Today was a great day

[dhl1986]

This morning I woke up early to go to KLZU, where I did what is required to have a piece of my shirt cut off by my CFI ;)

Definitely a huge milestone for me. I have been working two jobs for over a year to get this far and even though I am only a fraction of the way to where I ultimately want to be, I am ecstatic about it.

I left KLZU - TaG @ KRYY in a C-172R. The flight itself went without a hitch. It was such a surreal experience being up there with no one supervising me... I didn't quite time the stall correctly during landing, but was only off by a few knots at the most. If anyone else has had the experience of a first solo, I want to hear about it :D

[falcon409]

Congrats Sir. . .well done!!:ernae::ernae::ernae:

[gera]

Congratulations!!!!!...ViVa el SOLO!!!!!!!!......I drank half a bottle of heavy spirits that night!!!!!! and saw myself in my dreams landing about 10 times...all perfect!!!!!......hope you have great fun in aviation.:ernae::ernae::ernae:

[spotlope]

Huge congratulations! I remember my first solo well. I had been expecting it for a couple of weeks, so when the instructor asked me to taxi back to the stand and let her out, it didn't come as much of a surprise. Still, it was thrilling (and a little bit nerve-wracking) to find myself alone in the cockpit. Even though my CFI was a tiny little thing, maybe 100 pounds soaking wet, I swear I really felt the difference in balance.

Sadly, she didn't do the shirttail ritual, so I wore a crappy shirt for nothing that day. Still, I've got a pic of me grinning from ear to ear beside the plane, and that's worth a lot.

You've just taken a huge step!

[kjb]

Congrats, that's a big step.

I did mine at KRYN about ten years ago. It is quite a feeling to be flying alone for the first time. I was flying a worn out 172M. The radios were interesting - on final at KTUS 11R it would always pick up a country western station. The howdy hits are a little distracting when you're trying to grease the landing :icon_lol:

[italoc]

Congratulations :medals:

I had that experience so many years ago but, after many more hours in the skies, I still remember with joy any minute of that short flight in the circuit

:ernae: to many more :engel016:

Italo

[spotlope]

Congrats, that's a big step.

I did mine at KRYN about ten years ago. It is quite a feeling to be flying alone for the first time. I was flying a worn out 172M. The radios were interesting - on final at KTUS 11R it would always pick up a country western station. The howdy hits are a little distracting when you're trying to grease the landing :icon_lol:

Hey, I think I soloed in that plane! On my first night flight, the CFI had to lean over and shine her flashlight on the instruments as I called them out because the gauge lighting was so dim as to be unreadable. Good times, good times. Mine was a 1975 172M as well.

[CBris]

Congrats and well done!

My first solo was in a Slingsby T21 "Barge" in March 1976. We'd just done a "normal" teacher-student flight and I'd made a good landing. Tony Clarke (the CFI) unbuckled and said something like "The drinks will be on you in the bar tonight..." Winch launch, left turns, right turns, enter the circuit, downwind, base leg, finals, land...

...and all the club members were watching.

First aerotow solo a few weeks later. I had more time then, but the buzz was definitely there, even if it wasn't as intense.

[gajit]

Excellent news :ernae:

[Pepere]

:applause:Nice :applause:

David

[cheezyflier]

congratulations! :applause:

[lawdawg]

Right on.
Congratulations on your achievement.:ernae:

[glennc]

Add one more Congrats. You will remember that for the rest of what I am sure will be long and fun flying life - career or otherwise.

Glenn

[harleyman]

A well deserved achievement.....:applause:

I wish I had done that at your age...But, alas, i'm turf bound...

Enjoy your flying career:gameon:

[pbearsailor]

Congrats!! :medals: :applause:

I still remember mine so clearly: Keene, NH, on September 25, 1975, in a C-150. Got the entire back of my shirt cut off and went to see "The Great Waldo Pepper" playing in the local theater that night. :icon_lol:

You'll never forget it.

Coolest thing for me is that I got my CFI about a year later and actually got in instruct my own students in the same plane I had learned in.

cheers,
steve :wavey: