Long time no write

It's been a long time since I wrote on this thing. The biggest news around here: I got to solo!

I have been trying to fly the airplane solo for a long time now, but things have conspired against me. I had to take a couple weeks off for financial reasons, and then I was overtired and not flying as well as I know I can. Another time I was going to solo, but the flight school has just changed their policy so that students must have renters insurance to fly solo...so I had to be waylaid again while I obtained renters coverage.

But today was the day! The weather was mild, with a very slight crosswind and mostly clear skies. It was hot to be sure, but the density altitude at the airport wasn't bad enough to severely affect the operation of the airplane. Bryan and I took off and stayed in the pattern, planning for a few touch-and-go's.

The first trip around the pattern was pretty solid. The problem came at the end, when I was distracted and let the airplane get very slow. After that, I was more careful of my airspeed, and the next few landings went well. After six landings with Bryan, we taxied to the ramp and he got out, leaving me in the airplane alone.

I was nervous, but I found that talking to myself helped. Even though nobody else was around I read the checklists aloud to myself, carefully completing each item on the list and verbally briefing myself about what to do next. I watched and listened for other traffic, and finding that things were in order, I made my first solo takeoff and flew up into the traffic pattern all alone.

I made four trips through the pattern by myself. I had planned to stop at three, but my third landing was not the best and I wanted to redeem myself by ending with a good landing. There was a very slight crosswind from the front right of the plane, so I "crabbed" the approach and then used right aileron and left rudder to swing the plane around just before touchdown. It wasn't a perfect 10, but it was much better than my third landing, and I was in a very good mood as I taxied back to the flight school's ramp.



Bryan and myself in front of Cessna N5307Q, the primary trainer I've been using.


A handshake.

Now that I've soloed, the rest of flight training should be a little more interesting. We'll start to do some cross-country, and I need three hours each of simulated instrument flying and actual night-flying. Hopefully before the summer ends I can have my private pilot's license in hand!