1st solo
Lyco360, 'JP, the oldest, is now 33 years old and still going strong! Thanks for your kind comments.
My first solo was at Merryfield in 1967 in a RAFGSA T21. The cable back-released - it was subsequently found that the Ottfur had pulled out slightly and was causing premature release. I also discovered that the aircraft floated further with an instructor!
Premature release on first solo. Sound familiar, a_a?
My first solo was at Merryfield in 1967 in a RAFGSA T21. The cable back-released - it was subsequently found that the Ottfur had pulled out slightly and was causing premature release. I also discovered that the aircraft floated further with an instructor!
Premature release on first solo. Sound familiar, a_a?
Red On, Green On
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Premature release on first solo. Sound familiar, a_a?
, which was at Hullavington from a ghastly balloon contraption.First solo was in a 150 at Leavesden - which dates it. First mil solo was at Roborough the next year.
I remember a solo navex stude also at Luton Flying Club on an RAF FlySchol - he'd be told to land on 00, and also told to remain N of the main (09/27) - he finally made contact with the ground about 2/3rds down the rw, nosewheel first, at some speed, with the obvious results, poor fellow.
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Mighty Chippy @ Swinderby. Out pops QFI and scampers up the tower whilst I trundle off to line up. Get aloft and find it climbs like a rocket without 15 stone of V-Bomber pilot in the boot - was turning d/wind before I knew what was happening!
Happy days...
(Unit of measure "Rocket" has been re-defined over the years and now is roughly on par with an Estes C-Class)
Happy days...
(Unit of measure "Rocket" has been re-defined over the years and now is roughly on par with an Estes C-Class)
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First mistake I did was to do my engine runs right in front of teh tower where I'd just dropped off the intstructor. ATC told me to do them at the end of the runway.
Once airborne I tapped the empty seat next to me and sang, if memory serves me correctly, a Scorpions song. Cocking up the first landing I went around again which enabled, much to my chagrin, another first soloist who took off after me to land before me. Determined to get the old Bulldog down come what may I ignored the first bounce which observers estimated was 30 feet high. A further four bounces followed with copious left rudder to keep her straight, the watching QFI saying ' Who the f**k let him in the air'. Shi**ing bricks I got a round of applause from the others studes whilst my instructor, who had a fierce temper, simply scowled and said 'well done'. Not sure he meant it though.
Once airborne I tapped the empty seat next to me and sang, if memory serves me correctly, a Scorpions song. Cocking up the first landing I went around again which enabled, much to my chagrin, another first soloist who took off after me to land before me. Determined to get the old Bulldog down come what may I ignored the first bounce which observers estimated was 30 feet high. A further four bounces followed with copious left rudder to keep her straight, the watching QFI saying ' Who the f**k let him in the air'. Shi**ing bricks I got a round of applause from the others studes whilst my instructor, who had a fierce temper, simply scowled and said 'well done'. Not sure he meant it though.
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First Solo - Big Mistake
Jet Provost Mk 3, Wymeswold 1964. I can still recall every detail, especially the undercarriage failing to deploy on my first, too energetic, push of the button. Recycling did the trick (just like the Airbus computers many years later) and all was well. The mistake? Going solo late on a Friday afternoon! Cost me a fortune in the Schwyerston Officers' Mess!
Almost, but not quite, eclipsed by watching my son fly his first solo and being allowed to congratulate him from the Control Tower at Parafield, South Australia.
Treasured memories.
Neppy
Almost, but not quite, eclipsed by watching my son fly his first solo and being allowed to congratulate him from the Control Tower at Parafield, South Australia.
Treasured memories.
Neppy
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In a trusty Aircoupe in 1965. I kept bursting into song and then checking behind the seat to make sure nobody was listening, as I also did when I went for my first legal car solo the following month.
The Aircoupe is still at that airfield and in fantastic nick. The car?? One of BMC's finest, so you have 3 guesses and the first 2 don't count.
The Aircoupe is still at that airfield and in fantastic nick. The car?? One of BMC's finest, so you have 3 guesses and the first 2 don't count.
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1st solo
Circa mid 70's, kirby Cadet Mk III. 3 solo's to qualify. I sang all the way around and they went like a dream. Sadly, that was the last time I flew in a glider.
