First solo

mfitch

mfitch

Charter Member 2015
The video below is a helmet cam view of parts of my first solo this morning. The weather was beautiful. I awoke to light rain, but wind blew the clouds away by the time I arrived at the airport. That wind then died so the flight was in negligible wind. Their were views of all the mountains including Denali (not seen in this clip).

 
It's a great feeling, isn't it? :)
I solo'ed twice (once in a sailiong plane and once in a Cessna 150) and I'll never forget that. In the 150 the instructor suddenly left the cockpit after landing and told me to go around alone. I was almost biting my nails off and wanted to protest, but as soon as I was taxying I was calm again and the good training took over.
After the flight I had to bend over and everyone on the airfield was invited to put a hefty strike on my butt ( this is an old tradition over here). After the first 10 hits you really felt that....

So - I virtually hit you on your a$$ :) and wish you always a handful of air under your wings !!

Cheers,
Mark
 
Congratulations!! :salute: Your are an aviator. You will never forget that flight. My first solo was in 1966. I can still remember it almost as well as the day it happened.
 

Congratulations MFitch!!!! Even tho mine occurred back in 1964, I remember it like it happened yesterday !!

One tradition they had at my airport was they would cut off part of your shirt, write your name and date on it and hang it on the FBO wall!! They would also throw you into a pond that was attached to the airport but since it was November in New Hampshire and cold, they waited til I got my private the next summer....

Enjoy many many good flights from here on out.....

Bill

PS: Solo flight was good !! Touch down right at the stall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks for all the congratulations. It was a great experience. I was amazed at how calm I felt especially since I did not sleep well anticipating it.

In interest of full disclosure that landing is probably the best I have done yet; i.e., most of mine are less smooth. This morning's touch and go session (dual instruction) was definitely not as good (different runway with a minor tailwind).

They do cut out the shirt here, but I didn't have an appropriate shirt with me yesterday, so they plan to do that on my second solo. There is definitely no striking anyone here as the flight school is part of the university (state school). They live a strange life between FAA and state university regulations.
 
:applause::applause::applause:


jmig said:
Congratulations!! :salute: Your are an aviator. You will never forget that flight. My first solo was in 1966. I can still remember it almost as well as the day it happened.
Click to expand...

Ditto, tho I beatcha by a year, jmig.....(C-172)
 
mfitch, you have now joined the Exclusive Fraternity of Intrepid Airmen by making a solo flight. Congrats.

S! Rip Single Engine Land and Seaplane Rating
 
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