Announcing Solo at Uncontrolled Field?

DrewG

DrewG

Pre-takeoff checklist
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DrewG
Chances are, I'll solo for the first time on Saturday afternoon. Chances are also very high that the weather/wind on Saturday will be conducive to an active day of traffic at the uncontrolled airport where I train.

This made me wonder - if busy conditions prevail, would it be wise to announce that I'm a student on first solo over the CTAF - or even modify my calls at all? I'm not particularly "intimidated" by other traffic and I know priority one is to fly the plane. This was just a random thought that came to mind winding down tonight.


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Just make normal radio calls and fly the plane like you usually do. First solo flight might feel like it ought to have lots of excitement and anticipation leading up to it, but then when you actually do it, you'll likely find it to be rather routine and anti-climactic... as it should be. Then when it's over with, it's time to celebrate :thumbsup:
 
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Neal Howard said:
Just make normal radio calls and fly the plane like you usually do. First solo flight might feel like it ought to have lots of excitement and anticipation leading up to it, but then when you actually do it, you'll likely find it to be rather routine and anti-climactic... as it should be. Then when it's over with, it's time to celebrate :thumbsup:
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On my first solo, I was quite euphoric for the takeoff, but once I turned final, I thought "Oh cr*p, now I have to land this thing!"
 
DrewG said:
This made me wonder - if busy conditions prevail, would it be wise to announce that I'm a student on first solo over the CTAF - or even modify my calls at all? I'm not particularly "intimidated" by other traffic and I know priority one is to fly the plane. This was just a random thought that came to mind winding down tonight.
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First congrats on making it to solo, it's a big step from being a common ground pounder.

Second - The way I've come to treat comms is that if things are busy then stick to the book and make only necessary calls. Even airline pilots sound bad and muck up the freq when they get creative. If things are quiet then you can get a little creative or spend a second or two more on the radio.

You know how to fly the aircraft and where it is supposed to be. You know generally what other aircraft will *usually* be doing (keep your eyes open and outside). You'll fit in just fine and there is no need to warn folks that you're new.
 
My first solo was at a towered field. While I announced nothing about the event, the fact that I dumped the flight instructor on the ramp and proceeded out was not lost on the controllers. About the time I turned crosswind they came on and asked "Doesn't it fly a lot better without that fat guy in the right seat?"
 
flyingron said:
My first solo was at a towered field. While I announced nothing about the event, the fact that I dumped the flight instructor on the ramp and proceeded out was not lost on the controllers. About the time I turned crosswind they came on and asked "Doesn't it fly a lot better without that fat guy in the right seat?"
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:rofl: now that is funny :rofl:
 
Really no need to say anything about it for a trip or three around the pattern. The only time I ever played the "solo student pilot" card was on my long cross country, flying into a towered airport where I'd never been before. They got really helpful when they found out I was on my solo X/C.
 
And just be prepared for the crazies to show up as soon as your wheels leave the ground. I've had at least one guy acting up in the pattern each time I've soloed
 
The purpose of the temporary "student pilot" crutch is to advise ATC that you are new and may have deficiencies, so they will handle you differently. If you think others in the pattern of a non-towered need to be warned that you are somehow deficient and they need to take extra special care when you are in the pattern, go ahead.
 
make your normal calls, but if you have any concerns at all or if it's getting a little too busy for your liking I don't see why you shouldn't mention it. I was in a similar situation:
first solo xc making my "I'm 10 out" call. recognized there were 2 in the pattern, but then heard a helicopter call saying something about a low pass yadda yadda. new to me, wasn't 100% sure what they were doing. I called out and mentioned I'm a student pilot on my first solo xc and asked what the protocol is, did they want me to do a 360 for spacing, what. amazing how helpful everyone gets when they hear that.
so I say keep it in your back pocket IF you need it, otherwise, normal calls.
 
My CFI made me say 'student pilot' on my solo, even though the field was CTAF. Of course, in the heat of the moment, that was the last thing on my mind! I wanted to feel like an actual pilot and habit kicked in as well: I actually don't think I ever used the "student pilot" suffix, although it can help with ATC if you're in a bind.
 
Try: "Podunk traffic, dangerous student pilot is with you and taking the active. Clear the pattern! Any traffic within 50 miles, please advise."
 
