First solo: what if things go wrong...?

[Evo]

Just been reading through the "how long to solo" thread, and it made me wonder how well people are trained to cope if things go wrong. Two rare, but not very rare, scenarios:

You take off, turn crosswind and check the T's and P's - oil pressure is reading zero.

You are just about to call downwind when a landing aircraft bounces, lands on the nosewheel and comes to a halt blocking the main runway. You can still land on the other runway, but that has 12kts of crosswind, or you can divert.

To be really nasty, you could combine the two - you divert, but en-route you notice the oil pressure dropping. Not your lucky day...

Could you cope? I had this conversation with an instructor - he went solo after 6 hours, had to go around from his first approach and admitted that he would not have had a chance if something had gone wrong. As a result, he wasn't going to send anyone solo unless they could deal with the above problems. I had 10 hours before I even did a circuit (including overhead joins, how to find a nearby aerodrome, and basic PFLs - and although I doubt that I could have done a good PFL it was better than nothing) and before solo (18 hours) I had done plenty of EFATOs (and EFs on short final) and a couple of glide and crosswind circuits. Could I have coped? Maybe. Thought so at the time, less certain now...

[jonathang]

I kinda of a agree with you , but you have to do it sometime.

If you are in the circuit at 1000ft you should beable to make the field no matter which position you are in. Maybe not into wind but who cares as long as long as you are safe.

And lets face it got to be very unlucky during first solo.

[Kirstey]

Well if I had "plane trouble" and a broken plane on the runway on my solo - i'd consider a new hobby! Seriously, with 0 pressure it would just be case of declaring a mayday and getting down in the airfield boundary! prefereably on a clear runway, failing that over/behind the aircraft on the main runway, failing that somewhere clear of stuff on the field itself.

I had a plane with an engine failure during my 1st solo, fortunatly I was on the ramp still, so just waited well the guy force landed onto the main runway (lucky git!)

If my plane was fine, and there was a broken one on the runway, I guess It'd be a case of leaving the circuit and holding somewhere, gogo juice permitting

[skyraider]

like kirstey said, do what it takes to get it in on the airfield. If you suddenly have no oil pressure, you are an emergency about to happen. For myself I would land next to the runway or on the taxi way... somewhere... you dont have a choice in the matter because the donkey could quit at any moment.

Every instructor that I have met is VERY aware of where their student is at any time that they are not in the aircraft. If you could hold in the circuit, I would definitely bet that they would be very well aware that you are a first time solo student and would be making every effort to clear the runway for you. If they couldn't, you can bet that they would get a plane up in the air to lead you to a diversion field and this would be decided quickly.

The main thing to remember as a first solo is that you are NEVER alone ! ! ! ! ! !

I can't emphasize this enough. They will follow you around every inch of the circuit on the radio and visually.

If you have a problem then all you have to do is keep flying and they will help you to decide what to do.

If you have an engine failure.. well like jonathang says you should be able to glide to the field and you already know how to land otherwise you would be up there. I realise that a PFL at this stage is a bit of a challenge but all you want is to walk away... If the aerie gets bent and bugg@red, thats ok as long as your are in one piece.

cheers
Sky

[Who has control?]

There was an instance of a young lady on her first solo who had such an experience.

An aircraft blocked the runway while she was in the circuit and she ended up with a first solo that lasted over 2 hours.

It was reported recently as a 'I learnt about flying from that' article

[BlueRobin]

The biggest barrier to your first solo is not the flight itself, i.e. a physical one, but more a psychological one in that you must overcome the "what-ifs". I had the same problem when my first solso came. Between the instructor jumping out and me taking off, I had to block the "what-ifs" out of my mind lest I fluff the checklist and hence potentially jepordise my safety. Ultimately, you must have faith in your low time experience (scary), the aeroplane and fate itself

On my 1st solo, I can tell you that:

a) I swore my head off just after becoming airborne and yes, I did double-check my thumb was off the PTT switch
b) I didn't do my post-takeoff check and left my flaps down until well onto the x-wind leg
c) in the flare, she became very nose up, bounced slightly but she came down okay after that

I believe that one one eastern european country, after a student does his 1st solo, the custom is for the student to have his *rse kicked by the assembled masses in the club

[Whirlybird]

I think this is an EXTREMELY good point.

Emergencies can and do happen, particularly the blocked runway scenario. Some of us learn at one runway airfields; I learned at Welshpool, and my GFT lasted for ages because a student crashed (he was unhurt) and the runway was blocked, and we had no option but to divert or keep flying; I did lots of circles around Long Mountain and heard lots of stories from the examiner. It COULD happen. I think at the very least students should have practised PFLs, including EFATO, before first solo. Yes, someone could lead you to another airfield; they can't land the aircraft for you.

