Remember your first solo?
 

Well, today was finally the big day for me. I just did three touch and gos in the pattern, but I was really nervous and sweating bullets. After the first takeoff, I became more relaxed. Everything went great.

What are your memories of your first solo? Scared, happy, didn't care? Share it with us.

I was excited. Half way through my patterns the tower turned the airport around on me...that scared me because I wasn't sure how they wanted me to re-enter the new downwind. Didn't get violated(or my CFI) so I guess it went ok.

When my instructor stepped out of the airplane unexpectedly and told me to go play in the pattern I thought he was nuts. My hands were shaking as I taxied out. I was amazed at how much better the airplane performed with just one person. After my first solo landing I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I will never forget that day. I occasionally fly over the airport I soloed at in my Boeing and smile as I remember how exciting those times were. I must admit though, I still smile and get excited at a smooth landing or a beautiful sunrise. I'm just crazy that way.

I couldn't stop smiling as I did my three circuits around the track. Now, when I did my first solo in the Arrow, that was scary because they told me to extend my downwind. I got sidetracked and pulled the MP below 14'' base to final without the gear down. Stupid me...that was an easy fix

My first solo was a nightmare. I was my instructors first student and she was scared out of her mind to let me go. Finally I talked her into it and off I went. First trip around the pattern, I was turning base when I saw this flash of white and green right in front of me. Then his first call was "BeechJet 1JP inbound, now turning final 35" then "oh yeah heres our fuel order." In between breaths you could hear my flight instructor screaming over her handheld certain words that make you glad it was just a handheld. I landed behind him no worries. Pattern #2, no worries, pattern #3, just as im short final (150 AGL) for 35 a flight of 3 ultra-lights take off intersection 17 and are comming right at me. Now the problem was that they climb like a bastard, but don't go forward any faster than a fast walk. They were all around me and I did my best not to hit them. I couldn't understand why my flight instructor was so mad, I mean seriously, a 15 hour student manuvering at a low altitude at a low airspeed, what could possibly go wrong???

My first solo was 24 yrs ago in Memphis. Left KMEM with the instructor for Olive Branch airport. When I dropped of the instructor he told me that we were running late on time, and if it was looking like I would land long, that it would be quicker to go around instead of taxiing back for another t/o. Sure enough, on the first approach I went around, and my mother gouged a deep wound into my father's arm yelling, HE CAN'T LAND!!! OH MY GOD, HE'S GOING TO DIE.!!!
I just love to get them all wound up.:D

Hah some good stories. I was pretty damn nervous when my CFI got out and set my signed logbook into the right seat. But man, what a feeling once I got up! Now that I'm instructing its cool to see some of the students have that same feeling. I think I was just as nervous too when I signed off my first solo student.....

I remember rotating and as the plane rotated so did the smile on my face with it. Then I realized the only way I was getting down was if I did it myself. I dunno what you guys all did but I sang Frank Sinatra "Fly Me to the Moon".

I had an inexperienced instructor who's last words were, "don't die becuase I'll loose my certificate." It was late in the afternoon and our airport had a ton of jet traffic coming in. Second and third time around I got extended out over the old Busch Stadium (three miles from the airport). I had NEVER been extended that long on downwind and didn't at that point know that I could fly faster than the speeds that I was supposed to fly on base and final so I was 2 miles out, dragging along at about 65kts.

Still one of my favorite moments in the plane!

we landed and taxied off. my instructor hopped out, said "3 laps and don't break anything," and started walking to the FBO.

was amazed how much better a 150 flew without all that deadweight :)