My Instructor leant over and said "There are 2 things in this life you will remember. Your first woman and your first solo!" and with that he climbed out, shut the door and off I went. Oxford 1992. Still remember it clearly!

Karl Schultz sent me solo and now, over 33 years later I'm returning the favour to the next generation.

Never forget it, feels like it was yesterday. Thought I was going to die as I waited for him to strap up the ejection seat and I restarted the engine. Had a choice...climb out and forget flying as a career or go and kill myself and when I overshot the first attempt I saw my prophecy coming true. Luckily for me, the second finals wasn't so bad.

Memories
 

As I reached the ‘Hold’ for my first solo the guy on finals declared an emergency, due a shortage of green lights.
My instructor wandered down and got me to shut-down, but to remain there. After 15 min or so the situation was resolved (shortage of lights, rather than shortage of wheels).
I then expected to be given one more dual circuit before going off, to get me back in the ‘groove’ but no. “Off you go”.
Like MPN, my strongest memory is of how well the beast went without the weight of the Instructor! Great day!

KB

Fortunately, my course went first solo in the JP3 at Elvington which had a displaced threshold - one of our number managed to touchdown a good bit before that threshold, thankfully still on good quality runway.

Recollect the stude ahead of me at S Cerney opened up his little Gipsy, didn't apply L rudder and shot across to the right where he cunningly rejoined the T/O queue, doubtless hoping that his manoeuvre had not been observed by the Duty Instructor. :}