First Student Solo

dmccormack

dmccormack

Touchdown! Greaser!
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May 11, 2007
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Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
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Dan Mc
Last flight my student couldn't find the ground with both feet and both hands.

Tonight -- winds were calm, I had little to say, we're droning around the pattern, everything is a Go.

"You ready to take it yourself?"

"Maybe tomorrow..."

I let him announce midfield downwind, slow down, extend flaps...

"You're doing great -- everything so far is spot on..."

Another couple of landings, these not quite as good -- we drop in from 4 feet.

"Add just that tiny bit of power to arrest that descent..."

"OK.. can we take a break?"

"Sure.."

We sit and drink cokes in the airport restaurant, talking about yards and weed whacking.


"Well, it's not going to get any nicer..."

"Yeah -- how about you go up with me once..."

"OK."

We climb in, taxi down, extra checklist checking, then take off. Everything is still solid. We do two circuits.

"Pull off here.."

I see the look that says, "But..."

"You'll be fine -- you know what to do -- I have every confidence. I have the handheld radio -- I'm available on the airport freq."

I hop out and walk to the side of the airplane. He taxis away and I watch -- the airplane is rolling all the way down to 26 at a slow walk. Oh well, better that than too fast.


Radio call is fine, airplane centerline, nosewheel straight -- power comes up.. I watch -- airplane is still on centerline --good.

Airborne -- still on centerline -- good -- 100', 150' "That takeoff was quick without..." I hear on 122.8

"Without my lard...?"

"Yeah -- that.."

"OK, concentrate on flying..."


Crosswind looks good -- a bit high -- yep, power's back, descending turn to downwind -- sheese -- ok, level, power's back.. good.

"Rostraver traffic, Cessna Midfield downwind 26, Rostraver."

He hasn't sounded that good on the radio yet!

OK, power's back, slow it up -- slow it... hmm, descending, ok...

"... turning base, Rostraver."

Good, nice 30 degree bank, on base, good -- nice gentle turn to final, that's it, looks a bit high...

"... on final, 26, Rostraver."

OK, nail that airspeed... "Winds are still calm, no traffic in the pattern."

"Roger."

This airplane looks like every airplane looks on final -- suspended in space. Now it's floating above the runway -- hold it off, hold it off, hold it -- SQUEAK!

Nose drops -- I gotta work that habit out of him -- still, overall looks good.

"That looked very nice!"

"I'm done..."

"Sure you don't want to do one more?"

"OK."

Another time around the pattern -- this time descent rate is a bit high, gonna need -- yep, good power...nicely down, settles on the mains -- good!

"Very well done!'

"Yeah, that one felt good -- but I'm done..."

"No problem, I'll meet you at the hangar."

"Don't want me to pick you up?"

"Nope -- you can operate solo, you taxi it in." (And I don't add, "I'm walking on air right now so I don't need a ride, thank you very much.")

He shuts down, starts clean up -- doing everything required to get the airplane ready for the hangar.

We talk about the landings and he correctly analyzes each small flaw.

I help push it in and wipe down the bugs. "These bugs seem to be coming off easier."

Of course they do.
 
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Reminds me of my first solo at Rostraver....man im old.

Tell your student congrats and buy em some Piper Fries at Eagles landing for me!
 
Well Dan ,Good write up and from what i can tell you must have trained him Right.
Congrats to both of you. And tell him fror me "Next Step is your ticket" Congrats again
Dave G
 
Congrats, Dan and student! First solos are great. It's when you first really get that feeling of "Wow, I can do this... and who in their right mind is LETTING me do this?!"

For my first solo, Missa was there to take pictures, having received a tip-off from my instructor. She seemed a bit too interested in pictures after my instructor had cut the back of shirt off... ;)
 
How did he feel after the solo? Glad you nugged him alittle to get it done? It sounds like he is a conservative student which is good. Good job both of you.
 
drizzt76 said:
How did he feel after the solo? Glad you nugged him alittle to get it done? It sounds like he is a conservative student which is good. Good job both of you.
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Spent, I think. He was pretty happy afterwards but I think he felt like he'd done enough, which is fine.

Not everybody is a hard charger -- some have self-doubts, insecurities, fears - and our job is to show the student that he/she is more than capable given proper training, expereince, and skills.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Congrats, Dan and student! First solos are great. It's when you first really get that feeling of "Wow, I can do this... and who in their right mind is LETTING me do this?!"
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Yep, exactly!!

I probably mentioned this before, but my first solo was at LNS. My CFI said, "3 touch and go's"

I said, "OK" then proceeded to have a ball.

When I came back he said, "How many touch and go's were you supposed to do?"

"Three."

"Well you did seven!"

"Oops!"
 
Good job getting him ready to go and then to have him do it safely

dmccormack said:
Yep, exactly!!

I probably mentioned this before, but my first solo was at LNS. My CFI said, "3 touch and go's"

I said, "OK" then proceeded to have a ball.

When I came back he said, "How many touch and go's were you supposed to do?"

"Three."

"Well you did seven!"

"Oops!"
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My CFI did the same thing, 3 touch and goes. My first solo I was in the pattern with a F-111A, a F-4, and then C130. Fun!!!

I was pretty happy to end it at 3 landings!
 
Great writeup Dan! Congrats to you and your student!
 
smigaldi said:
Good job getting him ready to go and then to have him do it safely

My CFI did the same thing, 3 touch and goes. My first solo I was in the pattern with a F-111A, a F-4, and then C130. Fun!!!

I was pretty happy to end it at 3 landings!
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Did you learn to fly at a base Aero Club?
 
Congrats to your student. I was out for my Thursday morning joy ride this morning, and toward the end I was going to make a couple rounds of the pattern, as is my habit. When I taxied out to takeoff again, the plane in front of me was just sitting there at the hold short line not going anywhere. After a moment, the instructor got out with his bag and walked over to the side of the runway. I gave him the thumbs up. So I followed this kid around the pattern, and I have to say that I was really paying attention to my landings. I didn't want his instructor using me as a bad example. I love to see students solo.
 
Nice write-up and congrats to your student! Nicely done!
 
Congrats to you and your student!

Flying back from MUT the other day early AM, I heard a Cessna at a distant airport making several radio calls, then quiet for a bit, then again. Then I heard another voice on the radio "That looked great Kristy, now go back up and do another one." Sounded like someone got an early start (7am-ish) and got their solo done so they could spend all day at work thinking about it. :)
 
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