I figured the student pilot/solo calls would be more beneficial when dealing with ATC if the need arises, but not so much on CTAF - as many of you have affirmed.
 
I never made any special calls as a student pilot except for when I flew a short cross country into a towered, BUSY, airport. When I called the tower I announced myself as a student pilot as part of the first call.

On long final they were concerned about traffic and I was too high due to my rookiness and a drastically different size runway. They told me to move over to the right and fly parallel to the runway for the go around. They were very friendly and accommodating. Had I not alerted them on my initial call, I think they would have handled the situation differently.

For your local solo at an uncontrolled field, I wouldn't announce anything except your normal calls.

After you've done a solo landing or two, you'll be asking yourself why that guy needed to be sitting in that seat before.
 
My first solo was one lap around the pattern and nobody else was there. On my second solo (uncontrolled field), there was a guy behind me in a faster plane and I did announce "student solo" as I was turning base as I was not 100% sure if I would make the first turn-off…. it floats more without my big CFI in the right seat.

The next turnoff is about 2000' further down the runway. I just wanted to be sure I was clear of the runway before he landed (and not force him into a go-around").
 
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I never announced when at uncontrolled but did at controlled when I was a student mainly to get them to talk slower.

I always tell people I learned what truly being committed to something was the day I soloed.

Have fun.
 
If there's a break in the comm right before you line up for departure then let them know you're going out on your first solo, if only to get the "congrats" and "yeehaw" comments from anyone else in the pattern as a confidence booster. Otherwise, just treat it normally unless it starts getting too crazy for your skill level.
 
flyingron said:
My first solo was at a towered field. While I announced nothing about the event, the fact that I dumped the flight instructor on the ramp and proceeded out was not lost on the controllers. About the time I turned crosswind they came on and asked "Doesn't it fly a lot better without that fat guy in the right seat?"
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My instructor told me the same thing when he got out. "Now watch out when you start your descent. It's gonna fly like a homesick angel without fatso in the right seat."
 
Do not make calls for which there is no action to be taken. The point of normal calls is to ask other pilots not to occupy the same space at the same time as you. What would the point of "student pilot" be?

I never used it even for ATC at a major Class C airport full of 737s (KSJC). I reserved it for when I felt overwhelmed, which never happened. Not that I didn't make mistakes -- I forgot to switch to ground at KSJC when I asked for a taxi-back. Tower politely set me straight. Then ground gave me a huge maze of taxi clearances (including back-taxiing on an active runway to avoid a closed taxiway!)
 
I never made any special calls when I soloed. But the tower people knew who I was and probably figured I was soloing.

Oh by the way, I soloed at night. Technically that was against the policy of the school, but the chief CFI was there with my instructor so all was good I guess.
 
F01LA said:
Try: "Podunk traffic, dangerous student pilot is with you and taking the active. Clear the pattern! Any traffic within 50 miles, please advise."
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Ha! The only audible grimace my old-timer of an instructor has made (including my horrible landings) was when we heard a "ATITAPA" request over the CTAF at a distant field. "Mmm mmm. Don't you go saying that. It's not looked highly upon."

tehmightypirate said:
If there's a break in the comm right before you line up for departure then let them know you're going out on your first solo, if only to get the "congrats" and "yeehaw" comments from anyone else in the pattern as a confidence booster...
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I guess that's one way that's one way to fish for confidence boosts and have a little fun with it!
 
Sac Arrow said:
I never made any special calls when I soloed. But the tower people knew who I was and probably figured I was soloing.

Oh by the way, I soloed at night. Technically that was against the policy of the school, but the chief CFI was there with my instructor so all was good I guess.
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Tower always knows your first solo. Taxiing off the field to dump your instructor, and then right back on again is a dead giveaway.
 
MAKG1 said:
Tower always knows your first solo. Taxiing off the field to dump your instructor, and then right back on again is a dead giveaway.
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I know this is a thread jacking in a way - but those last two words immediately made me chuckle and brought to mind this video.
 
I was thinking that after 3 good landings with my CFI and he told me to taxi to the ramp.
 
My CFI announced on the CTAF what I was about to do. A few people on frequency wished me luck then it got really quiet....lol
 
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