Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!!
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Hey Flyinkiwi , thank you very much for your kind words!
I refrained from posting a blow by blow account because I wasn’t sure how interested people would be, but hey if you insist!
First to answer your questions
1) Please don’t let me run him over
2) Yes. I had a scrappy lesson beforehand and couldn’t quite believe that he was stupid enough to let me go solo. In fact I told him I wasn’t good enough yet. He gently persuaded me otherwise. I have no idea how because I have no recall of a lot of events that day
3) I didn’t sing, whoop or holler. I concentrated on breathing. Breathing is good. I like breathing. I also swore a great deal.
4) Nope !!!!!!
OK so the flight itself. I remember my instructor telling ground that it was an instructor drop off for student first solo.Then I recall him giving me some last minute advice. I know his mouth was moving, I know he was speaking English. I have no idea what he said.
I got my taxi clearance. Just to be 100% sure I told them that it was to enter the circuit for first solo. I trundled off to the run up area acutely aware that there was a honking big Dash 8 in front of me. I taxied very very slowly and kept my distance.
Did my checks, verbalized my GO/NO GO briefing. Laughed and asked myself “who the hell are you talking to?”, took on last look around to make sure no one was in my way and taxied to the hold short line. Where I waited
And waited
And waited
Suddenly there was a whole load of traffic in the circuit and a guy doing, stop and goes with a backtrack on MY runway!!!!!. After what felt like half an hour (probably 5 minutes) I made a call to the tower just to let them know I was there. Got the expected continue to hold short reply.
At some point I obviously got my takeoff clearance and I lined up to go. At 55 knots the tarmac and I parted company and I continued to fly runway heading as instructed by ATC. I recall being told to follow traffic(I think there were 4 of us in the circuit at this point). I did my downwind checks, everything was going great up to this point. Until I turned base….
At this point it just felt horribly wrong for some reason. The plane felt so nose high, yet my airspeed was fine. I was a little high so I throttled back some more and added another 10 of flaps. Still felt I was too nose up but the ASI said otherwise so I chose to believe it. Then ATC cleared the guy in front of me to stop and backtrack on my runway. He then tried to switch me to another one, with a significant crosswind.
What followed was the most excruciating radio call of my (admittedly short) flying career. You see I prefer the runway he offered me, but I still don’t like crosswinds. All of this was going through my head along with the realization I was already on final by this point. I literally “ummed“ and “erred” on the radio before accepting reluctantly the runway change ( bad move)
Finally Mr ATC man must have realized that I was on my first solo and instructed the plane in front to overshoot and cleared me for my first choice. Great now I just had to get it onto the tarmac.
I have surprisingly little memory of the landing. I know I bounced. I’d bounced a couple of them in the lesson before. I remember saying out loud “let it settle”. And it did. And I was on the ground.
JOB DONE !!!
PS If anyone is interested I have been blogging since I started my flight training. I don't think I'm allowed to tout the URL on here but if anyone wants to PM me. I will share. It has photos on it of me getting soaked!
I refrained from posting a blow by blow account because I wasn’t sure how interested people would be, but hey if you insist!
First to answer your questions
1) Please don’t let me run him over
2) Yes. I had a scrappy lesson beforehand and couldn’t quite believe that he was stupid enough to let me go solo. In fact I told him I wasn’t good enough yet. He gently persuaded me otherwise. I have no idea how because I have no recall of a lot of events that day
3) I didn’t sing, whoop or holler. I concentrated on breathing. Breathing is good. I like breathing. I also swore a great deal.
4) Nope !!!!!!
OK so the flight itself. I remember my instructor telling ground that it was an instructor drop off for student first solo.Then I recall him giving me some last minute advice. I know his mouth was moving, I know he was speaking English. I have no idea what he said.
I got my taxi clearance. Just to be 100% sure I told them that it was to enter the circuit for first solo. I trundled off to the run up area acutely aware that there was a honking big Dash 8 in front of me. I taxied very very slowly and kept my distance.
