First solo
 

May I skite - combat brevity observed?
16 year old RAAF AFC Corporal Tartare junior just first solo'ed late yesty arvo in a DG1000.
Absolutely ecstatic, and more determined than ever to go to ADFA.
His old man was too blind and innumerate.
Dusty in here...

Congratulations young Cpl Tartare Jnr. My advice is never ever become over confident. An example of which I witnessed yesterday when a cocky bastard landed with his wheels up. Best of luck and may all your landings be capable of walking away from...heheh

My first solo on a glider was a wheels up! Luckily onto grass and did no harm to the glider (or me).

Abso - bloody - lutely!

I recall being more proud of CoodaKid3's first solo than of my own. And I'm still skiting about his achievements. :O

Well done Cpl Tartare Jnr and all the best for ADFA and beyond.

Well done to Tartare junior. I know that dusty feeling all too well mate having watched my eldest solo in three types so far (Grob/Tucano/Hawk).

Weird how a total stranger can let him loose in a million pound jet and here I worry when he borrows my car :-)

Wish Tatare Jr all the best for the future. :ok:

(I don't know what's happening to the font - my gremlin is running amok !)

Congratulations to Tartare Junior - when are the cigars to be handed out, proud Tartare Senior ?

Long, long ago, when a very old man was a young man in a Stearman .....................

“My great day came on 19th September, 1941.

You never know in advance. I'm doing dual circuits and bumps, taxying back down the edge of the field after each landing. Half way back, Bob tells me to stop, and climbs out with his 'chute. "Off you go - remember what I've told you!" Another instructor is sitting on his chute, with a cigarette. (I suppose he'd just sent his pupil off), and Bob joins him.

This is no time to feel nervous. You have to move the aeroplane. I taxi warily round to take-off point (no runways), make sure nothing's coming in to land on top of me, turn into wind and push the throttle open.

I swing a little, travelling diagonally across the field, and into the air. So far, so good. There is supposed to be a special Providence which looks after first solos, the same one which takes care of drunks and toddlers when they fall down. A first solo never comes to harm, at least not in my experience.

Round I go, mechanically following routine, and come in for quite a decent landing (I've done many worse). I trundle round back to Bob. He waves me off again. This time I keep the take-off straight, again I put it down in one piece. This time Bob's on his feet - clearly he thinks he's pushed our luck far enough for one day. He climbs in: "Take me back to Carlstrom".

From that day on, I'll always be a pilot. I'm still a long way from my "wings", but I've been up "alone and unaided"; I'm down alive, and the aircraft can still fly!

Remember it as if it were yesterday,

Danny.

Gentlemen - thank you one and all.
I shall cut and paste your kind (and wise) messages and pass them on the the young fella.
He arrives home tonight.
Might have to start looking for some cigars Danny ;)

Looking back for the 'Full and free' and there's no-one there in the rear cockpit.
Bloody hell! I've almost killed myself several times as a child, on bikes, in industry and the MN before I ever got into an aeroplane; perhaps this is it!
It wasn't. :ok:

Huge congrats!

Well done to Junior: a day he'll never forget :ok:

Mine was 52 years ago last week, Mum wouldn't wake Dad when I phoned as he was on night shift. I still remember that as not being able to share with him as another pilot :hmm:

Thank you Senior Pilot (for editing my #6), I had absolutely no idea what to do !

Danny.

You lot had it easy. I was required to go solo within ten hours, I did it in 8.55hrs., in a taildragger with a howling 450 h.p. supercharged radial in front of you with kangaroo juice in the oleos; in the middle of November with sheets of ice on the runway.

I've had that dusty problem too. In my case I sent (at different times) my two daughters on their first solos. One on her 16th birthday! In my case it was pure relief as much as pride. I can't imagine what I would have told their Mum if anything untoward had happened.

ACW

ps Well done to Tartare jnr.

I took S2 for an aeros ride in a Jungmann.
I then subsequently had a dream in which I inverted it and, having somehow undone his straps, he fell out. In this dream, I regret to admit, my first thought was 'How am I going to explain this to Mrs Bas?' :O

Basil (#13),

Recalls a joke from long way back. "You are instructing Prince Charles in a Tiger Moth, and pattering through a Slow Roll. Inverted, his straps come loose, and he falls out. What should be your immediate action ?

Answer: "Retrim the aircraft !"

Lads - he's sat here reading your comments.
I've explained your various backgrounds (to the degree that I'm aware) Danny, John, Cooda et al.
Means a lot to him - very grateful.
Ain't the Internet a wonderful thing.

Belated congratulations from me to tartare Jnr, and best wishes for your desired future.

My first solo recollections:
Glider - doesn't it climb quickly without an instructor behind me!
Fixed wing - doesn't it climb quickly without an instructor beside me!

You never forget your first solo.

Mine went fine, apart from one error. Hence my user name.

Whoops.

First Solo
 

When taxing out for first solo, horrified by rattling noise from rear cockpit. Stopped on taxyway, stood up in seat, and slid back canopy (Chipmunk).
Instructor had fastened rear harness, but very slack, That was cause.

"Just testing, old boy." as an elderly* captain in a ME airline for which I flew used to say when a small deviation was pointed out by the FO ;)

* at least 15y younger than I am now - buggah!

I thought the 'rattling noise from rear cockpit' automatically stopped when the instructor got out :E
Just joking . . . .

Once done, never forgotten.

I remember the QFI saying: "That was alright, I'm getting out, just do the same again" before walking away across the grass to the tower. :eek:

That incredibly lonely, but inspiring few seconds when the realisation dawns and you realise you must get down to business.

I still regret not being able to be present for any of junior's "flying firsts" and now he's moved on to other things and the opportunities have gone.

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