First Solo Today...

[mhcasey]

T minus 2.5 hours!!!

 

[81Horse]

Don't forget to have fun!

 

[UA-RESURRECTED]

Any update? I soloed for the first time yesterday myself. What a blast.

 

[mhcasey]

The story:

Got there early, took the test with no problems (except the question that asked how far I could fly, which I said "in the pattern today" when I was supposed to say <25nm).

Went up with my instructor and did 3 touch and goes...the first two were some of the best landings of my life, the third...eh

Instructor got out and let me loose, I did an extra runup checklist, just in case, checked out the windsock (light wind straight out of the north...taking off runway 36) then pushed in the throttle...

Without my instructor, the Cessna 150 took off in about half the distance as usual I think, and climbed super fast. Then I noticed 2 buzzards directly in my path, so I started a slow crosswind turn a little early (400ft agl) and watched the stupid things dive under me.

I got up to 1,000ft AGL a lot sooner than usual, so I went through my checklists to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, enjoyed a look around the area and some extra right elbow room, then started my descent...

Everything looked great until I realized how much slower the plane was descending without an extra body in the cockpit, so I dumped all my flaps (I usually try not to use more than 20 degrees on a touch and go because the flaps on the 150 requre that you hold the switch up to retract them, meanwhile rollout room is dissapearing...I went to 40 this time and decided I'd just have to stick it). I knew things would be a little tricky without the weight of my instructor, but everything turned out pretty good, albeit a little high flare for a slight drop-in landing. I hadn't stayed in ground effect very long, so I knew I'd have time for the goaround...flaps up, full throttle, carb head cold, and I'm off again...

This is where the details get sketchy because I was so excited. I did 4 more touch n goes. My third of the 5 I was not happy with...a random crosswind pushed me off the centerline and I didn't arrest my descent soon enough...I smelled a little rubber, and decided it was time to raise the bar.

The next landing was the best of my life. I was sick of comming in steep, so I lengthened my downwind a bit, stayed on the glideslope the whole way in, eased her down so that I barely felt the wheels touch, held the nosewheel off the ground to show off for a bit, thought for a second about calling it a day with that one, but quickly decided that I wanted to prove that that landing was not a fluke, and went up again.

My 5th and final landing was almost as good. I dropped in a little harder, but still one of my best, and rode her in straight on the centerline with the nosewheel up for as long as she would let me, taxid in, went through the ole' checklists one more time, and got some pictures. My instructor was kind enough to spare my shirt today.

Awesome...

 

[iflyjets4food]

Congratulations! Welcome to the club!!

 

[Gryphon]

Congrats on your solo ! Sounds like you had a great time, hopefully i won't be too long now...