Did my checks, verbalized my GO/NO GO briefing. Laughed and asked myself “who the hell are you talking to?”, took on last look around to make sure no one was in my way and taxied to the hold short line. Where I waited
And waited
And waited
Suddenly there was a whole load of traffic in the circuit and a guy doing, stop and goes with a backtrack on MY runway!!!!!. After what felt like half an hour (probably 5 minutes) I made a call to the tower just to let them know I was there. Got the expected continue to hold short reply.
At some point I obviously got my takeoff clearance and I lined up to go. At 55 knots the tarmac and I parted company and I continued to fly runway heading as instructed by ATC. I recall being told to follow traffic(I think there were 4 of us in the circuit at this point). I did my downwind checks, everything was going great up to this point. Until I turned base….
At this point it just felt horribly wrong for some reason. The plane felt so nose high, yet my airspeed was fine. I was a little high so I throttled back some more and added another 10 of flaps. Still felt I was too nose up but the ASI said otherwise so I chose to believe it. Then ATC cleared the guy in front of me to stop and backtrack on my runway. He then tried to switch me to another one, with a significant crosswind.
What followed was the most excruciating radio call of my (admittedly short) flying career. You see I prefer the runway he offered me, but I still don’t like crosswinds. All of this was going through my head along with the realization I was already on final by this point. I literally “ummed“ and “erred” on the radio before accepting reluctantly the runway change ( bad move)
Finally Mr ATC man must have realized that I was on my first solo and instructed the plane in front to overshoot and cleared me for my first choice. Great now I just had to get it onto the tarmac.
I have surprisingly little memory of the landing. I know I bounced. I’d bounced a couple of them in the lesson before. I remember saying out loud “let it settle”. And it did. And I was on the ground.
JOB DONE !!!
PS If anyone is interested I have been blogging since I started my flight training. I don't think I'm allowed to tout the URL on here but if anyone wants to PM me. I will share. It has photos on it of me getting soaked!
Last edited by localflighteast; 23rd Oct 2012 at 12:39.
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Thanks to all the people who have asked for my blog URL and have in turn shared theirs.
I'm looking forwrd to reading them all. More importantly I'm looking forward to soloing again on Saturday.
What a difference a week makes
I'm looking forwrd to reading them all. More importantly I'm looking forward to soloing again on Saturday.
What a difference a week makes
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Congrats on your first solo LFE!! 
Fab feeling isn't it! And it just gets better. Just wait...that first solo away from home and out of sight of the airfield is a cracking experience (if a rather scary one at times....)
GQ
Fab feeling isn't it! And it just gets better. Just wait...that first solo away from home and out of sight of the airfield is a cracking experience (if a rather scary one at times....)
GQ
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Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!!
Why the bucket of water? Thought thats what qualifying fighter pilots in the canadian army had done to them?
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Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!!
You know I never though to ask. Wasn't exactly the first thought that came into my head when faced with a torrent of cold water!
I think the ritual used to be a dunking in lake Ontario but I think someone melted or dissolved or something!
I think the ritual used to be a dunking in lake Ontario but I think someone melted or dissolved or something!
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Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!!
Hahaha stick with the bucket then!
Well done and welcome to expensive cups of coffee and bacon rolls!
Well done and welcome to expensive cups of coffee and bacon rolls!
LFE
Yes "bacon rolls" actually exist and yes they are just as bad for you as the name suggests
. They seem to be a uniquely British invention and have not crossed the pond yet,
Thank God.
Yes "bacon rolls" actually exist and yes they are just as bad for you as the name suggests
. They seem to be a uniquely British invention and have not crossed the pond yet, Thank God.
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Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!!
I might be living in Canada ( and am now canadian)but I'm also a Brit. I am well versed in bacon and all it's glory
I would looooove to find decent bacon over here !
I would looooove to find decent bacon over here !
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Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!!
Canadian bacon is more like gammon than bacon,
I think the secret to proper bacon is in the cure, they just don't seem to have it right
However I'm scared if I criticize it they may revoke my citizenship !
I think the secret to proper bacon is in the cure, they just don't seem to have it right
However I'm scared if I criticize it they may revoke my citizenship !
