Tell us about your first solo

[MartyG]

Chris congrats on your Solo, it's an awesome feeling. On the restart issue which in your case may of been a too low idle issue but it could of been any number of other issues that really could of ruined your day. Could of been failing fuel pump which could of failed at 200 ft. If something is not as it should be while wheels are on the ground that's the best place to be to sort it out. All part of the learning curve. Cheers and enjoy the rest of your flying.

 

 

[dac104y]

Here are the take-off and landing videos for my first solo back in October of last year. The videos aren't as good as some but were taken by my wife on her phone as she knew I was going solo before I did as she was given the heads up by one of the other chaps at the club who had spotted the instructor walking back after the usual circuit training.

 

So the experience.....well this for me was incredible and actually this is the first time I have had chance to write it down, which is good as its a way of helping me remember a hell of a milestone in my life as well as the training itself.

 

I was lining up ready for another circuit after about 40 minutes or so of practice and my instructor looking over and giving me the nod "You're ready" he said. I remember he was talking to me in his normal calm manner and telling me a few things, I can't tell you what he said as I was still processing what I had just heard and mentally going through just what I had to do. After he jumped out I composed myself for a second and glanced over my shoulder to see him calmly walking away, head set in hand. I watched him walk away for about what seemed like an age but in essence was probably only 3-4 seconds. I then went into some robot/automatic mode completing my checks and rechecking everything once, twice, probably three times, I looked over my shoulder again to see that he was clear then radio call, full throttle and I was rolling. It doesn't matter how much my instructor had told me about how the acceleration and climb rate would be so much quicker over the preceding weeks but it really was eye opening and before I knew it I was at 300ft clear of the trees at the end of the strip with flaps up, and up to 500ft turning crosswind way before my normal visual marker. It was only at this point I thought to myself "I'm doing this I'm actually doing this I am flying an aeroplane on my own......bloody hell!!!!!!!!!" I then thought "What if something happens, what if something goes wrong" as soon as I thought it the thought was immediately gone, filed away within a microsecond and I caught myself saying out loud "You know what to do, you have the training, he wouldn't have let you go if he didn't think you were capable". I then started my turn onto downwind at 900ft and overshot the 1000ft to 1100ft. I descended to 1000ft, made the radio call and downwind checks before setting up for the turn and did so onto base with a small amount of turbulence but nothing to worry about. Lowering the flaps the next stage to 20deg I had my third major thought. "If I stuff this up its going to hurt......nope I have had the training concentrate George". 30deg of flap then I turned onto finals, I was slightly high at 600ft instead of 500 but then carb heat pushed off and I was on profile. I don't remember much after that on finals but landing I touched down a little further up the seal than normal due to the extra 100ft. My next recollection was that as I came to a stop thinking "I did it, I bloody well did it............" I made a call and back tracked to the club and shut down and remember looking over at my wife and the instructor with big smiles all round. All I can say is I had the driest mouth and throat I think I have ever had and needed a cup of tea........

 

 

 

[Fishla]

First solo (for a second time) today. This time at a GA school in a C172.

 

 

[flyingluke]

First solo today!! YSBK - great weather, nervous as all hell!

 

All over far too quickly, but I've taken a week off work this week to concentrate on getting the solo smashed out - and it payed off. Back at it tomorrow for a few laps by myself! Can't wait

 

 

[iSteve]

First Solo today!!!!

 

Whhhhhooooooooo Hoooooooooooo!

 

 

[cooperplace]

First Solo today!!!!Whhhhhooooooooo Hoooooooooooo!

that's exactly the radio call I made on my first solo as I was lining up and rolling, sadly, there was no-one in the circuit area to hear it.

 

 

[Nightmare]

First Solo today!!!!Whhhhhooooooooo Hoooooooooooo!

How did it feel?

