Too Scared ti Solo? Anyone else?

[Gyro/T69]

My first solo wasn’t a surprise, knew it was coming. Flew from a small field, had to taxi back for each take-off after landing. Taxied back for what I thought was the last for the day. My instructor asked if I had my medical (no medical, no solo) I did and off I when.

As I pushed the throttle to the wall I thought, “Do I really want to do this?” Seeing he weight over 200 pounds, I was airborne before I had much time to think about it. On the downwind leg I remember thinking, “Don’t look at the empty seat”, “Don’t look at the empty seat”. All in all, it was uneventful. Although, I found I was shaking a far amount after shutting down the plane

Soloed in 13 hours, flying once a week 1988. Computer flight? What's that

[cpxxx]

You won't be scared on the day. By then you'll be ready and know it. After only 9 landings you are anything but ready.  As the hours drag on you might start to get scared that you'll never go solo. My first solo took more hours than expected so I was more than ready.  It was at an international airport and I was no 3 to a 747 and a 737. One of the airline pilots actually made a comment about my possible nerves. Thanks a lot.  ATC asked me keep the circuit tight as there was another airliner inbound.  Pressure what pressure:eek: ??? I barely had time to notice the empty seat beside me. I really enjoyed it though as you will.  

Oddly enough I had a 'second' first solo. I changed schools and aircraft type. After a few hours dual. I was sent solo by the chief instructor who didn't know it wasn't my first solo.  

The first flight I found scary was the first with non pilot passengers. Suddenly the responsibility weighed heavily. That was nerve wracking.

[Gixer]

Originally posted by moose
weird;

i soloed in 3.5. my instructor swore up and down that i must have flown somewhere else.

i credit the many hours in AH as the reason why. it made flying for real much more comfortable.. im surprised it didnt for you muck. you'll be fine though im sure!

You credit this to flying AH? Please desktop sims are terrible and  so far from the real thing it's a joke. So if you spent years playing some helicopter game you think you could solo a helicopter after 7 hours?




...-Gixer

[Octavius]

Originally posted by Gixer
You credit this to flying AH? Please desktop sims are terrible and  so far from the real thing it's a joke. So if you spent years playing some helicopter game you think you could solo a helicopter after 7 hours?




...-Gixer

Hey it's better than playing Super Mario Brothers and expecting to master the mushroom your first time... baaad trip man

Moose said the level of tension "more comfortable" was reduced... I'll buy that.

[Dux]

hehe Gixer... I'm remembering my first R22 solo; You don't need quite so much collective with only 1 person onboard!

[Gixer]

Originally posted by Octavius
Hey it's better than playing Super Mario Brothers and expecting to master the mushroom your first time... baaad trip man

Moose said the level of tension "more comfortable" was reduced... I'll buy that.

I don't, I have many hours in helicopters and though I'm familiar with the ATC and circuits of the local fields, doubt I could solo a plane in 3.5 hours.



...-Gixer

[Habu]

Originally posted by Dago
clip
I soloed at about 8 hours, you should have no problem.   Any school that makes you wait until 20 hours is either milking you for money, or they don't think you can fly safely for some reason.

It should be apparent that you can fly the pattern, takeoff to landing without instructor input, either on the controls or telling you what to do before you solo.  Once you achieve that level, you are ready.  After you have completed your solos, your confidence will go way up.

Relax, enjoy it and wear an old shirt.


dago

Not true dago. If you solo in 8 hours you are basically doing controlled crashes instead of landings. Were you not a much better and more relaxed pilot after 15 lr 20 hours?

My instructor spent the time between 10 and 20 hours to teach me slips and cross wind technique, precision landing and landing in a variaty of conditions such as no flaps and full flaps, short field and soft field. He had to correct my techinque all the way along, nothing major just small things I could have done better.

Sure I could have flown a circuit at 8 hours. So what? I learned a ton of things before he finally cut me loose.

It is macho to solo in 10 hours. And a bit risky. Always minimize risk when you fly. You will likely live longer.

[Thorns]

Muckmaw:  Forget about how many hours, being macho, what anyone else tells you how they solo'd.  If you are having high aniexty about your solo, you probably are not ready yet.  Tell your instructor you want him to observe your flying as a pre-solo lesson, taking off from your home airport, flying to another airport you have never been to, but you know which airport, so you can do the research on your own to fly into and make three landings to a full stop, and it should be a controlled airport, while your instructor just plays manny the mope and observes, writing down what he sees you have done incorrectly pertaining to procedure and safety, stepping in only if you're about to step in chit.  Fly the machine by the numbers, just like you have been taught, thinking about what you want to do next, before action, but always fly the airplane until the prop stops.   You will see if you are ready to solo.  Why are you taking lessons?  Certainly not to say I screwed up.  You will have plenty of time to swagger, but not now.  Now fly grasshopper, good luck.

Thorns

[Muckmaw1]

Thanks for all the tips.

But whats with the shirt comments?

[jigsaw]

Originally posted by Muckmaw1
Thanks for all the tips.

But whats with the shirt comments?

Just trust us on it

[gunnss]

Originally posted by Muckmaw1
Thanks for all the tips.

But whats with the shirt comments?

Muhahaha
 if you think it's a shirt buster for fixed wing watch what they do for your first hot Air solo  

Much mor the party animal types

Gunns
<"Allways crew for Germans, They have the best Bier">

[LePaul]

I started my flight training at age 14...first lesson.  Caught the bug and my parents could swing a lesson or two a month.  As I became more and more into it, I was able to get more frequent lessons thanks to a working a few hours a week at a local restaurant bussing tables.  Since my lessons werent very consecutive for quite some time, I had close to 40 hours before I took my solo flight.  And while that may read as "high", if you consider the first 40 hours spanned a good 18 months, Im glad I heeded my instructors advice to give it a bit more time.

My solo flight was on a warm spring evening (early May).  Light wind straight down the runway.  Wally (instructor) did a few touch n goes with me, told me we'd do a full stop this time around, taxi off the runway, let him out and go solo for 3 touch n goes.  Man...that first time alone is nerveracking.  Once I had called the tower and was cleared for take off, I vividly recall seeing Wally cheer me on with a thumbs up.  Once in the air, it was "WOOHOOOO!" galore.  

I made the old man proud, 3 perfect "squeaker" landings then back to pick him up.  After that, he signed me off to do my solo time.  Great memories.

So dont get apprehesive about your upcoming solo.  Be confident.

[NUKE]

I never soloed a real plane

I soloed in an ultralight and it was something I will remember forever.

Not the same as you real pilots, but probably just as fun

[Dago]

If you solo in 8 hours you are basically doing controlled crashes instead of landings.  

Maybe you were doing controlled crashes at 8 hrs, but my landings were pretty decent if I say so myself.  Of course, my Instructor wouldn't have soloed me in crosswinds, and I learned how to slip early.  Then I learned how to fly patterns and not need a slip.

dago

[LePaul]

Originally posted by Dago
Maybe you were doing controlled crashes at 8 hrs, but my landings were pretty decent if I say so myself.  Of course, my Instructor wouldn't have soloed me in crosswinds, and I learned how to slip early.  Then I learned how to fly patterns and not need a slip.

dago

Uhhhmmm...patterns are one thing, slips another.  Ive had several instances where tower asked me to make my approach immediately and have needed to drop alt fast and used a slip to pull it off.