Taking pictures durring first solo???

[Lead Sled]

I think your being a little hard on the kid...i mean at least he asked the question here instead of just making his own decisions...he obviously has enough sense to ask for better judgment...that in and of itself is judgement. I think he will do just fine, and i don't think you can say he isn't ready to solo based on one post...arrogant pilots piss me off. to clear: Have fun on your solo but be safe...things will happen fast and ask if you don't understand. its that simple...just ask..be aware of traffic in the pattern as well.

Just a question for you...

Have you ever been a CFI? My guess is probably not. My issue isn't whether he can manipulate the controls properly - I'm sure he can. The issue is one of judgment - before, not after the fact.

Would you want to be in a crowded pattern with a student on his/her first solo knowing that the student was messing around with a camera? No, I don't think that I was being to hard on the guy. Judgment is an important component of airmanship. You can argue day in and day out whether it can be taught or not. Hopefully a good "slap on the hands" will get him to start thinking and not to be so impetuous.

If he were one of my students, we'd go out to lunch and have a very long talk - then I'd probably solo him the next day.

'Sled

 

[FN FAL]

Whatever you do, don't ignite anger when you are out there flying.

http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2006/02/14/news/top_stories/01crash14.txt

 

[blingair]

You're going to be in the pattern, probably with other aircraft, you'll be up to your eyebrows in airplane and you ask that question? I wouldn't take pictures of myself flying in the pattern. I hate to say this, but if I were your CFI I'd be questioning your judgment. Personally, I don't think you're ready to solo.

'Sled

Give me a break. The fact that you are asking shows that you are using good judgement. You know yourself the best and if you feel thats its safe, take one quik shot and get back to business. Its a big day and you only solo for the first time once, but you will also have many opportunites to take lots of photos during your training. Good luck and have fun.

 

[J.C.Airborne]

Just a question for you...

Have you ever been a CFI? My guess is probably not. My issue isn't whether he can manipulate the controls properly - I'm sure he can. The issue is one of judgment - before, not after the fact.

Would you want to be in a crowded pattern with a student on his/her first solo knowing that the student was messing around with a camera? No, I don't think that I was being to hard on the guy. Judgment is an important component of airmanship. You can argue day in and day out whether it can be taught or not. Hopefully a good "slap on the hands" will get him to start thinking and not to be so impetuous.

If he were one of my students, we'd go out to lunch and have a very long talk - then I'd probably solo him the next day.

'Sled

As i mentioned before..the kid asked the question first...much the same way he would ask a CFI if it was a good idea...since we all said it wasnt a good he got his answer...he didnt go out and do it. Your telling me that if a student of yours asks a question that appears to be a no-brainer you have serious doubts about their judgement...i would hate to be your student. Judgement comes from asking the right questions NOT, not asking any at all.

 

[bluefishbeagle]

I want to do this, but I can already see people saying "That's a dangerous distraction". "Not on your first solo", etc... Any thoughts???

Funny you should ask. Twenty eight years ago I had a student do exactly that during his first solo, his intentions unknown to me of course. Here's how it happened.

Al was a very strange student. First day we flew together he showed up in an insulated Air Force jumpsuit complete with military flip down visor helmet. Maybe not to strange for Bangor Maine in the winter but this was July in Alabama.

During his pre-solo training Al actually showed very good stick and rudder skills. I could have soloed him in five or six hours but............ Al was immature, always fishing for compliments, showed signs of gross lack of judgment, impulsive and had an ego that was six feet taller than his 5'4" frame.

Normally I'm very easy going on students but I rode Al like a two dollar ...... well you know........... One the day of his solo my instructions to Al was to make three (I actually held up three fingers when saying this) full stop landings and to taxi back to the departure end of the 3500 foot runway each time so as to have full length available for each takeoff. I had no concerns about Al's flying; my concern was making sure he didn't get out of my sight with my airplane.

Well Al lined up and took off; my C150 accelerating down the runway like it was dragging five cement blocks in the 97 degree Alabama afternoon heat. The take off was perfect but as soon as the aircraft broke ground he was all over the sky, I could not imagine what was happening. This was a small country airport and the FBO's radio hadn't worked for months and handhelds were still several year in the future. No other aircraft around to transmit from so all I could do was watch.

On the downwind Al was wandering around a bit and I was hopeful that whatever had caused his problem had been resolved. However as he turned final the aircraft again began wobbling left and right pitching up and down madly, I just knew that the landing was not going to be pretty. Just ten feet off the ground the aircraft suddenly went wings level and the touch down was perfect. With a sigh of relief I started out toward the taxi way to flag Al back in as he taxied back to the end of the runway. No luck, Al fire walled the little C150 mid field and was off again. Same thing, ten feet in the air he was all over the sky. The next two take offs and approaches were mirror images of the first. Finally as the Al touched down the third time I felt a flood of relief, that is until Al (you guessed it) fire walled the 150 again for his fourth touch and go.

Al taxied in after the fourth landing and got out of the plane with a huge grin saying "how'd I do? I did good didn't I, it was great....." at which point I stopped him and said "well the take offs and landing were OK, however you didn't follow my instructions, and by the way what the hell was happening the rest of the time when the aircraft was all but out of control?" Without a bit of remorse he said, " oh I was taking pictures" as he whipped his Pentax from behind his back with a grin".

Al later went on to become a Private pilot and shortly there after rented an aircraft from an FBO twenty miles away ( I wouldn't rent him mine ) and decided to impress his working buddies who were leveling a spot of ground with bull dozers (this was a work site on Federal property) with a touch an go in the rented C150. Well things didn't work out the way Al intended and he and the aircraft ended up upside down on a rock pile, him dangling from his seat belt with gas running all over the place.

He made the front page of the local news paper and was quoted " you know how most people close their eyes just before they hit something?, well I kept mine open the whole time!"

Al no longer has a private pilot license, lost his job and his wife left him shortly after the accident.

 

[navigator72]

I'll give my $.02 worth. Don't take a camera along... bring someone along and have them take pictures. My father and a buddy came with me the day I soloed and I have a video of my first solo. I have watched it forward and backwards and frame by frame and it's great!
Goodluck and have fun!!

 

[Clear-&aMillion]

Wow. What a story!!!