Solo tomorrow?

benb172

benb172

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
282
Location
Medfield
Display Name
Display name:
Benb172
So if the weather holds up I am hoping for an 8am first solo tomorrow. Any last words of wisdom?
 
I don't know if "last words" are the best thing to think about right before a first solo....

Make sure you save a comment about how much better the airplane flies without his fat *** for the instructor. 'Cause it will fly noticeably better even with a very small instructor (mine was 120 lb). If your school does that sort of thing, wear a crappy shirt that you don't care about destroying.

Do everything like you've been trained and you'll be fine.
 
I love those early morning flights! Enjoy the calm conditions and the experience. It's an amazing experience! You are just a few house away from being able to lay claim to flying an airplane by yourself! Not many people can lay claim to that!!!
 
Have your instructor video. At leave give him your phone to video the first touchdown!!! Its so worth it.
 
Try not to be Super Dave


A story stolen from the Red Board (posted by bluefishbeagle). But fun to share with the student pilots who just soloed.

Picture this:

I was once working with a student I'll call "Super Dave"

The first time I flew with Super Dave he was wearing an insulated Air Force flight suit carrying an Air Force pilots helmet with flip down visor. He was very disappointed to learn my plane did not have Air Force style plugs for the mike. He insisted on wearing the flight suit however and did for every lesson.

Super Dave was fearless
Super Dave was implusive
Super Dave was over confident
Super Dave was always seeking approval
Super Dave was invincible
Super Dave drove me nuts.

To be fair Super Dave was a good stick but a stick without a lick of common sense.

He could have soloed in 5 hours but I held him back till he had 12 and we had covered every pre solo manuver three times over.

Finally it was time for Super Dave to solo. I feared the day but it had arrived. Super Dave arrived at the airport early (flight suit and all) and did a preflight while I was in the hanger praying.

Super Dave was instructed to make three "Stop and go landing PLUS I instructed him to taxi back to the end and use full length each time.

What could go wrong I reasoned as I signed his student Lic and logbook. He had been making perfect patterns and landings for the last 7 hours.

Super Dave lined up and off he went, the rotation was textbook. But that's where all things normal stopped.

Super Dave was all over the sky. Banking crazily, pitching like a seal with a great white on it's tail. I could not talk to Super Dave this was before hand helds and the small country airport did not have a working unicom.

The downwind was wild as well as his final approach. He rolled and pitched I envisioned my trusty C150 in a pile of smoking rubble with me explaing to the FAA why I let this wild man solo.

It was time to flare or crash, just as suddenly as he lost control he regained it, the plane leveled off just in time an made a perfect touchdown. I ran out to the runway to flag him in as he taxied back. But Super Dave did not taxi back he did a touch and go.

Again a perfect takeoff, then the previous nightmare started all over again. I could not imagine what was happening. Again just before the second landing he seemed to regain control and make a perfect landing.

Again Super Dave did not stop he did a touch and go. The wild gyrations continued during the third circut and again just before he crashed, the plane smoothed out and he made his third perfect touch down. Finally I thought "It's over" That is until Super Dave was off again. Super Dave could not count. His fourth time around the patterned was no better but true to form he regained control and made a perfect fouth landing.

Finally Super Dave taxied back to the ramp, exited the aircraft with sweating running from every pore in his body, his insulated flight suit drenched, but not out of fear it was July with 90 per cent humidity.

Super Dave's first words upon exiting the plane was. "how'd I do, how'd I do, it was good wasn't it".

I drew a deep breath and said "the takeoff and landing were perfect but what in the "blazes" (cleaned up to meet forum rules) were you doing the rest of the time."

Oh he said " I was taking pictures" as he pulled a camera out of one of the many pockets in his flight suit.​
 
Thanks for all of the advice. This morning went great! Slightly gusty, but pretty smooth on final. My first two landings were slightly bouncy, but the last one went textbook. My parents were even there to see it.

What a feeling!
 
You are in the club! Welcome to the group who've taken a plane into the sky by themselves and returned back safely to tell about it!
 
Congrats.

An accomplishment you will remember forever.
 
Congrats!!
It's an experience you never forget or tire of telling! Too bad there were witnesses to dampen down how perfect you flew (in your re-telling of course)


benb172 said:
Thanks for all of the advice. This morning went great! Slightly gusty, but pretty smooth on final. My first two landings were slightly bouncy, but the last one went textbook. My parents were even there to see it.

What a feeling!
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top