Guess what I did this morning?
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Join Date: Sep 2001
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Guess what I did this morning?
First solo!!!
Yipeeeeeeeeee!!
(at last)
Strange thing is it was one of the best landings I have ever done, greased it on and the instructor wasn't there to see it!
Thanks to all those who helped out with landing advice on my recent thread and to my instructor David who is brilliant!
To those waiting to do the same, your day will come!!
Yipeeeeeeeeee!!
(at last)
Strange thing is it was one of the best landings I have ever done, greased it on and the instructor wasn't there to see it!
Thanks to all those who helped out with landing advice on my recent thread and to my instructor David who is brilliant!
To those waiting to do the same, your day will come!!
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Congrats Thump! 
But where was your instructor hiding? I don't believe he wasn't there to see it, probably just didn't want to admit that he was almost as excited as you were! I've watched enough instructors send their students on first solo to know....
Is your head still in the clouds, or have you got back down to earth yet?
FFF
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But where was your instructor hiding? I don't believe he wasn't there to see it, probably just didn't want to admit that he was almost as excited as you were! I've watched enough instructors send their students on first solo to know....
Is your head still in the clouds, or have you got back down to earth yet?
FFF
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High Flying Bird
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Well done! First solos often end with the best landing you'll do in a long time. Mine was one of those when you have to look out of the window to check you're down 
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Congrats!
Well done on your first solo!
I too managed to grease the landing, and that was the bit I thought I would mess up the most!
Good luck with the rest of the flight training. Your next milestone: Solo out of the aerodrome area- scary!
Trislander
I too managed to grease the landing, and that was the bit I thought I would mess up the most!
Good luck with the rest of the flight training. Your next milestone: Solo out of the aerodrome area- scary!
Trislander
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Congratulations! Have you stopped smiling yet?
Out of interest did they let you keep flying or ground you for the day on the spot???
Having just started circuits it seems an age till I'll be following you,
but I do have to say how helpful all the replies to your original post have been in taking the guesswork out of the whole circuit experience Thanks lads and lasses!
Out of interest did they let you keep flying or ground you for the day on the spot???
Having just started circuits it seems an age till I'll be following you,
but I do have to say how helpful all the replies to your original post have been in taking the guesswork out of the whole circuit experience
Thanks lads and lasses!
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Congratulations its been a long time comming for you but I am please you are there. I still remember my first solo my instructor diddnt watch either nor did he come out and meet me once I had landed. The celebration afterwards was brilliant hope yours will be as good.
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Well done. I bet you'll never do as good a landing again - I think it's the adrenalin! My first solo landing was also pretty damn perfect, also unwatched by the instructor or CFI, and the best one I did for ages. The next really good landing I managed was after the first solo away from the airfield over 15 hours and 60 landings later.
Get those 4 hours solo consolidation done as soon as possible and you'll be on to the more advanced stuff. And yes, you DO get used to the empty seat next to you (after about 2 hours solo, I'd say) but you'll probably still talk to the instructor despite him/her no being present for many hours to come.
Nice one!!!!!
Get those 4 hours solo consolidation done as soon as possible and you'll be on to the more advanced stuff. And yes, you DO get used to the empty seat next to you (after about 2 hours solo, I'd say) but you'll probably still talk to the instructor despite him/her no being present for many hours to come.
Nice one!!!!!
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Great news, well done, I think that my best ever landing was on my first solo also. Had a few good ones since (a few shabby ones as well)
I too have somthing to celebrate this week.
I got let lose solo into the local area having done a couple of hrs circuit bashing and a quick dual to the local turning point and back.
Great feeling being let lose on your own.
Hope the weather is CAVOK for tomorrow so that I can get another couple of hours in.
I too have somthing to celebrate this week.
I got let lose solo into the local area having done a couple of hrs circuit bashing and a quick dual to the local turning point and back.
Great feeling being let lose on your own.
Hope the weather is CAVOK for tomorrow so that I can get another couple of hours in.
Join Date: May 2002
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Congratulations.
