Just remember this....While the CFI is with you, make sure you do your patterns the same every time, as close as possible in all aspects.
When you get ready to solo, It is going to feel weird with the seat next to you empty. I was nervous on taxi, but as soon as I started my T/O roll, the training and good habits took over. DON"T forget your scan of the instruments so you don't get too slow on base to final.
Here is my story of my Wild & Crazy but successful Solo
The winds were 100@10G13, so Runway 9 was the active for the day. Temp was around 93 at 4:00 EST in Palm Beach County, FL, so thermals were also active. The most unusual aspect was the wind coming in from the ocean would "roll" over the condos creating a type of "mountain wave" that undulated towards the airport. KLNA is about 2 miles E from the condo's on the ICW and 2.75 miles E of the ocean Condo's.
At around 400' on take off you would start bumping, and the plane wanted to roll right. At one point I had the yoke at the 10:00 position to maintain level flight. On another take off, the airplane rolled to a 30degree bank attitude and it took some pressure to add in left aileron. My instructor showed me how adding a little left rudder also, would kick it back level nicely. On one of the landings, as I was rounding out, the wind gusted and lifted me about 20' or so and I did a go around, even though there was plenty of runway. I just didn't feel like trying to wrestle the plane at that moment.
After 7 landings in these conditions without any assistance, my instructor stated these wind levels were very borderline for his level of allowing solo's, but as I had completed 7 w/o assistance, he asked if I felt I could do this. I thought about for a few seconds, and the winds were dying down a little, so I affirmed I believed I was ready.
I stopped and let the instructor out, and he observed with a handheld radio. As I waited my turn to take off, unknown to me, the Head Flight instructor came out to watch also, My instructor is the #2 man. There are around 8 or so instructors at my school.
The traffic had started to build with around 5 fixed wing in the Left Hand traffic pattern, and 2 Helicopters in a RH traffic pattern. Some of the fixed wing would stay in the pattern, some would depart straight out, and later rejoin the pattern. The Helicopters would either come to the right side of the runway and hover over the grass, or sometimes autogyrate to the actual runway.
I had wondered how nervous I would be at this time. I was nervous in the taxi and take off at first, being alone in the plane, but as soon as I started the climb, it was all automatic, and calming, and I was "In The Zone". The first take off, pattern and landing were perfect, and probably my best landing to date.
On final approach the 2nd time, I had a really good approach and speed, was about 100' AGL, watching the numbers be stationary in my window picture, and
LOW & BEHOLD
a C152 from the other flight school at the airport, pulls out in front of me on the runway and starts his take off roll! My first thought was: "This can't be real or happening. YOU DON"T DO THAT, PULL OUT IN FRONT OF AN AIRPLANE LANDING!"
I quickly went into a go around mode, but this time I diverted to the right of the runway (glad there were no helicopters there at this time) and announced I was continuing my UPWIND parallel to runway 9 due to a runway incursion. I gradually overtook the 152 and was above and in front of him. I glanced over my left shoulder, and looked at him. Over the radio I said: " Cessna 152 on the upwind runway 9, state your intentions!" No answer. Then I repeated it a 2nd time probably a little more forcefully, and I imagine I was pretty loud and irritated sounding, (I forgot to ask my instuctor how I sounded)
He finally answered that He was staying in the pattern, so I announced I was executing an extended up wind, and staying in the pattern. He then stated that he was sorry and thought he could make it without interferring with me. I yelled, ummm retorted back that I was at 100', how could he not interfere. No reply. This leads me to believe he never either looked, or never saw me, or only saw the next plane in the pattern on base.
I performed a little slow flight exercise, to add distance between us, and landed after him. Again, even after all of this, it was one of my top 5 landings. When I stopped after the turn off and hold bars to "clean up" the plane, I looked over at him in front on the return taxiway, and he was looking pretty nervous as if he half expected me to jump out of my plane, drag his sorry butt out of his plane and proceed to kick it thoroughly (which did briefly cross my mind)
The third T/O and landing went fine, my landing was a little off, slight drop but no bounce, but a happy ending to a major milestone day, that could have been a disaster. Got my shirt cut, and a replacement that states: "I lost my shirt at Palm Beach Flight Training".
The instructor and Head Instructor said "Very Nice Job!", and it was just how they would have handled the situation.
All in all, it was the runway incursion I'll never forget!
