Going Solo

[biggles]

What was the information? share! :)

Nothing that most students are not already told, but mainly tips about late in the flare eg. transferring attention to far end of runway resulting in better control during rollout . I probably missed it with my earlier instructor but never forgot Ian's advice ..... Bob

 

 

[red750]

I did a concentrated 3 week course, flying about an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon, 5 days a week for 3 weeks to reach what was the restricted PPL level. I guess it took about 15 hours to solo, because I had difficulty in judging the flare. I did a couple of hours with a senior instructor because the young instructor didn't seem to be making much progress with me. I learnt and soloed in the aircraft below, at Moorabbin, so that meant mixing it with secondary airport traffic and handling radio with the tower. On the big day, after completing about 3 circuits, the instructor said do a full stop and taxi back. While I was concentrating on my landing he spoke to the tower, saying he was sending me off on my own. As he stepped out, he advised me about the improved performance of the lighter aircraft, and said do one circuit and come back and pick me up. I wasn't quite prepared, but thought he must think I can handle it. The most outstanding thing about it was how routine it was.

 

Other memorable firsts were: first solo cross country, first solo in a retractable, c/s aircraft (Bonanza) and first cross country with passengers in the Bonanza. A flight with a circuit around the Opera House with passengers in a C182 was also memorable.

 

 

 

[DonRamsay]

I loved my first solo and recall every second of it. I think it is still the most accurate circuit and landing to date but I could be polishing it in my recollection. I was ready that day (but probably not before) and remember driving to the airport with the attitude "I'm going to show the CFI I can land this bloody thing". Confidence was up and after a couple of solid circuits the CFI jumped out and said do 1 and bring it back to the hangar. It was a shock but a good one. As I taxied I had a huge buzz and only on climb up wind as the Jab tore into the sky did the penny drop . . . this one is up to me.

 

Oddly, my first area solo gave me the hebejebes. Suddenly, there was no way I could make it back to the airport if all went quiet. A few weeks later that particular Jab's 4th motor let go and I was so very glad I wasn't on board at the time.

 

First pax was my dear wife and that was a special thing for me. Fortunately, she enjoyed the experience but she's not easily scared.

 

I also loved all the Navs because by that time the Jab had a nice new Rotax 912ULS purring away up front. Once I did have to do some improvising when I was heading into a valley that, up ahead, had cloud on the ground. A quickish 180 and all was good except now totally disoriented and not knowing where I was or where I was going or which way to get back to the home airport. After collecting thoughts for a couple of moments all came good, got my bearings and set a course for home.

 

Years later, I asked the CFI how he knew when a student was ready to go solo. Apart from judgement of the technical skills, he said he asked himself this question: "if this were my kid, would I let her go solo now?"

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

...Well meaning relatives turning up when they think first solo may happen also puts on too much pressure.

That opens up another aspect, Happy. The fewer distractions the better. Repairs, refuelling, the preflight and actual taking to the air are activities best done solo. Having friends and family around may be nice, but there's a high probability they could have a negative influence on your judgement.

Like the sign on many a motor mechanic's wall:

 

Hourly Rates -$50

 

If you watch -$80

 

If you help -$100

 

 

[Aldo]

First solo for me was extrordinary, for some reason I had wanted to fly from about age 10, have no idea why no other family members flew and we didn't know anyone who did, closest airport that aeroplanes used was about 100 miles away.

 

I believe I was extremely fortunate in my choice of flying schools I had no idea what to look for and just got lucky the instructor who was CFI was about 45 had logged 6000+ hours in New Guinea in pistons and another couple of thousand instructing he just wanted to pass on his accumulated knowledge, he took me all the way to restricted PPL and I feel extremely privileged to have had him for an instructor. Precision was everything if you are supposed to be at 1000 in the circuit why are you at 1050 but it was never delivered in a demeaning way.

 

I was also lucky in that I was able to fly every day first solo 8.9 but I'm glad it was in a 152 and not an ultralight the 152 is much easier than any U/L I have flown.

 

Other memorable moments

 

First passenger - wife (sadly later killed in an aircraft accident after solo but before certificate in a Foxbat).

