First Official Solo sign off

Tristar

Tristar

Pattern Altitude
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Apr 7, 2005
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Lincoln, NE
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Tristar
This is slightly late but I had my first official Solo sign off the other day! Unlike my last sign off, this particular student started with me from the get go. We had been practicing landings for a few lessons and he was continuously having trouble flaring and using enough rudder to line up with the runway so they ended up flat and with the nose pointed a little to the side of centerline. After some coaching and letting him fix his mistakes, he was finally getting the pitch attitude right, centering up the nose, and easing them onto the runway rather than the typical "plop!" He was also doing awesome on the radios and I didn't have to say a thing which makes my job easier. I told him to make the last one a full stop. "So how do you think you're doing?" "Well, they're not perfect but a lot better than last time." "I think so too, do you want to give it a shot by yourself?" "You mean today? Now?" "Yep today, you're doing great on the radios and your landings are looking pretty good." "umm I dunno...(lots of apprehension).

We walked inside and I asked him again, "you sure you dont want to try it today? I'll sign you off, you're doing fine." "umm can we look at the weather for sunday?" So we looked and it was supposed to be windy and gusty (which it turned out to be). ....He changed his mind, "uhh yea, i guess I'll go today." So I signed his logbook and student pilot certificate and out to the plane he went.

I don't know who is more excited, me or him. I turned on my handheld Com radio and listened in. He sounded calm and cool on the radio as he taxied out to the runway. I can only assume what he was thinking by remembering how I felt on my first solo. I watched him take off "...oops, should have warned him the plane would be lighter!" His pattern work went fine, he acknowledged all radio calls. His first landing looked like he flared a little high but he had control and in no time was back in the air. His last two looked fine. I walked out to the plane after he shut down. "Well, I dont see anything broken, how'd it go?" "Went great, I'm really glad I went today" (with a huge smile). We took his picture in front of the airplane and it will soon be framed on our wall at the flight school. He made his first "solo" entry in his logbook which included little extra confidence under his belt and a huge smile.

As far as for me...I'm still getting used to the fact that I taught somone how to land an airplane, it's a great feeling to see them solo.
 
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Another bird has left the "nest" and you and him both should be very proud.

Congrats ma'am. :)

Ben.
 
It seems so odd to me that an instructor would ask the student if they were ready. My instructor didn't give me the option. He just got out and told me I was going to do the next three by myself as he endorsed my logbook. I'm not sure what I would have said if he had asked me.
 
That's really awesome, Tristan!

Tell us more about him... young guy, old guy? How'd he get interested in taking lessons? What does he want to do with his flying--fun, business, or career?

I'm interested in where you flight instructors see the new pilots coming from.
 
Congrats Tristan!,
Its amazing how that first solo sign off feels....in the hierarchy of aviation memories its almost feels more important than your own first solo .
 
Very cool! I'm looking forward to that experience for me. It'll come up one of these days. :)
 
Great job. I'll bet is pretty cool when you remember back to you're first time soloing.
 
You'll remember this one for a long time. I'd add one more trick- if you're not ready to endorse in the right seat and hop out (e.g, going to stop in the FBO) think about adding 18 gallons of fuel before he/she solos. It'll fly exactly the SAME with you not present.... :)
 
bbchien said:
You'll remember this one for a long time. I'd add one more trick- if you're not ready to endorse in the right seat and hop out (e.g, going to stop in the FBO) think about adding 18 gallons of fuel before he/she solos. It'll fly exactly the SAME with you not present.... :)
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For all you private students out there... Given the above information, how much does Tristan weigh?:smile:

Edit: Given standard atmospheric conditions!
 
TMetzinger said:
For all you private students out there... Given the above information, how much does Tristan weigh?:smile:

Edit: Given standard atmospheric conditions!
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I think 18 gallons is high- Tristan may be a mighty and powerful force of nature, but she's a teensy lil' thang, too! :D

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Bravo Zulu to you from me, too, Tris - it must be especially satisfying to teach flight. My instructor is a great guy, but he told me the lesson before that I was gonna solo, so no surprises at all for me. The tower at TKI (McKinney) was quite used to first solos for students at my flight school being conducted there, and after my third landing, as I taxied back, he told me, "Congratulations and good job." That felt nice, too.
 
SCCutler said:
Bravo Zulu to you from me, too, Tris - it must be especially satisfying to teach flight. My instructor is a great guy, but he told me the lesson before that I was gonna solo, so no surprises at all for me. The tower at TKI (McKinney) was quite used to first solos for students at my flight school being conducted there, and after my third landing, as I taxied back, he told me, "Congratulations and good job." That felt nice, too.
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I like towers like that. Sadly, mine isn't one of them. Last night I was up with a student here in Williamsport, and we did a few engine outs. He wasn't too happy with that, even though nobody else was anywhere near the airport. When I killed the engine after takeoff on my student, tower gave the "Do you require assistance?" call. You think they'd be used to it, especially in that aircraft (which is primarily used for flight training).
 
TangoWhiskey said:
That's really awesome, Tristan!

Tell us more about him... young guy, old guy? How'd he get interested in taking lessons? What does he want to do with his flying--fun, business, or career?

I'm interested in where you flight instructors see the new pilots coming from.
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He's a young guy in his senior year of high school. I don't remember if he wants it to be a career or not however I know he wanted to complete it before going to college. We have a couple come in wanting to complete private because the private certificate does transfer as credit with most colleges.
 
Hah! Thanks spike, actually Bruce had it almost on the money. I'm roughly 110lbs +/- lunch. ;)
 
Tristan, you should make that a question for your students... "You're going to solo now, and the airplane will feel a little different without my 110 pounds in it. How many gallons of fuel could you add to minimize the weight change?"

Who knows, it might get the student's mind out of the "omigod" loop.
 
TMetzinger said:
Tristan, you should make that a question for your students... "You're going to solo now, and the airplane will feel a little different without my 110 pounds in it. How many gallons of fuel could you add to minimize the weight change?"

Who knows, it might get the student's mind out of the "omigod" loop.
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Been married, not no more. Knows NEVER to answer that question!
 
Congrats Tristan. I remember my first solo in a C152 without the 170 pounds in the seat next to me, back when I was a bit lighter myself.
 
Well, Well, Well..... my how time "flys" when ur having fun! I am so proud of you. I remember when you took me for my first ride, you strapped me in, told me not to touch anything and away we went, now you have given this dream to another, what can I say here except, WOW! I knew you could do it!
 
TangoWhiskey said:
He missed Spike's comment about her being "a powerful and mighty force of nature", despite being a "teensy 'lil thang". He might find out first hand! :rofl:
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Absolutely, sometimes great things come in small packages! :)
 
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