Never ask for advice from the internet!

 So in my quieter moments (not been that many this week!), I post on a couple of aviation boards. I post on one as localflighteast and on another with a different name (not going to mention it here. I may tell you why at some point).

I posted as localflighteast asking for advice about my impending first solo. I’ve been playing the scenario over and over in my mind and basically just wanted some reassurance that I hadn’t forgotten anything. Surprisingly enough the advice I got was mostly helpful. Things like

·         Don’t panic, your instructor knows what they are doing

·         Relax

·         Enjoy it, it’s a fantastic feeling

·         Just do what you normally do

All correct but nothing exactly earth shatteringly new, until a delightful poster named PACE posted their “story of my first solo”.

I’ve reproduced it (with their permission) verbatim underneath this post. I was having a really rushed day at work and it took me three attempts to “get it” before laughing so hard it hurt! A valuable lesson in not taking yourself too seriously.

Enjoy

 

Mine was a complete accident! at 5 hrs!! had a major row with the instructor who as soon as we landed threw the door open and stormed off leaving me sitting there perplexed.
The row was about his insistence on pitch for speed and me sitting on the end of the runway pumping the elevator up and down with no effect just to win an argument!
That was the deterioration point!
I was told by other students to look out for the first solo and likely signs one which would be a silent departure of the instructor from the aircraft!
Taking that as the green light for solo I turned around lined up and was delighted to see so may instructors running to wave me off.
The low level fly past the control tower on my first attempt was not intentional!!! looking for the curled up seat belt on the seat I realized the instructor had wrapped it around the control column on his exit which initially gave me a few control problems but they all seemed well entertained on the ground as there was a lot of waving!
When I landed five times in the course of a few hundred meters they were all so excited they were red in the face and even sent the fire truck out to meet me and guide me to the parking space. (how kind)
Strange they advised another club for the rest of my ppl I suppose when you have someone that good you have to share him !!!