3 March 07, 1st powered solo. VERY scary, but went as advertised. Was too nervous to sing. 2nd solo, a couple of weeks later, was very scary- left a lot of rubber on the runway!
3 March 07, 1st powered solo. VERY scary, but went as advertised. Was too nervous to sing. 2nd solo, a couple of weeks later, was very scary- left a lot of rubber on the runway!
JP3, Church Fenton, September '83. Impressed the hell out of watching fellow studes when I did my brake test after starting to taxi - had miles too much power on - could almost smell the burning rubber . . . . then spent the whole of the circuit with my left leg shaking uncontrollably. Don't think it affected my landing too much . . .
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24 years ago and remember it like it was this morning, despite 'firsts solos' on many other types.
Cessna 150 out of Norwich - Initially a little surprised when the instructor got out and told me to stay! The little aeroplane and I wandered to the end of the runway, we lined up and I applied power. The aeroplane, being a Cessna, knew what to do and we were airborne before I really had time to come to terms with it. It was then I realised I was really solo and, more to the point, I had to land it. Very strange with no-one next to you. All over far too quickly, but the memory lasts for ever.
Like so many things...
Well done to you. Hope it leads to more.
SD
Cessna 150 out of Norwich - Initially a little surprised when the instructor got out and told me to stay! The little aeroplane and I wandered to the end of the runway, we lined up and I applied power. The aeroplane, being a Cessna, knew what to do and we were airborne before I really had time to come to terms with it. It was then I realised I was really solo and, more to the point, I had to land it. Very strange with no-one next to you. All over far too quickly, but the memory lasts for ever.
Like so many things...
Well done to you. Hope it leads to more.
SD
First solo in a single seat aeroplane (OK, except for 3 min in a Kirby Tutor), was very memorable indeed!
The glorious Hunter 'GT 6'... 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.
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 burnt 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 T7 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.......
The glorious Hunter 'GT 6'... 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.
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 burnt 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 T7 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.......
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Good stuff and congratulations...
C150, 12 years ago. I remember:
1. Looking down and seeing the wheels stop rotating after takeoff and thinking to myself "Well, you better get this one right"
2. Had got used to where the old bucket reached circuit height (rather than regularly looking at the altimeter). Looked at the alt at the "usual" place in the circuit and - "Whoa, I'm 300' too high!!!" Instructor didn't point out that it'd go up much faster one-up! A rapid 300' decent ensued, with me hoping the instructor on the ground hadn't noticed my unauthodox height control!
3. Getting into the car to drive back to the house afterwards, The Beach Boys "Kokomo" happened to be on the car radio - not my usual choice, but WTF! That song even now still reminds me of the euphoric feeling I had at the time of "having done it"!
Reflecting on that event now, I'm left feeling amazed at how little I knew about flying and how little experience I had back then - I almost wonder if it was more luck than judgement that I'm here now! No doubt, if I'm still flying in another 12 years time I'll look back on now and think much the same.
A
C150, 12 years ago. I remember:
1. Looking down and seeing the wheels stop rotating after takeoff and thinking to myself "Well, you better get this one right"
2. Had got used to where the old bucket reached circuit height (rather than regularly looking at the altimeter). Looked at the alt at the "usual" place in the circuit and - "Whoa, I'm 300' too high!!!" Instructor didn't point out that it'd go up much faster one-up! A rapid 300' decent ensued, with me hoping the instructor on the ground hadn't noticed my unauthodox height control!
3. Getting into the car to drive back to the house afterwards, The Beach Boys "Kokomo" happened to be on the car radio - not my usual choice, but WTF! That song even now still reminds me of the euphoric feeling I had at the time of "having done it"!
Reflecting on that event now, I'm left feeling amazed at how little I knew about flying and how little experience I had back then - I almost wonder if it was more luck than judgement that I'm here now! No doubt, if I'm still flying in another 12 years time I'll look back on now and think much the same.
A
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I've got two first solos in my logbook.
First one was in N230FT, a PA-28-161. I taxied out (with the intent to fly, obviously) but the aircraft failed the run-up checks - mag drop of 200 rpm on left. Tried to clear it, to no avail, so had to taxi back. But since I moved the aircraft with the intent to fly, I could write it in my logbook.
The second was in N250FT, about 15 minutes later. Three full-stop-taxibacks without any problems. I don't remember much of it anymore. I guess I spent all my adrenaline on the first first solo. By the time I taxied back, N230FT already had its failed spark plug replaced.
