Conference vmszoo::flying

5206.0. "First Solo!" by ICS::FISHER () Mon Mar 10 1997 14:19

    Name: Guy Fisher                     
    Date: March 9, 1997
    Location: FIT
    Hours: 16.1 total (11.1 current)
    Instructor: MyTH Hollinger
    Aircraft: C152 (N69204)
    Flight School: Fitchburg Colonial Aviation
    
    I started my flight training in August of 1994 but the birth of my
    daughter forced me to suspend my training. I was able to get back to it
    this fall. My first challenge was to find a new instructor as my previous 
    CFI had moved on. As a most read only member of this conference, I decided 
    to give MyTH a call and by late Nov he was able to get me back in the air. 
    
    Although it has been a mild winter, FCA aircraft are solidly booked
    during the weekend so its easy to go a week or two without getting up.
    It had been a couple of weeks since my last lesson. I was a bit rusty 
    during first couple of patterns. By the third pattern, I was feeling 
    much more comfortable. After a few more Mark said, your patterns are 
    boring me. I'd like to get out...(Gulp) Mark took the plane and as we 
    taxied back, I retrieved my flight log and medical. All signed, sealed 
    and delivered, he unplugged his mike and said have fun.
    
    When Mark was well cleared, I taxied back into position on Runway 32,
    second to takeoff. Someone behind me in line must have noticed the
    significance of someone getting out of the plane before take off and
    called "Good luck to you 204". Waited for the 172 ahead of me to be well 
    clear of 32. Radio call, taking the active, full power, rotate speed, 
    damm that came up quick. Pattern altitude came up much more quickly, 
    that was different.
    
    Established pattern altitude, watched for traffic, listening intently 
    for other aircraft, mid-field call for the downwind leg, carb heat on. 
    Abeam the numbers number, two to land (he is turning final), power to 1500, 
    wait for white arc, first notch of flaps...turning base looking for the
    shell sign, just a little wide of it, second notch of flaps, radio
    call, turning final...altitude looks great, make radio call, final flaps,
    reduce power, over the numbers and not a bad landing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    What a feeling! Got it stopped, and cleaned up airplane. Lets try that 
    again. Second pattern, quiet and uneventful, the major difference being
    the ear to ear grin I wore the whole way around. Full stop this time...
    204 clear of runway 32. I won't ever forget it. Taxied back...on cloud 9.

	Hey, congratulations! As a new (Oct 96) pilot myself my first solo is
	still pretty fresh in my mind and it is a great feeling. The cross
	countries will be great too!

	- Rick Lord

    Please allow me to congratulate you publicly too, Guy.  You did a great
    job!  Of course, I wasn't expecting anything less.
    
    It's always a great experience to hop out of the airplane and watch a
    student fly a couple perfect traffic patterns -- brings back memories
    of my own first solo, and all the flying tidbits I've picked up in the
    years since.  Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share in your
    excitement and accomplishment.
    
            Mark  "MyTH"

  Congratulations! - Sounds like another one fell victim to this desease!

  I soloed a few years ago - but it's still fresh in memory, the T-shirt
  with signatures and sketches is hanging on the wall reminding me ...
  on a big accomplishment and a group of friends who shared it with me all
  the way and helped me when I lost faith.

  All the best for the X-country part and I hope you'll have your license
  soon so you can enjoy the colors of the foliage in New England from the
  air this fall. And once your hooked .... only the wallet is the limit.

  Congrats to Mark too! I'm always wondering what instructors think when
  they climb out and how nervous they must feel watching their student -

	Guenter.