what you have said. I feel that you will make a great pilot. Your instructor IMO is worth his weight in Gold. Keep hold of him! They are hard to find. I'm really happy for you.
Astral
Your write up reminded me of my very first solo flight over 15 years ago. You hear about all of those that go smoothly and how fantastic it was, blah, blah.
On my first solo I took off without having set the flaps. I knew that it wasn't right when I did my checks after take off. ATC changed runways on me... So that added some more time in the air (loved it) The landing went well ..... Until I lost my nerve as it seemed to float on forever (AA5) and I decided that I should go around. I opened the throttle and "forgot" the nose pitch up.
The next attempt went like a dream. Not having the bulk of another body by the side of you makes a lot of difference.
My instructor was a "real" instructor who was doing it for the love of it. Like yours he made damned sure I had all the tools (and could demonstrate that I had them) to deal with eventualities, before sending me out. Even if I did make a pigs ear of it first time. I learned a heck of a lot on that first solo. From that point on I really got on well with my instructor. I even told him about my fears and weaknesses, that I wouldn't do before that flight.
From what you have said. I feel that you will make a great pilot. Your instructor IMO is worth his weight in Gold. Keep hold of him! They are hard to find. I'm really happy for you.
Astral
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Leave HFD alone!!!!
I love him dearly - but so does my male partner
(well... likes him a lot anyway!! )Had a highly enjoyable evening with HFD and Mrs HFD at the halloween party - from what I can remember...
Sorry HFD - Didn't mean to embarrass you - I'm just Happy!!!
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baboon boy. I presume you have never taught any female pilots.
They are actually some of the most rewarding students to teach for a bloke but unfortuantly there should be a seperate FI rating on how to deal with them.
They do have the tendency to become very attached to the instructor which they get on best with. Not always in a romantic manner although what goes on in their heads is a different matter, it just seems more to do with a method of dealing with the stress they are under. Mrs HFD was proberly teasing the hell out of him after being told what a wonderfull person he was by all his pissed up female students.
Things that could have been dealt with, with a chuckle and "you knob" with a bloke. Have to be treated like a live grenade otherwise an explosion of tears will follow.
Well done mad_girl and have fun with the rest of the course.
They are actually some of the most rewarding students to teach for a bloke but unfortuantly there should be a seperate FI rating on how to deal with them.
They do have the tendency to become very attached to the instructor which they get on best with. Not always in a romantic manner although what goes on in their heads is a different matter, it just seems more to do with a method of dealing with the stress they are under. Mrs HFD was proberly teasing the hell out of him after being told what a wonderfull person he was by all his pissed up female students.
Things that could have been dealt with, with a chuckle and "you knob" with a bloke. Have to be treated like a live grenade otherwise an explosion of tears will follow.
Well done mad_girl and have fun with the rest of the course.
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They are actually some of the most rewarding students to teach for a bloke but unfortuantly there should be a seperate FI rating on how to deal with them.
A very experienced female instructor friend assures me that women learn to fly differently from men, and need to be taught differently. She found it hard to elaborate, but felt that more research needed to be done on this. I haven't taught many women to fly, but my gut feeling is that she's right. Aviation is still very male-orientated, on the whole. I certainly felt this in the beginning; I don't so much now, probably either because I've changed or because I'm used to it. Of course, every student is different anyway. And a man teaching a woman is probably different from a woman teaching another woman etc etc. Nevertheless, is this an aspect of instructing that we ought to pay more attention to?
(BTW, for those who don't know me, I'm female - a whirly....bird.)
Editing as I just thought of something.....
Most women know that other women are sensitive, and likely to get hurt at criticism or being yelled at. Consequently, I rarely yell at my male students; I assume that because it was counter productive for me to be yelled at, it will be for them to. However, just occasionally I have to - it's the only way to get through to them. And they love it! I find it incomprehensible, but they do!!! Now, is this because men expect or like this teaching method, or is it just their surprise that this small, middle-aged female instructor who's usually so quiet and patient suddenly changes completely, and they like the novelty? Or what?
Answers seriously wanted please.
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Congratulations
Congratulations Mad Girl. And well done for coping with the unexpected on your first solo.
And to Whirlybird - I'm male, and I don't like being yelled at. However there are obviously some times when I've warranted it 
And to Whirlybird - I'm male, and I don't like being yelled at. However there are obviously some times when I've warranted it
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On a light note
Was sitting at the hold with a ball busting totally focused soon to be modular commercial female student.
Stu " there are alot of birds on the runway"
me "me well if your not happy tell the tower"
Stu tells tower.
Landy comes screaming out and does its work.
Stu does power checks, half way through birdy lets loose with a flash bang.
30 seconds later I was taxing back to the apron with a sore gut after being punched with the stu in tears thinking I had just got her to order the murder of said birds.
Was sitting at the hold with a ball busting totally focused soon to be modular commercial female student.
Stu " there are alot of birds on the runway"
me "me well if your not happy tell the tower"
Stu tells tower.
Landy comes screaming out and does its work.
Stu does power checks, half way through birdy lets loose with a flash bang.
30 seconds later I was taxing back to the apron with a sore gut after being punched with the stu in tears thinking I had just got her to order the murder of said birds.
Last edited by tescoapp; 30th Oct 2006 at 12:59.
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This is an interesting point, and probably warrants a separate thread rather than highjacking this one...apologies in advance, MG.
A very experienced female instructor friend assures me that women learn to fly differently from men, and need to be taught differently. She found it hard to elaborate, but felt that more research needed to be done on this.
A very experienced female instructor friend assures me that women learn to fly differently from men, and need to be taught differently. She found it hard to elaborate, but felt that more research needed to be done on this.
One of my intructors later on in my training was a woman. The dynamics were different and the pace of my learning did change. I cannot put a finger on what was going on. I certainly didn't get some of the innuendo and puzzled responses at the way I acted, as I did with the men.
I should have pointed out that I am a woman in my previous post.
Astral
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I certainly didn't get some of the innuendo and puzzled responses at the way I acted, as I did with the men.
Its not just flying this problem arises. Driver training is exactly the same.
While teaching HGV you have to get the students to think about the mass of the machine and the amount of lethal damage it will do if you miss handle it.
The discussion I used to do was along the lines of your driving down a urban main road at 30 mph and a cat runs out (this goes for cars as well BTW). What do you do?
95% women and about 10% of blokes would say they would perform an emergency stop try and avoid it.
Which isn't the right answer (and nor is ignore it and do nothing)
But 100% gave the correct answer for a child running out who was chasing the cat.
The different sex's allocate different priorites to actions you just have to get used to this fact. And adjust your teaching to suit. I agree that alot more should be done to understand the differences and to incorporate into instructors training. There are more and more lady pilots about which is a good thing. And it is also a huge market (in the grand scale of a very small market) which I think the majority of schools have failed to capitalise on.
PS i think the mods should do a bit of editing into a new thread and leave this thread as a monument to the flying progress of the flying babe who is mad girl