When I did my first helicopter solo, we certainly practised autorotations first. And I do wonder how many of these pre 10 hour solo pilots have done enough of that sort of training. I never worried at the time. Now I know more.

[knobbygb]

On my first solo, I spent five minutes on the ground before the instructor climbed out running all the what-ifs past her. In hindsight I think I was hoping she'd change her mind and not let me go.

We'd spent 30 minutes doing a couple of EFATO's and glide approaches just in case, but I still managed to come up with a huge list of things that could go wrong, including having to divert due to blocked runway, weather, earthquakes etc.

There was nobody else in the circuit and the weather conditions were near perfect. Still, the thing that worried me most was a sudden change of wind direction and therefore runway. Funnily enough the thought that the engine might quit didn't really bother me - if it did I'd just have to deal with it.

The club always arrange for the emergency trucks to be standing by near the runway on a first solo . This really bothered me. Why was that necessary when I'd just been assured I was up to standard? I'm assured that your first solo landing is one of the best you'll ever do (and it was ).

Would I have coped with an emergency? Probably.
Would I cope a lot better now (38hrs)? Certainley.

[Tee]

I think there was a chap who had an engine failure on his first solo in a PA38 at Teesside around two years ago. Made a good forced landing into a nearby field and made the front pages of all the local papers.

[Evo]

I know that you do what it takes to get the aeroplane down in a field - but after a very few hours do you even have the basic 'stick and rudder' skills to do that?

You have to go sometime, I agree. I'm not suggesting that you should be able to fly a navex before you solo. However, a few extra hours covering the what-ifs gives a bit more experience in flying the aeroplane, which is helpful in itself, but many times the experience of flying the aeroplane in an 'emergency' - if you solo in a handful of hours how many PFLs or EFATOs can you have done? What about stall/spin avoidance? What about dealing with the dumb things we all do from time to time, like the infamous mixture-heat check downwind (been there, done that). I'm just finding it hard to see how someone learning ab initio can cover this stuff well and still solo in 6 hours. There just isn't time.

[Grim Reaper 14]

I'm pleased to say that when I first managed my solo, I was as sure as I could be that I'd be able to cope with most things. I learned most of my flying in South Africa, and had already done basics of PFL's and EFATO's, together with a couple of touch and go's at the next nearest airfield (massively aiding the 'what do I do if the runway's shut?' scenario).

The downside? It took me close to 20 hours before I went solo, but at least I was in a position to get out of most of the cack-ridden situations that might have occurred. My RT wasn't too bad by then either.

Upside? Nothing happened...

[skyraider]

Whirlybird

Yes, someone could lead you to another airfield; they can't land the aircraft for you.

If they cant land the aircraft then they shouldn't be up there solo in the first place.

my log book showed that I practiced PFL's and EFATO's in the lessons leading up to my solo and I would think this is common practice.

my point is that if the runway is blocked you have the ability/skill to keep airborne until the problem is solved and if you lose the engine, you have been taught to do a PFL and your instructor should be confident of your ability to land. If you need to damage the aerie to walk away then that is what you do.

Sky

[Penguina]

Who hasn't done a first solo and not thought about this? Before I did mine I used to fantasise about heroically preserving my aircraft on the way into work!

It took me ages to find the right day and I'd done loads of hours compared to most people before I went. I began by worrying about engine failures or blocked runways, but by the time I soloed I was (much more realistically!) concerned about myself managing to land on the nosewheel somehow, or similar. Didn't of course (and yes, it was one of the best landings I've done so far), but I think that the more flying you do, the more you realise that you yourself are the most dangerous thing and, short of the rarer disasters, most situations can be either avoided or dealt with if you have sufficient presence of mind.

[WestWind1950]

@BluleRobin

in Germany after your first solo all fellow flyers that are presen they thrash your rear, at least at most glider clubs that's done, and then you also have to pay for a round of beer for all present at Motorclubs you its tradition to have your necktie cut off (you wear one particularly for this occasion... girls too)...unfortunately these "traditions" don't usually work today and are dying out...