I always maintained that first solo was my best landing ever - as mentioned by others above there's the adrenalin etc, but also I reckon you're more focussed then then probably ever again.
Mine was about 11 years ago, but I still remember it, and the BAe 146 which had to wait in the hold while I completed that first solo at Guernsey.....
I always maintained that first solo was my best landing ever - as mentioned by others above there's the adrenalin etc, but also I reckon you're more focussed then then probably ever again.
Mine was about 11 years ago, but I still remember it, and the BAe 146 which had to wait in the hold while I completed that first solo at Guernsey.....
First Solo
My first solo was at Chester about 11 years ago and was fantastic. BUT..... if my experience (and many others I've spoken to since) is anything to go by, it suddenly all goes to rat sh*t again and you won't do as good a landing for months.
The thing is don't despair .... all of a sudden, one of these days it all does come together and you wonder what the problem was.
Some things of course never seem to go right and can I ever remember to cancel carb heat at 200 ft ???? About 1 landing in 3 I still taxi in and find I still have it selected (and why do so many checklists have an after landing item of cancel carb heat ???).
Very well done, get as much in as you can before the weather breaks.
The thing is don't despair .... all of a sudden, one of these days it all does come together and you wonder what the problem was.
Some things of course never seem to go right and can I ever remember to cancel carb heat at 200 ft ???? About 1 landing in 3 I still taxi in and find I still have it selected (and why do so many checklists have an after landing item of cancel carb heat ???).
Very well done, get as much in as you can before the weather breaks.
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Thank you for all your kind comments and congratulations!
It really is a good feeling to have actually gone solo for the first time. It has been a long time coming and the timing isn't necessarily a result of your performance in the circuit. Weather, pressure of commercial traffic, time of day are all factors that will delay the moment.
(My school will not send any student solo within 90mins of sunset, in case there is an incident at the airfield which keeps you airborne or in case you need to divert.)
And it is just a moment, it went very quickly!
I just did what I have been doing for the last 'n' hours, occassionally glancing to the right hand seat to see only the seat belt sat there!
On finals I was very careful to get the approach speed spot on and the numbers glued to the windscreen. Trickled the power off as I came across the threshold, flared and held off until the plane landed itself! The taxy back to the apron was the best part! I could see my instructor and he looked as excited as I felt!
First solo is one of those life landmarks!
What I am unsure of now is how far through my practical training am I? I know I have more solo circuit work to come and the joys of navigation and XC solos.
I can't wait!
It really is a good feeling to have actually gone solo for the first time. It has been a long time coming and the timing isn't necessarily a result of your performance in the circuit. Weather, pressure of commercial traffic, time of day are all factors that will delay the moment.
(My school will not send any student solo within 90mins of sunset, in case there is an incident at the airfield which keeps you airborne or in case you need to divert.)
And it is just a moment, it went very quickly!
I just did what I have been doing for the last 'n' hours, occassionally glancing to the right hand seat to see only the seat belt sat there!
On finals I was very careful to get the approach speed spot on and the numbers glued to the windscreen. Trickled the power off as I came across the threshold, flared and held off until the plane landed itself! The taxy back to the apron was the best part! I could see my instructor and he looked as excited as I felt!
First solo is one of those life landmarks!
What I am unsure of now is how far through my practical training am I? I know I have more solo circuit work to come and the joys of navigation and XC solos.
I can't wait!
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Thumpango
I hope I'm not too late in offering my congratulations
I remember mine, ok so it was only a few months ago. I had to wait a good 4-5 months for the right day to come along. I think my FI was relieved too as he knew how long I'd been waiting.
I still remember one of the guys in the office saying to my FI "you've got to let him solo today, look how fed up he's looking"
I hope I'm not too late in offering my congratulations
I remember mine, ok so it was only a few months ago. I had to wait a good 4-5 months for the right day to come along. I think my FI was relieved too as he knew how long I'd been waiting.
I still remember one of the guys in the office saying to my FI "you've got to let him solo today, look how fed up he's looking"