First Solo XC On the Books!

[SkyChaser]

Still no in-flight fires or missing engines. We talked about how you're supposed to tell stories.

I am dissapoint.

Does this help?

It was a dark and stormy night, and there I was, flying over the blackhole of the Midwest countryside, when - BANG! Almost instantly, smoke began billowing into the cockpit from around the radios and instrument casings and the plane was shuddering violently -- oh wait, I already told y'all I haven't done any night flight yet. Crap.

Well, of course not! She was solo! Everyone knows fires and engine failures and so on are caused by having a CFI along. Airplanes are much more reliable without an instructor in the right seat.

And yes, thankfully airplanes without instructors are ever so much more reliable!

 

[Half Fast]

Does this help?

It was a dark and stormy VFR day, and there I was, flying over the blackhole of the Midwest countryside, when - BANG! Almost instantly, smoke began billowing into the cockpit from around the radios and instrument casings and the plane was shuddering violently --

FIFY



Now, to continue the story:

...the plane was shuddering violently as tracers flashed through the cockpit. A MIG was close on my six and I was trying desperately to remember what the AIM said about this situation. This was the one scenario my CFI had never simulated. There were bullet holes in the left wing and fuel was draining fast.

Fortunately, the Iowa terrain below resembled one giant landing field in every direction so I dove for the deck.

Just about then a beagle flying a doghouse swooped down on the MIG, guns blazing.

Make sure it’s all in your logbook.

 

[SkyChaser]

FIFY



Now, to continue the story:

...the plane was shuddering violently as tracers flashed through the cockpit. A MIG was close on my six and I was trying desperately to remember what the AIM said about this situation. This was the one scenario my CFI had never simulated. There were bullet holes in the left wing and fuel was draining fast.

Fortunately, the Iowa terrain below resembled one giant landing field in every direction so I dove for the deck.

Just about then a beagle flying a doghouse swooped down on the MIG, guns blazing.

Make sure it’s all in your logbook.

ROTFL Why is there not at least a quadruple like option?!?!

 

[asicer]

Lol, that and some duct tape and you are good! I've had mine over 2 years now, how long do yours last? I'm not knocking it, but I find when these things fail it's usually at the least convenient time.

That free piece of butcher's twine? At least as long as I've been on PoA so far.

 

[pnancoz]

Thanks, guys. I think I'm going to remember a lot of moments from training, but this one is definitely in the top five! I was actually a bit nervous about this flight, so it definitely felt like a bigger deal to me than my first solo (which I wasn't nervous about. It was just landings! LOL).



I did have it set up on the ground before run-up. Near as I can figure, I must have bumped some button when I double-checked the weather frequencies I'd put in since I had to put my hand up there to shade it from the sun to read what the radio said. I wasn't planning on using it for my primary nav, so I didn't check it like I should have. There's always something a person could have done better!

Not too long ago after programming the GPS on the ground with a rather long IFR clearance, I accidently turned off the avionics master and had to program the clearance all over again. After that, I learned that once i finish programming the GPS, I store the flight plan incase I repeat my mistake.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Stick your pen in the spiral wire part of your spiral notebook.

 

[Kal Ma]

“Wait, you can GO places with this thing?” That first cross-country as PIC is something special. Nobody else is in the plane to catch or correct your mistakes. And that’s why a silent instructor still feels different than an empty seat: When the instructor is quiet, you know that you are doing okay. When there’s nobody riding along, only you can judge how you’re doing. Keep learning, keep flying, and keep having fun.

I am on tomorrow to KPRC...nice weather!