First Solo's...when was yours and what in?
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Miles Magister, Flying Scholarship, Shoreham, Summer 54, Instructor was Cyril Pashley holder of one of the first 100 UK licences. First Military, Chipmunk, Centralia, Canada, April 57, Course 5701.
Do you really know when to pack it in ?
1st. ever solo. Mk.2 Cadet. Andover. Aug.13.1961.
1st. Power solo. Tiger Moth. Roborough. Sep.16.1961.
Jet solo. JP3. Linton. Feb.19.1962.
Vampire. Linton. Aug.31.1962.
1st.Single seat Fighter. Lossie. Mar.26.1963.
Twin-jet Fighter. Lossie Sep.13.1963.
..........and THE best thing since "the first time!", ....................
Extra 300. July, 2004 and counting. Gotta be the ultimate !
Still going strong,
Sleeve.
1st. Power solo. Tiger Moth. Roborough. Sep.16.1961.
Jet solo. JP3. Linton. Feb.19.1962.
Vampire. Linton. Aug.31.1962.
1st.Single seat Fighter. Lossie. Mar.26.1963.
Twin-jet Fighter. Lossie Sep.13.1963.
..........and THE best thing since "the first time!", ....................
Extra 300. July, 2004 and counting. Gotta be the ultimate !
Still going strong,
Sleeve.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Aaah the memory of the first Spitfire solo, without giving too much away --
I was fortunate, after years of jet-fighter time to be taught by one of the legends of the Spitfire world. No two seater - just a 60 minute chat on systems and emergencies (not a lot can go wrong, just the motor stopping or the u/c not coming down. Then he sat on the wing and watched over my shoulder whilst starting, a pat on the head and off!
The Spit was one of the earlier models, thus very light and with excess power. Taxying - same as for any tail dragger apart from a very pronounced nose with a large prop and a heavy resonance from the engine. The takeoff was with a careful application of power - and once the boost was in positive numbers the tail came up very quickly and it gently flew off at around 50 kts! Then it was change hands to raise the u/c - which is why if you ever watch a Spit takeoff you may notice a slight wobble in the flight path just after airborne as the pilot changes hands. Rudder trim is the most important trimmer and you tend to adjust constantly as the speed, or power, changes up or down. The climb out was exhilarating and looking out along the wing at the beautiful elliptical shape of the wing brought to me the realisation that I was achieving a long held dream. The aircraft is a delight to fly, very responsive in roll and with controls beautifully harmonised. After the upper airwork the approach and landing was probably the most difficult part of the flight. The wing flies down to a very low speed so any gusty conditions, or cross wind, can cause the wing to lift, even at taxying speeds on the ground so care is needed. Flying the aircraft onto the runway is the easier method but the speed and rate of descent must be right otherwise it will bounce or balloon back into the air. A three pointer is the ideal but takes some experience (and confidence) - too high and it will bounce, too low and it will also bounce - and all the time the nose is high in the air and blocking your forward vision. Fortunately my landing, while not my greatest meant that I was allowed to fly it again.
The memory lives strongly and just recounting this has bought back a flood of great times. Of all the 'first solos' on a wide variety of types throughout my flying career the Spitfire remains an iconic memory. The history of the aircraft, the privilige of being able to fly it, will remain with me forever and i respect those that to this day take the time, effort and money to ensure that this great British aircraft remains available to be seen by the many, and for the fortunate few of us who have been allowed to fly it we are the lucky ones indeed.
RDB
I was fortunate, after years of jet-fighter time to be taught by one of the legends of the Spitfire world. No two seater - just a 60 minute chat on systems and emergencies (not a lot can go wrong, just the motor stopping or the u/c not coming down. Then he sat on the wing and watched over my shoulder whilst starting, a pat on the head and off!
The Spit was one of the earlier models, thus very light and with excess power. Taxying - same as for any tail dragger apart from a very pronounced nose with a large prop and a heavy resonance from the engine. The takeoff was with a careful application of power - and once the boost was in positive numbers the tail came up very quickly and it gently flew off at around 50 kts! Then it was change hands to raise the u/c - which is why if you ever watch a Spit takeoff you may notice a slight wobble in the flight path just after airborne as the pilot changes hands. Rudder trim is the most important trimmer and you tend to adjust constantly as the speed, or power, changes up or down. The climb out was exhilarating and looking out along the wing at the beautiful elliptical shape of the wing brought to me the realisation that I was achieving a long held dream. The aircraft is a delight to fly, very responsive in roll and with controls beautifully harmonised. After the upper airwork the approach and landing was probably the most difficult part of the flight. The wing flies down to a very low speed so any gusty conditions, or cross wind, can cause the wing to lift, even at taxying speeds on the ground so care is needed. Flying the aircraft onto the runway is the easier method but the speed and rate of descent must be right otherwise it will bounce or balloon back into the air. A three pointer is the ideal but takes some experience (and confidence) - too high and it will bounce, too low and it will also bounce - and all the time the nose is high in the air and blocking your forward vision. Fortunately my landing, while not my greatest meant that I was allowed to fly it again.
