First Solo-So Freakin' Excited

[currentadventure]

Well, I have to admit, landings have been a thorn in my side. However, today, my CFI signed me off for solo at my home airport KILM. Two touch and go's and a full stop. I thought consistent, good landings were never going to come, but as soon as my CFI was out of the plane and it was all up to me, I made three great landings in a row!! I even got a compliment from the tower controller after the last landing. What a day!!

Thanks to pilotedge, the radio work has been much easier than the landings, but it's all coming together!!

[Ryan B]

Awesome, great story. I try to be nice to student's and tell them nice work after their first solo in pattern... I really think it helps with the confidence factor. I remember when I did mine back in 2003.... what an amazing feeling to be the only one flying (and have a stall speed of 37 kts!).

[Keith Smith]

Ryan,

The plane I soloed in had a stall speed of 38kts (DA20-A1 Katana). Shame we didn't fly on the same day, would've been the race of the airborne tortoises

"currentadventure," wish I knew who you were so I could personally congratulate you, but even so, great job! You'll never...ever forget your first solo. Were you smiling non-stop like this lady? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9aNfiRUOvA I was!

I remember keeping it together until the hold short line just after the run-up...busted out a big smile and absolutely couldn't believe how lucky and excited I was to be taking to the air by myself for the first time.

[Ryan B]

Haha I remember that sorta smile on my face... definitely in my top five amazing things in life so far!

[Keith Smith]

Just dug up the 'first solo' flight on my web site: http://keith.tristesse.com/object/io_1164831658859.html

currentadventure, write it all down if you didn't film it. I remembered some of mine 9 years later when I wrote that account, but I really don't remember the whole sequence now.

[Calvin Waterbury]

currentadventure,

Congratulations! (I hope you have more than one shirt. )

I have to parrot Keith's encouragement to make pen and paper your next task. Today is a day you will never forget and you will never remember the details more clearly, so do yourself a favor and and "write it down!"

[currentadventure]

Keith, Ryan,

I didn't have a camera in the plane, but I am pretty darn sure I was ear to ear . Like I said earlier, my landings had been a thorn, but I stuck all three like I had been doing it for years. The first time I think just surprised me. The second time I was like "He!! yea!! The full stop was just as good, I just kept telling myself to take my time and not screw it up. It worked.

My wife met me at the ramp when I got back and took this pic. Yeah, I think it's safe to say I was grinning pretty good up in the air!

[Keith Smith]

Congratulations again, and thanks for posting the pic!! You've got to experience something that relatively few get to enjoy....I'm thrilled for you.

Enjoy being PIC, there's nothing quite like it.