First one was in N230FT, a PA-28-161. I taxied out (with the intent to fly, obviously) but the aircraft failed the run-up checks - mag drop of 200 rpm on left. Tried to clear it, to no avail, so had to taxi back. But since I moved the aircraft with the intent to fly, I could write it in my logbook.
The second was in N250FT, about 15 minutes later. Three full-stop-taxibacks without any problems. I don't remember much of it anymore. I guess I spent all my adrenaline on the first first solo. By the time I taxied back, N230FT already had its failed spark plug replaced.
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first solo in a c152 at wolverhampton, the instructor said can you do that again on your own? i said yes no probs he told me she would climb quicker with only one on board and left me to it, what i can remember most clearly is hearing my own breathing thru the headset while i was waiting to take off - it was so quiet! i also remember thinking as i put the power on that i was going to have to land the bugger now, luckily the landing was the best i had ever done,
The next day i woke up and was terrified at the thought of all the things that could have gone wrong and that i had no idea how to deal with, i very nearly stopped flying there and then, it took a fair while and a very patient instructor at a different club before i was happy to fly on my own,
Jizman - well done on ur first solo, just wait until your QXC its when i actually felt like a proper pilot for the first time
The next day i woke up and was terrified at the thought of all the things that could have gone wrong and that i had no idea how to deal with, i very nearly stopped flying there and then, it took a fair while and a very patient instructor at a different club before i was happy to fly on my own,
Jizman - well done on ur first solo, just wait until your QXC its when i actually felt like a proper pilot for the first time
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Well done on the solo.
I remember my first solo, hot summers evening in sunny Jersey, perfect for flying. I was bricking it all the way round saying to myself you got yourself into this, now you have to get out of it. As I was coming onto finals, the runway lights blinked on as I was landing into a evening sun. When I landed and was taxiing off the runway I was congratulated by ATC and asked to hold to let a BA737 pass, then the BA captain congratulated my as he was passing and reminisced on his first solo. I could barely say thank you I was so delighted, what a day.
I remember my first solo, hot summers evening in sunny Jersey, perfect for flying. I was bricking it all the way round saying to myself you got yourself into this, now you have to get out of it. As I was coming onto finals, the runway lights blinked on as I was landing into a evening sun. When I landed and was taxiing off the runway I was congratulated by ATC and asked to hold to let a BA737 pass, then the BA captain congratulated my as he was passing and reminisced on his first solo. I could barely say thank you I was so delighted, what a day.
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Concur with the above. My first solo is still fresh in my mind but how it is remains a mystery to me because it seemed like the quickest circuit I've ever done. Remember AFIS saying "you can breathe now" after I had cleared the runway. Nothing to report really on this one but as Vectis Lady says wait til your QXC.
That is the one that really sticks in the memory, Cranfield on a very busy weekday and Gloustershire equally busy. The best bit, if I can call it that, was when calling Glos Approach they were on 04 so mind gets set up for the join and circuit. By the time I have contacted tower they have switched to 22! I got the right side of the runway for downwind but it needed a gentle "you seem to be heading the wrong way" from ATC to get me heading in the right direction. No harm was done fortunately (apart from a slight dent in the pride) because it was only a hint of a turn but they were clearly watching me. Great fun and a great experience.
Well done and here's to your next challenge.
That is the one that really sticks in the memory, Cranfield on a very busy weekday and Gloustershire equally busy. The best bit, if I can call it that, was when calling Glos Approach they were on 04 so mind gets set up for the join and circuit. By the time I have contacted tower they have switched to 22! I got the right side of the runway for downwind but it needed a gentle "you seem to be heading the wrong way" from ATC to get me heading in the right direction. No harm was done fortunately (apart from a slight dent in the pride) because it was only a hint of a turn but they were clearly watching me. Great fun and a great experience.
Well done and here's to your next challenge.
Last edited by flyingsteve55; 24th Apr 2007 at 16:53. Reason: added a bit
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Bizzare
How my first solo circuit was flown much, much better than my 2nd solo circuit, which was flown with many more hours logged.
I can remember every second of my first solo, I'll never forget it, it's something that no matter how bad things in your life are, you'll think back to and smile.
I can remember every second of my first solo, I'll never forget it, it's something that no matter how bad things in your life are, you'll think back to and smile.