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.

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.

Being a pilots forum, I thought it went without saying I meant aviation firts.

Feel free to share any others though :}

Undoubtedly it was leaving the comfort of the circuit on my first solo cross country.

BB

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...

I barely remember my first solo nav. First time I flew over my house was quite memorable - seeing my parents waving up was pretty cool.

First (vertical) ride on a Bang Seat should stick in most people's memories.

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

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.

In the good old days we all got a ride on the Test Rig to inspire confidence.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/43823021/Ejection%20Rig.jpg
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

My first spin, loved it!

My first.
 

My first time I was at 3000ft and the prop was no longer spinning.
Mmm its a little quiet all of a sudden.

First solo unquestionably.

and

Opening my second ATPL exam cert to find that I had passed all my exams.

First realisation I could spell airborne......and of course the first go at P1. K4 glider for me at RAF Upavon a million years ago.

Happy Christmas to all.

GGR

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.

Did you watch that one, or did your casual attitude develop later?

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"

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.

brew? more often poo, 15mins of peace bliss.

My first Transatlantic crossing, with an experienced buddy - Cessna 303

Undoubtably that first solo for me (amazing) followed by sending my first student for a solo (nervous), followed by my first base check on a jet (exhilarating)

First time I flew an IAP to minimums and the runway appeared out of the murk, just where it was meant to be.
On the Group 'B' course as it was then, when we shut down the left engine and feathered the prop, thought it was quite surreal at the time to see the stationary blades.
While having a go in helicopter, the instructor putting it into a hover at a reasonable altitude, very bizarre 0KIAS and not moving forward, not a problem near the ground, but very strange higher up.

Memorable, but not perhaps in a particularly good way;
When someone manages to turn the fuel "off" instead of "left" in a PA38, or more interestingly in a PA28.
The student moving the mixture to full lean/ICO, instead of reducing power with throttle or selecting the carb. heat on/hot.
Having your student rapidly move the controls fully forward, right to the stop on a stall recovery, totally ignoring the brief and demo.
My first EFATO, ignored all my own rules and turned-back.
My first airprox (airmiss as it was then), just going around from a PFL, to see a Tornado going straight over the top of us, followed by very choppy few seconds (but seemed like minutes) and a total inability to climb.
The first time I had an engine failure and seeing actually how much greater the rate of descent was with a windmilling prop, rather than with idle power.

On a lighter note and probably not really something to aspire to;
The first time you s**g one one of your students ;)

Sent another first solo today, there's nothing like the look of joy on their face when they get back. The best ones are the ones who have the look of panic as you climb out, then come back so happy with themselves.

I've only had one who didn't seem bothered afterwards, just like a brick wall to talk to. Dead boring to teach.

1. Getting Heinz tinned spaghetti vomited :yuk: on me and most of the cockpit by a 14 year old. Lovely 20 minute flight back..!


2. The first student that I sent solo went around - twice! (shame he wasn't at the controls of the final Concorde flight at Filton eh:=)

Tower radioed across to the flight school and asked me to run over and talk him down.

Terrified and half way across the apron he thankfully landed after his third attempt. He said he felt unstable and remembered me saying that if you weren't happy then go around and have another go!

To this day, I'm still not sure that he ever was unstable but just having the time of his life ;)

3. First circuit in a A320

Best "first one" certainly wasn't aviation related :p

Otherwise I'd say my first license skill test felt best.

Being asked by LA Centre to monitor 121.5 to see if I can hear an ELT on my first solo cross country with "flight following".

Hopefully the reminder that this is a risky business that requires complete concentration and dedication from the night before until the final landing will stick with me forever. I never want to be complacent.

Well, first solo itself and then the first time I sent one goes without saying, but many years ago, during my teaching days, I was sitting in our staffroom on a frosty November morning and was one of the first to arrive. A colleague not aware of my normal weekend activities arrived and while we waited for the first mug of tea to have the desired warming effect, a conversation started: "Are you watching that programme "Fighter Pilot"
"No, not really, but I saw the trailer - sending a first solo wasn't it?"
"Oh I watched every second of it - the responsibility of sending someone to fly an aeroplane on their own for the first time ...e.t.c. e.t.c."

"Erm... yes I suppose so - I sent two last Saturday morning!" I said as I left the room to get ready for my first (Physics) lesson of the day.

P.P.

My first solo sticks in my mind, and having tower yell at me for being above pattern altitude, cause I was busy watching the FedEx 727 land. (Gotta know where that wake turbulence ends right!?)

Then like 2 semesters later I remember driving away from the airport thinking about my crazy life. My 8:00 class was my flight lab then I had a 10:30 French class, that kinda made me giggle all semester.

I still think my first student's solo is the most memorable. I did then and had up until I read this thread stand on the ramp and watch. I kinda like the idea of going inside where it's warm, cause like you said, "ain't bugger you can do anyways." Never thought about that one!

Can't really remember my first solo, I do however remember the first time I applied the thrust levers fwd on my first jet type at Heathrow. That will be the first I will always remember.

Flying down to Wolverhampton on a hazy summer day and taking first sight of the airfield for my PPL qualifying cross country.