The memory lives strongly and just recounting this has bought back a flood of great times. Of all the 'first solos' on a wide variety of types throughout my flying career the Spitfire remains an iconic memory. The history of the aircraft, the privilige of being able to fly it, will remain with me forever and i respect those that to this day take the time, effort and money to ensure that this great British aircraft remains available to be seen by the many, and for the fortunate few of us who have been allowed to fly it we are the lucky ones indeed.
RDB
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Ok - not even going to try and compete with a spitfire solo but....
First Solo: July 1985 - PA 38 Tomahawk, Goodwood on a flying scholarship
First Military Solo: March 1992 - Tucano T1 - RAF Cranwell
But far more important..................
Last Solo: Feb 2002: DHFS Squirrell!!!!!!
First Solo: July 1985 - PA 38 Tomahawk, Goodwood on a flying scholarship
First Military Solo: March 1992 - Tucano T1 - RAF Cranwell
But far more important..................
Last Solo: Feb 2002: DHFS Squirrell!!!!!!
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First Solo
First in Glider summer 1956 at Swanton Morley in a Kirby Cadet(?)
First powered in Tiger Moth G-AORA at Luton (before it had a surfaced runway!) in September 1958
First powered in Tiger Moth G-AORA at Luton (before it had a surfaced runway!) in September 1958
Join Date: Feb 2006
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1st solo: grob vigilant age 17 and now on as staff flying it every weekend at 635vgs. Bloody love that place.
It is infact currently the only aircraft i have been solo in, but plently of time ahead of me to do something about that
It is infact currently the only aircraft i have been solo in, but plently of time ahead of me to do something about that
Data from Logbook No 1
1st ever:Chipmunk WP974, 14 Jun 69, ULAS White Waltham. TVM Jerry Brown!
1st Jet: JP3a XM466, 15 Oct 75, 1FTS RLG Elvington. TVM Capt (USAF) ?***? Howard!
1st Rotary: Whirlwind 10 XP331, 5 Nov 76, 2FTS Ternhill. TVM Mike Chapple!
Now on logbook No 7. Have sent off a few first solo studes myself over the years!
1st ever:Chipmunk WP974, 14 Jun 69, ULAS White Waltham. TVM Jerry Brown!
1st Jet: JP3a XM466, 15 Oct 75, 1FTS RLG Elvington. TVM Capt (USAF) ?***? Howard!
1st Rotary: Whirlwind 10 XP331, 5 Nov 76, 2FTS Ternhill. TVM Mike Chapple!
Now on logbook No 7. Have sent off a few first solo studes myself over the years!
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AArgh, if only...
Deskbound - you lucky SOB!
Showed a 1000+ hr Spitfire pilot over a Hornet a few years ago; he very nimbly jumped in and grabbed the stick with a very practiced 'overhand' grip. He flew 10 different marks over the years - still loved a beer and had some amazing stories to tell.:
First solo: IS28B2 glider 1988, Benalla, Victoria, Oz.
Showed a 1000+ hr Spitfire pilot over a Hornet a few years ago; he very nimbly jumped in and grabbed the stick with a very practiced 'overhand' grip. He flew 10 different marks over the years - still loved a beer and had some amazing stories to tell.:First solo: IS28B2 glider 1988, Benalla, Victoria, Oz.
"1st ever:Chipmunk WP974, 14 Jun 69, ULAS White Waltham. TVM Jerry Brown!"
'twas Jerry who also sent me solo in Feb 1970. Wasn't he a character! The ULAS professional Fg Off QFI who refused to do his 'B' exam, allegedly. Later left the RAF to join BEA, I gather.
The days when 'characters' were allowed in the RAF........
'twas Jerry who also sent me solo in Feb 1970. Wasn't he a character! The ULAS professional Fg Off QFI who refused to do his 'B' exam, allegedly. Later left the RAF to join BEA, I gather.
