DutchessFlier
Line Up and Wait
Finally a beautiful day in the valley! CAVU all the way
The flights are on flightaware...plug in my tail number and they should pop up. Never mind the ups and downs 100ft either way
it was kinda choppy.
CFI and I went out for a few T and G's just to see one more time if I would come back in one piece
Landed, and he hands me my logbook, endorsed QC cards and shakes my hand, said, preflight the plane, call us when you get to SCH and most of all have fun!
One thing is for certain, its a heck of alot easier having the room to work with the paperwork in the plane solo, than it is with another person in the right seat...not offense to my CFI!
I won't bore you all with the details: my planning was pretty good, checkpoints were there where they were supposed to be, timing was within standards, and my landings were safe. It is amazing how much different the plane handles solo. Just some thoughts and impressions:
From a personal place, my first solo in the pattern was truly amazing, I will never forget it...but now that I look back, that was more like okay, I know how to do this, can I do this and actually live to do it again!!!
Yesterday was, "okay, this is what I want to do, the purpose for me spending the time, energy and resources to do this, and I want to do it right, be safe and enjoy the experience". When I got back, we talked about the flight, and I said to my CFI, "you know, I learned that I had no choice but to do what I had to do"...that was humbling, but I became so much more tuned into the airplane, the surrounding environment and staying ahead of the plane as best I could. I also had some time to just look out at the Hudson Valley and the entire Catskill range to the west, and was in awe. I was actually relaxed, not always thinking, sheesh am I doing this to the level of proficiency that the guy in the seat next to me expects..although I swear, I could almost hear him through the headset!
I even managed to do my comms without messing them up too much. Felt good to have the flight following, because the airspace was busy, and there were a few times that I was advised of unknown traffic at altitude and direction from me that I would have not looked for and seen without a prior advisory. It helped in the class C when I told the controller that I was a solo student and she was great. Thank-You!
Mainly flew my ground fixes, pilotage and VORs and although I had the GPS set up for direct to each destination, I really tried not to use it much, and keep my eyes outside the plane. Oh and yes, to my fellow newbies, what you hear about converging and diverging traffic into and out of VOR's...damn straight! It was very busy into the IGN VOR...traffic all over the place, and even though I was looking, and we were all advised to be aware of each other..that twin that just passed 2 miles infront of me from right to left was travelling pretty fast!
I learned more about myself yesterday in 71D than anything else. I became a pilot! Still can't believe it sometimes...it was the best!
EDIT: Since the WX was horrible again today, I met with the Chief Pilot for the Oral Stage II check...2.5 hours together talking about everything I have learned so far from basic things to reasons behind the flight plan I submitted for the POU to SYR X-C...It was an excellent learning experience and I got to know the chief pilot very well. We will try for the check ride on Sunday afternoon or Monday afternoon WX permitting.
The flights are on flightaware...plug in my tail number and they should pop up. Never mind the ups and downs 100ft either way
it was kinda choppy.CFI and I went out for a few T and G's just to see one more time if I would come back in one piece
Landed, and he hands me my logbook, endorsed QC cards and shakes my hand, said, preflight the plane, call us when you get to SCH and most of all have fun!One thing is for certain, its a heck of alot easier having the room to work with the paperwork in the plane solo, than it is with another person in the right seat...not offense to my CFI!
I won't bore you all with the details: my planning was pretty good, checkpoints were there where they were supposed to be, timing was within standards, and my landings were safe. It is amazing how much different the plane handles solo. Just some thoughts and impressions:
From a personal place, my first solo in the pattern was truly amazing, I will never forget it...but now that I look back, that was more like okay, I know how to do this, can I do this and actually live to do it again!!!
Yesterday was, "okay, this is what I want to do, the purpose for me spending the time, energy and resources to do this, and I want to do it right, be safe and enjoy the experience". When I got back, we talked about the flight, and I said to my CFI, "you know, I learned that I had no choice but to do what I had to do"...that was humbling, but I became so much more tuned into the airplane, the surrounding environment and staying ahead of the plane as best I could. I also had some time to just look out at the Hudson Valley and the entire Catskill range to the west, and was in awe. I was actually relaxed, not always thinking, sheesh am I doing this to the level of proficiency that the guy in the seat next to me expects..although I swear, I could almost hear him through the headset!
I even managed to do my comms without messing them up too much. Felt good to have the flight following, because the airspace was busy, and there were a few times that I was advised of unknown traffic at altitude and direction from me that I would have not looked for and seen without a prior advisory. It helped in the class C when I told the controller that I was a solo student and she was great. Thank-You!
Mainly flew my ground fixes, pilotage and VORs and although I had the GPS set up for direct to each destination, I really tried not to use it much, and keep my eyes outside the plane. Oh and yes, to my fellow newbies, what you hear about converging and diverging traffic into and out of VOR's...damn straight! It was very busy into the IGN VOR...traffic all over the place, and even though I was looking, and we were all advised to be aware of each other..that twin that just passed 2 miles infront of me from right to left was travelling pretty fast!
I learned more about myself yesterday in 71D than anything else. I became a pilot! Still can't believe it sometimes...it was the best!
EDIT: Since the WX was horrible again today, I met with the Chief Pilot for the Oral Stage II check...2.5 hours together talking about everything I have learned so far from basic things to reasons behind the flight plan I submitted for the POU to SYR X-C...It was an excellent learning experience and I got to know the chief pilot very well. We will try for the check ride on Sunday afternoon or Monday afternoon WX permitting.
Last edited:
Great post/write-up! 
