Learning to fly: First Solo

Saturday (01-31-09) we had the plane reserved from noon to 2PM I showed up and it wasn’t there. The people before me were running about 10 minutes late. I did the preflight Then Elisabeth Greg and myself got in the plane to do what I thought would be 5 landings with a break then 5 more figuring I would solo in 2 weeks (I would be in Cincinnati the next weekend so I was out of town 2 weeks solid this time) like we had discussed (see pre solo blog),.

The air was a bit rough, I bounced a couple landings, and was having an off day. After the 3rd touch and go Elisabeth said she was ill so I did a full stop on the 4th landing and taxied back to parking so she could get out. I was thinking we would get out take our break and go back up for 5 more landings and call it a day. Greg had a different plan he grabbed his headset and said he wasn’t going to fly with me anymore today (meaning I was on my own). I told him he had lost his mind, I wasn’t having a good day, and didn’t think I should solo. Greg wouldn’t listen to me.

He won the discussion Signed my Student pilot certificate for Solo in a Cessna 172, and a 152. I got in the plane by myself. He and Elisabeth got in his Jeep to go out to the ramp to watch. I started the plane got the new ATIS called ground, taxied to the run-up area did my run-up. Went to hold short of runway 7 via Golf like I was instructed to by ground. Contacted the tower, told them I was a student pilot (I think they know that, I fly every weekend and do tons of touch and goes in a flight school rental plane) first time solo and wanted to take off and do 1 full stop landing. They cleared me across 7 and instructed me to hold short of 12 right.

I did as I was instructed. From the hold short at 12 right they cleared me to take off on 12 right make right hand turn for right hand traffic to land on 12 right. I called back my instructions, Lights Camera, Action and down the runway I went.

Of course without the weight of Greg in the plane I couldn’t keep in it on the ground and it was off before I reached my rotating speed. I was 500ft AGL half way down the runway, but stayed in line waiting for the end to make my RH turn. There was some other traffic on the radio and just as I was about to turn right the tower called me and said there was a change of plans, asked me to turn left make left traffic and cleared me for runway 12 left I called back the instructions made my left turn then turned for the downwind. My pattern wasn’t very square but my altitude was good. So I trimmed for level and 80 knots at pattern altitude, came a beam the numbers, carb heat, throttle to 1800, 10 degrees of flaps trimmed for 500ft descent , turned base added another 10 degrees of flaps pushed the nose over and trimmed to keep my descent. About the time I was over my friends Bill and Leann’s house it dawned on me there was no one watching my gauges to help keep me from screwing the pooch but me. So with a slight uneasy feeling I noticed my speed was at 65 knots so I gave it some throttle which of course killed my descent (nose down to increase speed) I scanned for traffic Started my turn onto final realized I was too high so I pulled the throttle, pushed the nose over and trimmed for the numbers. Came over the numbers a bit high flared a bit too soon and floated about half way down the runway. Finally got her to settle on to the ground I think I might have bounced once (I was a bit high) don’t totally remember, I had bounced on 2 of my previous landings that day and they kind of blend together in my mind. Kept the yoke pulled back to keep the nose wheel up as long as possible, was easy on the brakes. Tower asked me to turn on Taxi way Kilo and hold short of 12 right so I did. They cleared me across 12 right and told me to contact ground. I cleared 12 right stopped and contacted ground told them I was going to Taxi back to Mojave (where we park this plane). Ground instructed me to taxi to the ramp via taxi ways Bravo, and Hotel. I called it back then my brain locked… where is Bravo? I am I on it? Or is it in front of me, or to my right…. I looked at the signs… no bravo sign…. Thought about calling ground, thought about calling my instructor, then I remembered the map… Pulled out the map of the airport that lists the runways and taxi ways figured out where I was at (which I knew I was just suffering from some sort of mind lock lol) Taxied down Bravo to Hotel then Hotel to the ramp, past the gas pumps Elisabeth and Greg were standing next to his Jeep. She was taking pictures like crazy. I taxed past them and headed to the parking spot, they past me in the jeep and were waiting for me at parking when I got there.

I secured the plane we did the normal log book writing, Greg endorsed it for me to fly Solo from KVGT in a 25 mile Radius.

He drew on my shirt and then cut the back out of it then we posed by the plane for Elisabeth who had been taking pictures nonstop the whole time.

I love flying.

Even though it was only a few months ago that I soloed it seems very distant. As I write this I have just over 51 hours and 165 landings. I’m getting so close and loving every minute of it. I wish I would have took the plunge years ago.

Mike