The days when 'characters' were allowed in the RAF........
My own insignificance:-
Oct 86 ACCGS Syerston Venture T2 XZ555
Nov 87 643VGS Scampton Viking TX1 ZE553
Remember thinking, "and this is for FREE? I'd pay to do this..."
Long live the ATC and I really should swap football for the RAFGSA to start all over again.....
Jobza
Oct 86 ACCGS Syerston Venture T2 XZ555
Nov 87 643VGS Scampton Viking TX1 ZE553
Remember thinking, "and this is for FREE? I'd pay to do this..."
Long live the ATC and I really should swap football for the RAFGSA to start all over again.....
Jobza
First single seat solo (apart from a 3 minute trip in a Slingsby Tutor in 1968) was in the wonderful Hunter GT6:
Take a standard Hunter F Mk 6, remove the heavy 4 x 30mm Aden gun pack and the draggy ‘Sabrina’ link collectors, add a TACAN so at least you know where you are, then paint the whole thing in go-faster high gloss ‘raspberry ripple’ polyurethane paint and there you have it. During 1975, I’d finished my Gnat course and had been holding awaiting a pre-Tactical Weapons Unit Hunter course. When the course started, it was a few days’ groundschool, some simulator trips and then on to the Hunter T Mk 7, otherwise known as the ‘barge’. After the compact Gnat with its central warning system, Hobson motor pitch system and OR 946 instrumentation, the ‘barge’ was a real backward step - and it seemed as big as an airliner! But after passing the simulator check and the T7 dual rides, finally the day came on 9 Dec 75 to fly a real single seat fighter for the first time! Get kitted up in goon suit and anti-‘g’ suit, then out to the aeroplane parked on ‘Hunter beach’ at Valley. Walk round, prod, poke, squint, then up the ladder and into the cockpit. ‘Fitz’, a CFS trapper visiting 4FTS keeps a fatherly eye on proceedings from the top of the ladder as I truss myself into a maze of webbing which would satisfy the most earnest bondage fetishist. Finally it’s time to lift the gangbar and turn on the batteries. First surprise - there’s no intercom sidetone. Because, of course, there’s no-one to talk to in a single-seater, stupid! Do the checks then wave finger at the groundcrew and Press the Button. The Avpin starter works as advertised and the smell of iso-propyl-nitrate fills the air. But all is well, gennies on , radio on, IFF on, power controls on. ‘Fitz’ smiles and disappears, the ladder is removed and it’s time to call for taxy. Next surprise, it’s so much easier to taxy than the barge and before long I’m at the holding point. Take-off clearance received, it's on to RW32 and off we go. Power up, quick stir of the controls then set top left and off we go. A brief ‘da-da-da’ from the bleed valves but initial acceleration seems much like it was in the T7. But then the extra oomph of the big Avon makes itself felt and there’s an almighty roar from somewhere behind as the IAS increases rapidly. Suddenly we’re airborne - Brakes on, gear up, flaps up, gear lights out, pressurisation master on.....then at 500ft start the right turn onto 140° to intercept the 100° radial. But we’re already passing 1000 ft and going like a train! Throttle to max continuous and adjust to 370 KIAS -except we’re already doing over 400! Pitch up, nail the speed, there’s the radial, turn left breathe out. ATC ask whether I’m ever going to change to Approach! Oops, to Stud 2 then up the radial towards FL 200. At around 10 000 ft, remember to set 1013..... Finally catch up with the beast at FL 200 and check position. How can I be so far away from base already? Aim in a safe direction, think ‘OK - let’s see what she’ll do’ - set max continuous and M0.9something comes up amazingly quickly. Tweak the control column back and the altimeter goes bananas - as do ATC as I’m in the upper airspace without clearance! Then settle down to some aeros and max rate turns before aiming back at Valley for a QGH to PAR. That all goes OK, so I roll and then out go to initials for a visual run-in-and-break. Overtake a couple of Gnats, call ‘initials’, then idle power, airbrake out....70-80° angle of bank and 23° flap on the break. Roll out, airbrake in, gear down - and the controls go all stiff as the hydraulic pump can’t cope with both things together. So a bit of power and all is well. Call ‘final’, 38° flap and pitch into the final turn. Then full flap, slow down to Vat plus 10 and another nice roller. Full power - lovely loud noise - another circuit and it’s time to land. Turn off, taxy in and shut down, grinning from ear to ear. My logbook says ‘December 10 1975 Hunter F6 XF386 Self / Solo Ex RF4 0:50 First Pilot (Captain), 0:05 actual IF, QGH/PAR, 3 landings. But that hardly describes such an experience!
