13.08.2010, 04:17
Congratulations.
I recall my own solo. My original instructor, JG, had brought me up to speed and passed me on to EF who gave me a review. Then, on the ground, he had me taxi to the threshold of runway 13, the shorter grass strip at a windswept and empty Thruxton airfield. He got out, leaned inside the cockpit, and told me to fly a circuit and taxi back to the apron. I just nodded, my head full of aviation stuff I needed to remember.
It was all a blur. With experience it all gets a bit automatic but at that point I had to think of everything. Full power, keep it straight, keep it level when the plane lifts, adjust for 70kts climb, and at 400' raise flaps. Look around for the first turn in the circuit and... That's when I realised I was alone. Funny sensation that. Too late anyway. The need to carry on flying kept me busy and I got down without fuss.
The flying school gave me a little certificate, showing a young bird flapping furiously first time out of the nest. Cute. They were actually making a real fuss of it all but as I remember it seemed very ordinary. Nobody batted an eyelid when I qualified later on.
I recall my own solo. My original instructor, JG, had brought me up to speed and passed me on to EF who gave me a review. Then, on the ground, he had me taxi to the threshold of runway 13, the shorter grass strip at a windswept and empty Thruxton airfield. He got out, leaned inside the cockpit, and told me to fly a circuit and taxi back to the apron. I just nodded, my head full of aviation stuff I needed to remember.
It was all a blur. With experience it all gets a bit automatic but at that point I had to think of everything. Full power, keep it straight, keep it level when the plane lifts, adjust for 70kts climb, and at 400' raise flaps. Look around for the first turn in the circuit and... That's when I realised I was alone. Funny sensation that. Too late anyway. The need to carry on flying kept me busy and I got down without fuss.
The flying school gave me a little certificate, showing a young bird flapping furiously first time out of the nest. Cute. They were actually making a real fuss of it all but as I remember it seemed very ordinary. Nobody batted an eyelid when I qualified later on.