I remember a day at a small field, bad thunder storms were forcast (big squall line in the west) so we started to pack things in. Suddenly we saw a C150 in the downwind appearing to want to land, but there was no radio contact. He landed safely (this field is a very harmless one) and after him a C 172 landed... both without radio. It appeared that the young fellow in the 152 was on his first solo and, due to the windgusts at his field, was no longer able to land! His instrutor told him to "go east", which he did. The instructor hopped into the 172 and followed him. Luckily they found our field, which is located about 38 nm due east of their home field! The reason for no radio contact: the had no charts on board and thus had no idea what our frequency was!! We put their planes into a hangar before the storm hin and they had to be picked up by car. Me and a friend ferried their planes back home the next day.

keep flying!
WestWind

[Crepello]

Before my first solo, the instructor repeatedly had me go through the emergency procedures. The scenario he most stressed was an engine failure on takeoff. At least if it all goes quiet at pattern altitude, you've a little time to assess your options.

As for the flight, it didn't take long for me to embarass myself. I bade farewell to my instructor, then tried repeatedly to start the engine - having overlooked 'Mixture - FULL RICH' in the checklist... After that, it was easy!

Incidentally, how many pilots had a (slight) hangover when they made their first solo? This seems an oddly common combination...

[FlyingForFun]

Of course I was taught PFLs, EFATO and stall+spin awareness before I went solo. Could I have handled an emergency? Probably, yes, just about.

Now, 200 hours later, I could handle an emergency much better. And in 200 hours time, I hope I'll be able to handle an emergency better than I can now.

There's obviously more risk of a pilot being getting into trouble (whether it be an emergency or a botched landing or encountering traffic at a different speed or anything else) on his or her first solo than any other time, because of lack of experience. Instructors have a duty to ensure that the pilot is prepared for the most likely scenarios, but that can't possibly be a substitute for experience.

If you're not prepared to accept that level of risk, then flying probably isn't the right game for you. But if you're not prepared to realise that there's a risk, and do whatever you can to minimize it, then flying definitely isn't the right game for you.

FFF
--------------

[QDMQDMQDM]

in Germany after your first solo all fellow flyers that are presen they thrash your rear,

Boy, now you're talking! This is particularly fun when all concerned are wearing tight little leather shorts too.

QDM

[Whirlybird]

Right, so the concensus appears to be:

1) Most people have done at least some rudimentary preparation for emergencies before their first solo.

2) Everyone thinks they would handle things better now, with more experience.

Of course there has to be a balance. But is there any DISADVANTAGE to a little extra training before going solo.

One thing everyone seems to have left out of the equation is the effects of the unexpected, of information overload, and of time. In an emergency, you're likely to be faced with all three.

You are an inexperienced pilot, expecting to fly one circuit of a familiar airfield. The unexpected - something goes wrong, with the aircraft or the runway. Information overload - YOU have to decide what to do, possibly with help from an instructor on the radio, but that amount of radio chat probably presents overload at that point. Time - whatever happens (apart from an instant emergency landing) your first solo is now likely to be very long, and may terminate with a landing at a very different field, in layout, length, and amount of radio use required, from what you're used to.

I'd say with that possibility, however unlikely, a few extra hours training couldn't be a bad idea.

In fact, now I think about it, don't most accidents involving far more experienced pilots include those three factors? Why else is CFIT so common? Perhaps the syllabus needs to include a lot more on human factors, beyond the daft questions on the ground exams - or have they improved since I took it? No criticism intended, but I do find myself wondering if some of the people posting here have ever been in even a minor "emergency", like an unexpected diversion due to weather, while still having relatively few hours. It's very easy to know what to do on the ground. And of course, we could all do it in the air. Couldn't we....?

[skydriller]

Never had a problem on my First Solo, just remember the little C152 going like a rocket compared to when the instructor was with me!! However, The unexpected does happen during training, Qualifying X-Country? Well, that was fine on the first leg, but on the second leg I arrived at destination to discover the runway temporarily blocked/closed .... so I diverted to a different aerodrome a bit further away. When I eventually got back to base there was some discussion as to whether or not the flight counted as I had not landed where I had planned to, but eventually the consensus was that it was actually better because I had flown further and had a real live diversion to boot!!

Bluerobin/Westwind...

Here in France we are a little more civilised, at my aeroclub we insist that first solos are completed in the morning so that the student has no excuse for not buying champagne to be consumed by one and all before a celebratory lunch also with beaucoup de vin!!! Such events usually go on all afternoon....

[QNH 1013]

The fact that there are so few difficulties during first solos suggest to me that the instructors have got it about right. I would however be worried if instructors started to compete with each other on average hours to first solo.

Good advice given to me prior to my first solo:
1. Remember it will go up a lot quicker without me in the aircraft (C152).
2. If you're not happy with the approach, throw it away and go-around. Don't try and land off a poor approach.

I did PFLs, and cross-country Navexs prior to my first solo which was at about 17 hours. I thought this was rather good until I read of the scores of pprune-ers who went solo in less than 10 hours.