WEEK 5: First Solo

After doing nothing but patterns for 2 weeks, this week, we would do the same, but all by ourselves! ‘Solo’ so to say!

Wednesday 6th of August was my first time solo in the air! Well, solo in an engine powered aircraft at least, as I have like 70 hours solo on gliders. Still it’s a nice experience, I never flew gliders in controlled airspace in Phoenix USA…

The day of the first solo, I had my Pre-Solo check with Chris KING, another instructor from Texas, nice guy. Check looked good, comments were that I might have cleaned the windows before the flight… something you don’t really think about on a stressy morning before a check! Anyway, check passed, next step: solo

The solo flight itself starts with a dual part, with my own instructor, Meghan. We did 2 take offs and landings together, and then she got out! Door closed, flows done, engine start…
Taxi clearance, there we go! Engine run up, before take off, and cleared for take off runway 22 L for full stop taxi back.

3 Solo patterns with full stop taxi back around the airport, but it took me 45 minutes to complete! It was so busy… I was number 4 in line to land, had to extend downwind over 2 miles 3 times, look for traffic, listen to a busy radio… it’s a lot to handle at the same time. Still it’s nice when it works! When it doesn’t of course, you’re on your own!

Back on the ramp, all prom members around the aircraft! After a first solo, you can not touch the ground until they throw you into the pool! First on the back of Kevin, than in the trunk of our Mafia car for the ride homewards, back on Kevins back, and finally a splash! Actually I just touched the border of the pool before being wet, but lets keep that part quiet! Alex made a nice movie about everyones solo! This is the one about mine:



At the end of the week, all 8 of us were solo! Everybody happy!
pics of my solo:

My First Solo

Saturday, we went to Arizona’s biggest indoor paintball arena! All of us arrived there in a t-shirt and shorts, believing we would get some protective cloths… Guess again, the only thing we got was a mask and some protection around the chest, but no cloths… Some people looked strange we they saw 13 guys in shorts entering the arena. ‘I once played in shorts, but never again’, wise words of the owner of the place, just before we started… Anyway, some of us were smart enough to bring a sweater as well, at least some protection! It was really nice! I was spared from wounds and if it were real bullets, I would have survived! Others still have nasty spots all over there body!

Paintball 9 August 2008

Saturday evening, we organized a BBQ to celebrate all solos (for me, a bbq doesn’t really need a reason, anyway…). It was under the supervision of Bertrand, and prepared into the smallest detail! All had a great time and a good meal, and only the +21 had 1 or 2 beers, or did I miss something :p

Cheers

Huts