[facthunter]

Lonely. Nev

 

 

[Cal Air 63]

Hi All,

 

After a few non starts due to work, weather and me, I have completed my first solo, Pete was back in the right seat, lesson started out OK, we headed over to Caboolture for a couple of circuits and then back to Redcliffe for some more, weather was a corker, airport traffic was light, wind was blowing straight down 07, Pete called a full stop on my second to last circuit, hopped out and sent me on my way

 

The celebratory woo hoo was a bit subdue, I still had Pete's words ringing in my ear, fly the airplane, fly the airplane, dont think about anything else, just fly the airplane and that the flight is not done until the aircraft is back in its hanger, so upon landing and then taxiing back to the hanger, after completing my post flight checks, I hopped out and danced a little jig

 

There was some humor in the day, after getting all instructions from Pete upon taking off, he neglected to tell me to come back and get him, so Pete had the lonely walk back from the RWY 07 Hold Point to the hanger in what was quite a hot day temperature wise, kinda made up for all those proverbial clip around the ears he gave me now and then in my training

 

Cheers, Brent

 

 

 

[Nightmare]

Hi All,

 

After a few non starts due to work, weather and me, I have completed my first solo, Pete was back in the right seat, lesson started out OK, we headed over to Caboolture for a couple of circuits and then back to Redcliffe for some more, weather was a corker, airport traffic was light, wind was blowing straight down 07, Pete called a full stop on my second to last circuit, hopped out and sent me on my way

 

The celebratory woo hoo was a bit subdue, I still had Pete's words ringing in my ear, fly the airplane, fly the airplane, dont think about anything else, just fly the airplane and that the flight is not done until the aircraft is back in its hanger, so upon landing and then taxiing back to the hanger, after completing my post flight checks, I hopped out and danced a little jig

 

There was some humor in the day, after getting all instructions from Pete upon taking off, he neglected to tell me to come back and get him, so Pete had the lonely walk back from the RWY 07 Hold Point to the hanger in what was quite a hot day temperature wise, kinda made up for all those proverbial clip around the ears he gave me now and then in my training

 

Cheers, Brent

 

Congratulations Brent! A fantastic achievement!

 

 

[derekliston]

I would if I could remember. Too many years ago!

 

 

[Pominaus]

Wow - just yesterday, congrats Brent!

 

 

[dream2fly]

My solo was in 2016 after a few 'average' circuits finally got it together. On my last landing my instructor told me to taxi down the runway a bit further and then turn around then when back tracking said ok we are going to do exactly the same EXCEPT you will be on your own. Excited and nervous all in one, talked to myself continuously all the way, lost a little height turing base but sorted that, made the most perfect landing and captured the whole experience on my tom tom camera. Celebrated that night with a very nice glass of Aviator red. I think I still had the adrenaline going for the next month, amazed and quite sureal. Just the beginning.

 

Michelle:plane:

 

 

[RossK]

I thought it would be soon, as my instructor said I need to do my pre- solo exam this week.

 

So this morning, before we fly, he hands me the exam and says " do this , then we fly"

 

So I do the exam, pass and off we go.

 

Did a few circuits, some very average landings which had me thinking not today, not with landings like those.

 

Last circuit he says, make it a full stop and take us back the office.

 

So I do that, knowing no solo today and lay it on the strip like a feather, best landing to date and taxi back.

 

Do all my shut down checks and switch off.

 

He gets out and says, "do all your checks and then one circuit, I'll wait here!" and shuts the door!

 

Checks done, taxi, run-ups, enter and rolling and airborne! Just like that!

 

Neat circuit, but too high initially, this Jab climbs well with only one person.

 

Final going well, almost down, transition and float, and float and balloon, and float and aw crap. Full throttle, go around and do it again. Radio call - go around.

 

Another neat circuit, but again too high initially. Good approach, good speed, gentle transition, hold off, and gently touch down!

 

I so much wanted to open the throttle and go again, but I let it roll out and turned off the strip, called clear, and cleaned up.

 

First Solo - DONE!

 

Cheers, Ross

 

 

[Jabiru7252]

Mine was 36 years ago but I remember it well. Two circuits in the Tomahawk then the instructor (John Mariner) said okay, make this a full stop. He got out, told me to fly one circuit then put her away. Terror, excitement and relief. Glad it was a smooth cool day.

 

 

[danny_galaga]

My first solo. Lake Bennett, N.T. 1988

 

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Please tell us more Danny. It looks like a big model plane with you hanging under about to spear into the lake. Did it? and what was the wingspan etc?

 

 

[danny_galaga]

Please tell us more Danny. It looks like a big model plane with you hanging under about to spear into the lake. Did it? and what was the wingspan etc?

