First Solo!!!

pilotsav27

New Member
So, today I soloed for the first time. I was flying the rental plane, a Cessna 172. My instructor and I had talked this morning about soloing, and he told me I would solo today. So, I called my girlfriend and had her rush to the airport so she could video! My instructor and I did 4 nice landings, and then he hopped out! I taxied to RWY 24, did the run-up, and taxied on to the runway alone for the very first time! It didn't hit me that I was alone until right after I turned downwind and I looked over to an empty seat! What a feeling!:nana2: My first landing was pretty good, but I should have held it off a bit longer. My second and third landings were picture perfect! I am now signed off to fly alone! My solo came at 11.5 hours of flight time and lasted for an unforgettable .7 hours!
 
Congrats on your first SOLO!!!

Just wait until you head out to the practice area solo. That's when it all starts to sink in.. YOU'RE A REAL PILOT(almost)!

Good luck with the rest of your training.
 
I didn't find out I was about to solo until about five minutes before the actual flight. I liked it better that way. Kinda like when you pull a band-aid off real fast.

I hope you got your shirt tail cut off.
 
Congrats man, I felt the same way when I soloed, didn't hit until downwind and looking at that empty seat, pride and fear wrapped together.
 
Thanks for the replies! A run-up is what you do right before takeoff. Power to 1700RPM (in the 172 I fly) while holding the brakes of course, then checks the mags, carb heat, suction, the ammeter, etc. Then back to idle to taxi onto the runway. I DID get my shirt tail cut off and it was cool because I didnt have another shirt to wear so I got to walk around the airport for a little while with everyone knowing I had just soloed! And finally, I fly out of a Class E (uncontrolled) airport! KLOZ! Thanks again guys! I'll be off to practice more tomorrow!
 
The feeling struck me on final when I realized I would have to land this bird without the aid of my instructor in case anything went wrong. I'm doing my first solo XC tomorrow. I'm really excited. I still need practice in controlled airspace though. KVPZ
 
Congrats!

I had my first solo last week in the DA20 and I was surprisingly not nervous! I guess because I didn't have time to be nervous!

It is indeed pretty cool. I have recently been checked out to the practice area, so that will be another adventure!

Good luck with your training!
 
The feeling struck me on final when I realized I would have to land this bird without the aid of my instructor in case anything went wrong. I'm doing my first solo XC tomorrow. I'm really excited. I still need practice in controlled airspace though. KVPZ

Yeah me too, those class B air spaces can get tricky sometimes :panic::panic:
 
Congrats bud! I soloed for the first time last week also and it was the best feeling in the world. I had two weeks straight of bad weather and my solo keept getting pushed back, so when I finally got to do it it rocked! Cool beans on getting your coat tail cut, I read on here about that tradition so I brought an extra shirt. All I got was a solid shack of the hand though so your lucky!
 
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