And what of XF386? She lived on for nearly 20 more years before being scrapped at Otterburn in 1996 after 40 years loyal service. A cruel death for such a lovely lady - I hope she’s up there in Hunter heaven......."
Take a standard Hunter F Mk 6, remove the heavy 4 x 30mm Aden gun pack and the draggy ‘Sabrina’ link collectors, add a TACAN so at least you know where you are, then paint the whole thing in go-faster high gloss ‘raspberry ripple’ polyurethane paint and there you have it. During 1975, I’d finished my Gnat course and had been holding awaiting a pre-Tactical Weapons Unit Hunter course. When the course started, it was a few days’ groundschool, some simulator trips and then on to the Hunter T Mk 7, otherwise known as the ‘barge’. After the compact Gnat with its central warning system, Hobson motor pitch system and OR 946 instrumentation, the ‘barge’ was a real backward step - and it seemed as big as an airliner! But after passing the simulator check and the T7 dual rides, finally the day came on 9 Dec 75 to fly a real single seat fighter for the first time! Get kitted up in goon suit and anti-‘g’ suit, then out to the aeroplane parked on ‘Hunter beach’ at Valley. Walk round, prod, poke, squint, then up the ladder and into the cockpit. ‘Fitz’, a CFS trapper visiting 4FTS keeps a fatherly eye on proceedings from the top of the ladder as I truss myself into a maze of webbing which would satisfy the most earnest bondage fetishist. Finally it’s time to lift the gangbar and turn on the batteries. First surprise - there’s no intercom sidetone. Because, of course, there’s no-one to talk to in a single-seater, stupid! Do the checks then wave finger at the groundcrew and Press the Button. The Avpin starter works as advertised and the smell of iso-propyl-nitrate fills the air. But all is well, gennies on , radio on, IFF on, power controls on. ‘Fitz’ smiles and disappears, the ladder is removed and it’s time to call for taxy. Next surprise, it’s so much easier to taxy than the barge and before long I’m at the holding point. Take-off clearance received, it's on to RW32 and off we go. Power up, quick stir of the controls then set top left and off we go. A brief ‘da-da-da’ from the bleed valves but initial acceleration seems much like it was in the T7. But then the extra oomph of the big Avon makes itself felt and there’s an almighty roar from somewhere behind as the IAS increases rapidly. Suddenly we’re airborne - Brakes on, gear up, flaps up, gear lights out, pressurisation master on.....then at 500ft start the right turn onto 140° to intercept the 100° radial. But we’re already passing 1000 ft and going like a train! Throttle to max continuous and adjust to 370 KIAS -except we’re already doing over 400! Pitch up, nail the speed, there’s the radial, turn left breathe out. ATC ask whether I’m ever going to change to Approach! Oops, to Stud 2 then up the radial towards FL 200. At around 10 000 ft, remember to set 1013..... Finally catch up with the beast at FL 200 and check position. How can I be so far away from base already? Aim in a safe direction, think ‘OK - let’s see what she’ll do’ - set max continuous and M0.9something comes up amazingly quickly. Tweak the control column back and the altimeter goes bananas - as do ATC as I’m in the upper airspace without clearance! Then settle down to some aeros and max rate turns before aiming back at Valley for a QGH to PAR. That all goes OK, so I roll and then out go to initials for a visual run-in-and-break. Overtake a couple of Gnats, call ‘initials’, then idle power, airbrake out....70-80° angle of bank and 23° flap on the break. Roll out, airbrake in, gear down - and the controls go all stiff as the hydraulic pump can’t cope with both things together. So a bit of power and all is well. Call ‘final’, 38° flap and pitch into the final turn. Then full flap, slow down to Vat plus 10 and another nice roller. Full power - lovely loud noise - another circuit and it’s time to land. Turn off, taxy in and shut down, grinning from ear to ear. My logbook says ‘December 10 1975 Hunter F6 XF386 Self / Solo Ex RF4 0:50 First Pilot (Captain), 0:05 actual IF, QGH/PAR, 3 landings. But that hardly describes such an experience!
And what of XF386? She lived on for nearly 20 more years before being scrapped at Otterburn in 1996 after 40 years loyal service. A cruel death for such a lovely lady - I hope she’s up there in Hunter heaven......."