I was 18. This was part of the inaugural Birdman Rally for the Darwin Bougainvillea Festival. Rules were simple, one of the main ones being no pre existing hang gliders or non human power. Up to 8 metre wingspan. Most entrants did novelty things like a TARDIS or guys dressing up in tutu s and jumping off the jetty . But I wanted to fly! So I built a simple glider with pine and calico. 6 metre wingspan. The jetty was I think 8 metres high. I was into model planes so I thought I knew everything but really I just knew a tiny bit more than the average Joe. For instance I knew about C of G but didn’t know about centre of pressure. I imagined the tailplane should have a positive angle of incidence when it should probably be negative! That angle so see is me plummeting to third place  

 

I think I ‘flew’ 11 metres and the winner 13. The winner had a hang glider skin with aluminium replaced with bamboo. Green from memory! That glider didn’t fly at all just straight down but it was long enough that the nose put it at 13 metres!

 

i think 3rd place netted me $500 do I was fairly happy with that

 

 

[nig71]

First solo yesterday, had my pre solo exam done a few weeks ago and I’ve been flying one or two days a week weather permitting 2 flights per day. Been working on a good round out and hold off plus my rudder control has been a bit atrocious on the ground. My instructor is always going right rudder. So 26 hours or so of work and I’m nearly in the middle of the runway:).

 

My previous flight was a bit ominous with a bounce and a go around from the bounce (instructors decision) and yesterday we did a normal circuit with a couple of EFATO drills with the last of those probably being my best landing to date (for some reason I almost prefer a flapless or an odd approach. Maybe I don’t have to be as accurate on the approach as a stabilised approach, just watch airspeed and fly the attitude. So second flight of the day we did three pretty normal landings . The day was reasonably cool and it climbed fairly well and for once I seemed to be predisposed to gaining height in the circuit. After three laps good he called a full stop and I reckon I knew what was coming. As I was backtracking a sightseeing flight came out so for once I had traffic to deal with on the runway. This particular pilot is known for taking off from whatever the direction and not doing run ups so I was planning what to do if we came into conflict. I was expecting him to turn onto the runway we were backtracking on ready to go. All went well made exit calls, dropped off my instructor after shutdown. Went back through checklist for start, ran up on pad and went back to runway 22. Had a pray on the way. Lined up checked flap, trim and went for a takeoff. All pretty normal. Although takeoff and climb performance were better I had almost expected them to change my plans a bit. I was thinking to just make sure I extended the legs of the circuit as I thought we would get to altitude quicker and I thought in finals that it wouldn’t descend as easily but flew the numbers pretty well, touched down with a small bounce and taxied back made radio calls and shutdown checks. It was all pretty normal. Not elation as I think I’m pretty level in emotions. Just a normal flight that I’d prepared for and executed without much of a hitch.

 

 

[facthunter]

Congrats on achieving it. Everyone has to, but it's a more "in the head" thing than a skill thing. Did your instructor mention how much better the plane would climb without him/her in it? Nev

 

 

[nig71]

Congrats on achieving it. Everyone has to, but it's a more "in the head" thing than a skill thing. Did your instructor mention how much better the plane would climb without him/her in it? Nev

I knew it would climb better but I had no performance figures to access. A bit more elbow room and not having him reach over and assist on the stick was great. I never knew how much was me and how much was him.

 

 

[facthunter]

I asked you if HE had mentioned it, not if you knew it. Sometimes there are even large handling variations (Tandem seating,) which can make a significant difference to how the plane feels in the flare. A pilot I knew a long time ago felt the instructor was "on the stick" so took his hands off it and the plane landed itself, proving his suspicions well founded. Your stall speed is significantly altered also.. One persons weight in an ultralight is a larger % of weight change than in a heavier plane.. Nev

 

 

[TomJ]

First solo was 2 years ago. I was flying out of a little airfield called Chiltern Park in southern England, training in a C42 Ikarus. We had flown a short distance south to Popham Airfield for a few landings and takeoffs, then back to Chiltern Park for some circuits. My instructor got me to park and got out and said to do the same thing again by myself (well, there was a bit more of a briefing). Off I went, did two circuits from the 420m grass runway 33. Parked up with the biggest grin ever.

 

But my second solo a week later stands out: I was taxiing back to hold ready for another takeoff when a bunch of trucks followed by walking people with flags appeared in the field just to the RHS of the runway. Radioed in to ask what the deal was. Was told to proceed with takeoff - they were only hunters and they probably wouldn't shoot at the plane

 

 

[facthunter]

Be wary of Hunters. Nev

 

 

[GraemeK]

Fate is the Hunter, I think ...