First solo after big disappointment

[NismoRR]

I had my first solo yeserday and it was AWESOME!!!! After a disaster lesson Thursday when I should have solo'd, I was so 'off', my landings just weren't as good as I'd like, (dejected, frustrated, etc) I told my CFI before yesterday's lesson that I was sick and tired of pattern work and just wanted to fly somewhere, anywhere. We went to Borrego Springs and back and it was just fantastic. The reason why I started flying in the first place. We get back to KHMT Hemet and he asks me for three touch and gos. We never stop on the runway, usually roll slowly as I turn off carb heat and retract flaps. He wanted me to stop and do some short field take offs. So after two good landings, my third was so-so so he said one more. It was pretty good and he had me stop on the runway again. ...Within three seconds, my CFI was out the door, standing on the runway and told me "get goin'" with a big poop-eating grin on his face. I asked how many he wanted, and because we were late getting back and someone was waiting on the plane, he said do one. OK, one's better than nothing! He shuts the door, and I paid particular attention to the locking latch as many of you might know on one Skycatcher, a door flew off in flight. The latch was not full forward (locked) so I lean over and secure the latch. Carb heat is off, flaps are good, I'm on center line and ready to go. Not too nervous, maybe a little, but just a funny feeling. I said to myself you've done this more than 80 times, just one more pattern, no problem. So I throttle up, rotate at 50 kts, and I'm off with my own poop eating grin!! WooHoo!!! That climb on departure was just fantastic!! Turn crosswind at 2200 ft, (KHMT is 1512ft) and just as I'm about to turn downwind and make the radio call, I hear on the radio Piper blah blah blah turning downwind for 23. I'm like wtf! I'm turning downwind!! I later found out this guy did a fly over the runway. So I'm looking around everywhere, which I was already doing, but now more intensely. I turn downwind and see the guy straight ahead abeam the far side threshold. OK, got him. Training kicks in a little here and I slow down a bit giving him room. He turns base as I'm now at runway threshold, and I'm still slow and making sure I have plenty of time to land. He goes final and after he passes me I extended downwind just a little bit and go base to final. He's just about to touch down, it looked great, I'm stable on approach, he's off the runway, and all's good to land. Surprisingly, I was pretty relaxed, coming down, and nailed a pretty good landing. I didn't know it at the time, but my CFI was on the grass next to the runway shooting video. I'm off the runway and I see him running towards me on the grass with a big thumbs up. As he got closer he's screaming "I heard the stall horn the whole time!! Awesome!" HAHA

Needless to say, It was a phenomenal experience. I'm thrilled, elated, and all other synonyms the thesaurus would list! A big thanks to all who post here as many of the threads contain a lot of good info for the beginning student.

The next few lessons are looking great. Maneuver review, Full solo flight, then on to XC. Sweet. BTW, I had 15.4 hous logged before the solo.

Todd

[jeepinbanditrider]

Awesome I love reading stories like this it really gets me in the mood for when the time for my solo will come

[flyboy2007]

congrats!

[tu16]

"I heard the stall horn the whole time!! Awesome!"

Congrats!!! I remember my solo in a much similar way.. :) I was instructed to do 3 landings in a pattern with 4 other planes... Probably were among my best landings ever... :) It is amazing how concentration and training takes away anxiety emotions during that first solo flight. I felt many more jitters later on the first unsupervised solo - when you rent, pre-flight and fly the plane alone. Anticipation builds up for days before the flight - but goes mostly away in the air, when the airwork starts... Did he took out huge scissors and got your shirt-tail cut out? Lovely tradition from old days before intercoms...

I was training in the plane (and continue flying it) that is not equipped by a stall horn or AOA indicator. I wonder if this feedback makes any difference in training.

Airspeed indicator is the only guage that can give some quantitative hint on how close you maybe to a stall in my plane. (Corrections for bank angle, attitude change rate, acceleration, wing configuration, gusts etc. is up to you...) My CFI once made things more interesting for me by taping a speed indicator with a dollar bill and practice a slow flight at minimum controlled speed w/o stalling. Really helps to develop a read what plane tells you through all your senses. Then a trim froze and I had to land it with speed indicator still taped - which suprisingly worked out well too. I'm just thinking that if I ever got into plane with stall horn installed it could startle my wits out of me in a flair... :)

[drseti]

Did he took out huge scissors and got your shirt-tail cut out? Lovely tradition from old days before intercoms.

That's a tradition I've sought to revive at my flight school. I am given to believe that this ritual dates back to the Golden Age of aviation, when barnstormers frequently had to patch rips in their fabric-covered aircraft with pieces of their own garments.

[tu16]

Did he took out huge scissors and got your shirt-tail cut out? Lovely tradition from old days before intercoms.

That's a tradition I've sought to revive at my flight school. I am given to believe that this ritual dates back to the Golden Age of aviation, when barnstormers frequently had to patch rips in their fabric-covered aircraft with pieces of their own garments.

:) Another version I've read says that in early days the trainers commonly had tandem sitting with instructor behind. Since there were no intercoms to help with noise - teacher and a student used a simple system of in-flight communication based on various tugs on a student's shirt-tail. After a solo day the shirt-tail was cut out to symbolize being able to fly w/o instructor help.

[drseti]

teacher and a student used a simple system of in-flight communication based on various tugs on a student's shirt-tail.

I like that version, although when I trained in a tandem, the instructor's communications mode consisted of hitting me over the head with a rolled-up sectional!

[tu16]

teacher and a student used a simple system of in-flight communication based on various tugs on a student's shirt-tail.

I like that version, although when I trained in a tandem, the instructor's communications mode consisted of hitting me over the head with a rolled-up sectional!

Was that before or after invention of the intercom?

[drseti]

Was that before or after invention of the intercom?

Intercomm? Hell, that was just shortly after the invention of the airplane!

[bryancobb]

That just reminded me...
...I completed all my training from ZERO through Private Checkride, in a Tomahawk, without ever using a headset!
Just the airplane's speaker and a plug in mic.

[drseti]

Try two tin cans and a string...

[NismoRR]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Appreciate it.

Did he took out huge scissors and got your shirt-tail cut out? Lovely tradition from old days before intercoms...

Shirt-tail? heh He took out the huge scissors and cut the whole back of the shirt, all the way up to the back of my neck!!

[jeepinbanditrider]

Note to self always pack extra shirt lol.

[NismoRR]

Note to self always pack extra shirt lol.

Make another note to self, at least at my flight school...They would only cut the shirt you are wearing during the solo. Last week, a guy solo'd and had a packed shirt he wanted them to cut. No way! They said they will cut it the next time he solos, as long as he's wearing it.

[N918KT]

So does the CFI usually cut the shirt before or after you make your first solo?