 

Landing at Brisbane international (original one) during one of my navs

 

Current wife going solo

 

Found a way to include flying with business and get to fly every day.

 

Aldo

 

 

[johnm]

I don't think it matters much how many hours it takes someone going solo - it maybe not even the measure of the student - it could be the measure of the instructor (congrats Aldo 8.9 hours to solo ! great stuff) - and I don't think any student will drag their knuckles on the ground reading this either)

 

I think students getting into this zone would like to know about these aspects ?

 

............. the other day I went for my first fly in 2 months ! (wind, work, wages) - I thought at the time it was just like going solo all over again

 

 

[rankamateur]

My most unnerving solo, was my first to the training area, had just done a full refuel with a syphon hose and jerry cans. about five minutes in I had a head full petrol and got short of breath. Didn't take long to realise I had to keep it together or die, so I turned the door vents full forward and stuck my nose in the one on the pilots door, sucked in 8 or 10 big ones and the fog began to clear. All my refuelling happened the night before from then on.

 

 

[Aldo]

What an interesting comment. Just curious, check your log book and tell how many hundred hours you spent on a motorbike to gain that confidence. I am sure it would be many multiples of 100. And you probably manage more than the 1 to 2 hours a week that most of us get in the air.I think that 5 hours a week will build experience and confidence far better than 5 hours in 5 weeks. Having said that we all have bad weeks and should know when to stop.

 

I have nearly 200 hours spread over 11 months and I feel that I am far more aware and confident than I could be had those same hours been spread over 4 or 5 years. Just wait till I get my own plane in the air and then I should really be able to get some Training/practice/flying in.

Geoff

 

Congrats mate 20 hrs a month is a mammoth effort when you don't own your own aircraft that amount of hours will ensure you remain very current. A word of caution though, it is a known fact that between the 200 and 500 hour mark is when things can go to hell in a handbag due to our confidence levels being quite high, treat every flight like it is your first one. Keep up the good work.

 

Aldo

 

 

[Soleair]

My first solo was also my first flight. I built a Pterodactyl in my shed and then found a paddock big enough to learn to fly it (there were instructions in the back of the build manual). It was great being young, invincible, confident, and foolish. Fortunately I lived to learn to fly. . . It was a lot of fun, though!

 

Bruce

 

 

[Stoney]

My first solo was in a Diamond DA20 at 17.2 hours over three months. I started training for my PPL in July and flew during the winter when the weather was often pretty ordinary. I was probably ready a bit before but the weather was not favourable. I figured that if I learned in rain and crosswinds it would just make me a better pilot later. My instructors never discussed a timeframe for going solo and it was a complete surprise to me when it happened.

 

The day of my solo I had a two hour circuit lesson and the weather was great, all my landings were the best ever. I just didn't want to stop. After an hour of circuits, the instructor said to make this one a full stop. I was really disappointed, but complied. After we exited the runway the instructor radioed the tower that he was getting out and that I was going to do one circuit by myself. He did advise the plane would climb better. I didn't have time to get nervous, the run up bay was about 50meters from the active runway and I was cleared for immediate takeoff.

 

I was relaxed and calm, no anxiety or nerves and just performed as I would if the instructor was sitting alongside me. After my downwind call, I took about ten seconds to absorb what I was doing and enjoy the moment. On taxiing back after my most perfect landing, the tower congratulated me, which was nice. That night the adrenaline kicked in and I was still trembling with excitement at midnight.

 

Other milestones were, as others have said, (a) first solo nav, and being treated by IFR RPT and the Flying Doc pilots over the radio as if I was a proper pilot. (b) when I took my daughter up as my first passenger. I really felt the responsibility of being absolutely responsible for her safety. © taking other family and friends flying, who remember when I was terrified of getting on a commercial jet.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Interesting that you thought the Nav a greater milestone than the solo, Geoff.I remember being pretty disillusioned on the 5th morning of my intensive intro to gliding. I was still making mistakes and not getting any better. After one circuit I was ready to cut my losses and give up. Perhaps the instructor realised this; he suddenly got out and closed the canopy! The exhilaration of that flight is still fresh, as is my first solo Nav.

 

Was I ready? No. The instructor had not yet introduced me to several basic skills, but he elected to take a risk. I'm glad he did, or my flying career might have ended there.

