Which "First" is the best?
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Which "First" is the best?
Which first experience is the best/most memorable for everyone?
1. First time you ever got airbourne in an aircraft
2. First time you took control
3. First solo
4. Passing skills test
5. Sending someone on their first solo
6. Topping 1000 hours
Any others?
For me, sending the first student on their first solo is the most memorable thing, even more mind blowing than my own first solo. The complete unknown, wondering if I'd done the right thing, I could barely watch the landing in case he veered off the runway, or simply landed it on the nosewheel, but he brought it in to a very nice touchdown, and everyone actually congratulated me!
I still get butterflies when I send someone on their first solo, you just never know what they might do without you on board, no matter how many perfect circuits they've flown with you.
1. First time you ever got airbourne in an aircraft
2. First time you took control
3. First solo
4. Passing skills test
5. Sending someone on their first solo
6. Topping 1000 hours
Any others?
For me, sending the first student on their first solo is the most memorable thing, even more mind blowing than my own first solo. The complete unknown, wondering if I'd done the right thing, I could barely watch the landing in case he veered off the runway, or simply landed it on the nosewheel, but he brought it in to a very nice touchdown, and everyone actually congratulated me!
I still get butterflies when I send someone on their first solo, you just never know what they might do without you on board, no matter how many perfect circuits they've flown with you.
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My most memorable 'first'' has nothing to do with aviation. 
My most memorable first aviation achievement must still be thatfirst solo, in an RAF air cadet glider in 1983.
My most memorable first aviation achievement must still be thatfirst solo, in an RAF air cadet glider in 1983.
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First time IFR entering the clouds, flying controlled in IMC. then this was surpassed by short time after at 6000 ft popping out in top and sitting about 30ft above an OVC layer as far as you can see...
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leaving the comfort of the circuit on my first solo cross country
Never having pulled the handle (thankfully) my ejector seat hours are memorable, but not that memorable.
Definitely my first solo - non-radio from an obscure airfield in Yorkshire, 30 October 1992.
G
Definitely my first solo - non-radio from an obscure airfield in Yorkshire, 30 October 1992.
G
First night solo land away cross country in the Beechcraft Baron in 1970 from Hamble to Southend for a touch and go and return.
At the age of 19 years to be solo in that fantastic machine at night was unforgettable.
At the age of 19 years to be solo in that fantastic machine at night was unforgettable.
Never having pulled the handle (thankfully)
If you rang the bell at the top you got a special prize!
Never got a go on that sadly, I'm too young probably.
Did have the handle in my hand twice that I recall, both got dangerously close to being ultra-memorable for this Flight Test Engineer's taste, and are memorable enough.
G
Did have the handle in my hand twice that I recall, both got dangerously close to being ultra-memorable for this Flight Test Engineer's taste, and are memorable enough.
G
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First time sending a student solo
And first time with commercial pax in the back. I just had this huge feeling of being a fraud. They had payed good money to have me flying them with a grand total of 1 hour and 6 landings in the aircraft under my belt.
And first time with commercial pax in the back. I just had this huge feeling of being a fraud. They had payed good money to have me flying them with a grand total of 1 hour and 6 landings in the aircraft under my belt.
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Nope and didn't give the a debrief afterwards either.
I never watched any of the 30 or so folk I have sent solo. And funny enough none of them crashed and even if they had done there would have been bugger all I could have done about it anyway.
But then again maybe you could have swished your hamble cape round your shoulders and lept into the air and saved the day.
Persoanlly I just trained them properly to start with and when I sent them solo I had no doudt in my mind what the outcome was going to be.
I never watched any of the 30 or so folk I have sent solo. And funny enough none of them crashed and even if they had done there would have been bugger all I could have done about it anyway.
But then again maybe you could have swished your hamble cape round your shoulders and lept into the air and saved the day.
Persoanlly I just trained them properly to start with and when I sent them solo I had no doudt in my mind what the outcome was going to be.
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"I never watched any of the 30 or so folk I have sent solo"
Best way.
As the student see's that you didn't look back and sa you walk straight into the cafe for a brew. It gives them the impression that you think they are good enough. Which of course they are.
Best way.
As the student see's that you didn't look back and sa you walk straight into the cafe for a brew. It gives them the impression that you think they are good enough. Which of course they are.