Geeeeez OK,. . . .I'm glad he did that,. . . . . . Whilst I appreciate Geoff's experience,. . .I didn't think I'd got anywhere near enough training in that c-150 to take it on my own. . . . .even though I'd had many flights before that but ( apart from gliding) had never flown solo in a powered aeroplane. . . and after six an a half hours, I thought. . ."you have to be joking" . . . .anyway, I didn't crash the plane, and got so absorbed that I did 3 touch and goes before the instructor Alan Basket ( Gawd bless him ) came out waving his arms about,. . . .so I did a full stop.. . . .he hadn't gone into RADIO at that time,. . .so it was switched off ! ! ! He said,. . ." I only wanted you do do ONE. . ." ! !

 

I was in seventh heaven after that. . . .and thought I owned the world. . . .I have to admit at the time ( Sad bugger ) that it was better than sex. . . . . ( Mind you,. . .have you met my girlfriend ? ? ? )

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Nothing that most students are not already told, but mainly tips about late in the flare eg. transferring attention to far end of runway resulting in better control during rollout . I probably missed it with my earlier instructor but never forgot Ian's advice ..... Bob

I find it fascinating to fly with different instructors, as thay all seem to have varying handles on things,. . .and this is all good grist for your mill. . . . .I always learn something from doing my re-vals, often with instructors half my age with less than a fifth of my own logged hours. . . . . .it's always GOOD to see what other brains say about the same thing.

 

If anyone ever says that they pretty well know it all,. . .then you KNOW they are either kidding YOU or more likely themselves.

 

Did a reval last week, and the young instructor deferred to me, calling me "Sir" . . . and said "Well,. . . you've done everything, and flown everything, so, we'll just fly around a bit. . .". . .?? Christ,. . .this lad is a 737 First Officer, having learned to fly in South Africa and done some really interesting flying prior to joining an airline and really working for peanuts for a living. . .. . . so I said,. . ."Look,. . .I'm an old fart,. . .All my interesting stuff was a million years ago,. . .so can we just fly the plane, and if you don't like the way I do it for ***** sake tell me; and I'll do it YOUR way.

 

You are NEVER . . .ever . . . .too old to learn something in a different manner to that which you are used to. . . . . . so he showed me an "Interesting" way to incercept the localiser on the Birmingham ( EGBB) ILS. . . . that, actually, isn't part of a PPL reval,. . .but I asked if we could. . . .we flew the whole session on instruments. . . .good practice I thought ( he said,. . .perspiring heavily, as his IR ran out of currency 20 years ago. . . . )

 

So now,. . .I can terrorise the air for another 23 months til my next reval. . . . ( Hope I can get the same bloke. . .)

 

 

[Guernsey]

I can vividly remember my first solo in an Auster at 1815hrs on the 30th april 1967 landing on runway 21 at Guernsey Airport in light south westerly winds with 3 octas of cloud at 3,000ft with my instructor advising me that he would see me when I had finished back at the Club room.

 

I could, if I had time and space, describe every detail of the flight, but what really annoys me is that I can't tell you what I did yesterday...

 

Dementia Alan.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

A Biennial Flight Review is pretty much my only chance to learn from an instructor; so I always do it in a completely different aeroplane. A great opportunity to have the development of bad habits curtailed and reset rusty basic skills.

 

 

[facthunter]

OK, I think that is a good way to see it. The rule that you do it in THE plane you fly most is alright for beginners but for someone who is a practicing Flying instructor or regularly flys should be optional. It is in fact, but I mention it because you did. The BFR is a chance to learn more. Obviously, IF you fly the "new" plane OK you will be fine in the ones you fly all the time. Goes without saying.

 

Preparation (read the POH) and know the numbers beforehand to you get the maximum benefit and of course sit in it and find where everything is before flying. Nev

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

My first solo was in a IS-28 all aluminium glider back in the mid 1980's. I was learning in a K13 at first but it was too cramped for this big frame. Then John Fairbairn and Dave Smart (now deseased due to a car accident) started a gliding school and I did a full on 1 week course at Kingaroy with them. It was the best thing I ever did. The k13 was lucky to be 2 flights on a weekend for about 45 mins duration then 2 weeks later the same..1 step forward and 2 steps back. The week long course was brilliant. I logged about 8 hrs in a few days and went solo in the IS28. Then I got into the clubs Bergfaulk...everyone hated it as it needed heaps of rudder..we used to call it the Bergie dance but that taught me even more so how important rudder was and for a rag bag it was a LD 34 to 1 if I remember right so was a excellent flyer. The beauty about gliders first is it teaches you the value of aerodynamics to fly a aircraft to its max potential and if you want to stay aloft you need to do so. This has always come along with me through the PPL and much much later RAus after building my own. The other beauty about a glider is you ONLY get one chance to land it properly

 

Mark

 

 

[Phil Perry]

OK, I think that is a good way to see it. The rule that you do it in THE plane you fly most is alright for beginners but for someone who is a practicing Flying instructor or regularly flys should be optional. It is in fact, but I mention it because you did. The BFR is a chance to learn more. Obviously, IF you fly the "new" plane OK you will be fine in the ones you fly all the time. Goes without saying.Preparation (read the POH) and know the numbers beforehand to you get the maximum benefit and of course sit in it and find where everything is before flying. Nev

I agree totally with that approach Nev,. . .if I am ever ferrying something I have not flown for a while, or not at all,. . .following a good checkride,. . .and after reading the POH, I sit in it for about a half hour,. . .trying to find all the important stuff with my eyes shut. My mate and Instructor Alan Basket taught me that,. . .and it really does work,. . .especially when you get a total electrical fail on a night flight ! ! Do you remember where the breaker reset buttons were on the panel or sub panel. . .?. . . good practice. And NO,. . .I have NOT got an exciting Phabulous Phat Phil example story where this practice saved my life either. . .! but it is still a damned good idea.

 

I still take my hat off to blokes like Eric ( Winkle) Brown,. . . .who was sent, along with another British pilot to collect a couple of aircraft and bring them back to his base,. . .when he got there, it turned out they were a pair of helicopters, something he had never seen close up and definitely never flown. . . .

 

He asked where the Flight instructor was, and was handed a flight manual, which he studied, along with his cohort, overnight,. . .and then he and his associate flew the two machines safely back to base.

 

I'd really HATE to try something like that nowadays . . . . . (even with some time on various rotorcraft. . .!)

 

Yes,. . .read the POH C A R E F U L L Y. . . . then sit in there and think about it for a bit. Can't hurt can it. . .?

 

 

[Guest GraemeM]

My wife caught me going solo once, man talk about an awkward moment.

 

Graeme.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Hope you quickly got a grip on yourself.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

My wife caught me going solo once, man talk about an awkward moment.Graeme.

Ahh,. . .I see what you mean,. . .well,. . I ceased abusing myself when I quit smoking some years ago mate,. . . . . . .

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I am hoping to complete my Biggles collection when I find Biggles Pulls It Off. Must be a very rare edition.

 

 

[facthunter]

What's this confessional instinct ? The psychology lecturer at teachers college told us all (innocents) that 99% admit they do it and the other 1% are liars Nev

 

 

[Guernsey]

Ahh,. . .I see what you mean,. . .well,. . I ceased abusing myself when I quit smoking some years ago mate,. . . . . . .

If you were smoking you must have suffered from very rough handling, I'm not surprised you quit.

Alan.

 

 

[DonRamsay]

My approach to a BFR is to do it as a 2 x 2 hour revision lesson. In that situation, it can't be threatening or embarrassing and I actually look forward to it. At the end of four hours over a couple of days, I know I am a better, safer pilot. Makes it easier for the CFI to sign me off as well.

 

I probably should do it every 100 hours or yearly.

 

 

[Nightmare]

My father was standing next to my instructor when I pulled in from my first solo. He would never have the courage to fly himself, but I did my training off my own strip and he was never far away on his quad bike when I was doing my pre-flights each day, kept a good eye on what was going on.

My Dad got his PPL in the 1960's and I remember going up with him as an ankle biter in his Piper Cherokee. Sadly he passed away in 2003. I kinda think he'll be there in spirit when I get to solo, hopefully later this year.