Episode Two… My First Time

Nostalgia is an interesting thing. I enjoy reminiscing about the past, especially about my flying past. One of my favorite memories is about my first solo. I believe Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) said it best when he wrote, “There are some moment’s in one’s life which tickle one’s nerves particularly, and the first solo-flight is among them.”

Every pilot in the world starts the same; as a student. We learn the basics and then one day, when we least expect it, our instructors get out of the plane and say, “You’re ready to solo!”

The morning of June 22, 2000 I got up and watched some television, knowing later that morning I would have a flight lesson at the Olive Branch Airport. Taking my time I got ready for my flight and eased back into my show. Suddenly the phone rang. It was my flight instructor calling from the airport. When I first heard his voice, I thought he might be calling to cancel today’s lesson, but as he explained why he was calling I suddenly realized what happened. I was LATE!!! When scheduling my flights, I had booked the aircraft for 10 AM on Thursday, and 11 AM on Tuesday. However, when I wrote it down, I had mixed up the times.

I immediately got to the airport, and ran out to do the pre-flight of Cessna N48400. Because I was running late, and my instructor had another student scheduled after me, I knew this flight would be short. We taxied out to runway 18 and took off. More touch and goes.

After four landings, my instructor asked me to exit the runway. This wasn’t very surprising since I was late and another student would be waiting. When I cleared the runway, my instructor did the most peculiar thing; he took off his seat belt and opened the door. Still not quite sure what was happening, he suddenly said, “Alright, now you’re ready to solo!”

Immediately every emotion you could have suddenly raced through my head! I was petrified, I could crash this plane and kill myself! I was excited, I was about to take an AIRPLANE up into the AIR for the FIRST time with NO ONE else helping me! So like any good student pilot, I held it in and listened to his instructions.

He was going to remain on the ground adjacent to the runway with a portable transceiver radio to communicate with me. He instructed me to taxi back to runway 18 and conduct a full engine run-up and then make 3 landings with the last one a full stop. He also reminded me that the airplane would “behave” differently now that he was out.

As I started to the run-up area, the first thing I noticed was how light the rudder pedals were. I had no instructor keeping their feet on them. Testing my new “freedom” with the rudder pedals, I found it hard to contain my excitement. I would constantly look to the right seat and move my hand back and forth where my instructor had, only moments ago, sat.

I completed the run-up, made my radio announcement, and taxied onto the runway. I held my breath for a moment and then gave it full throttle! He wasn’t kidding when he said the plane would behave differently without him!

When I gave it full throttle, the airplane felt like it rolled 100 feet and then jumped into the air. I shot up like a rocket! At this moment, a steady stream of cuss words poured from my lips! I was up to traffic pattern altitude before reaching the far side of the runway! I had never before in my life ascended so fast in an airplane!

I made my first radio call of turning crosswind, when I had the thought that I might have a stuck mic and should probably not cuss over the air. I then began to realize that I had actually taken the plane off by myself! Then the truth hit me: Taking off is easy, it’s the landing that’s hard! Every pilot knows that all take-offs are optional but every landing is mandatory.

I prepared for my first landing by pulling the throttle back to 1500 RPM and carburetor heat on. When reaching 80 knots I put in my first 10 degrees of flaps. That’s when I realized the plane was behaving strangely; it didn’t want to descend!

I turned base and added another “notch” of flaps, slowly the plane began descending, but still not the way I was used to. I turned final and finally added the last notch bring it to 30 degrees of flaps. I was still too high and not coming down!

I realized why the plane was behaving different! I only weigh 89 pounds, my instructor who is 6 ft something, weighs around 250, and the plane itself weighs only 1100 pounds empty. When he got out of the airplane, the plane could take off in a shorter distance and climb a lot faster! This also meant that the plane did not want to land!

I nosed the plane over and saw the speed go up. I eased the power back and still noticed I was too high. The whole time I was on final I could hear my instructor’s voice in my head saying what he said every approach, “Airspeed, Aimpoints, Airspeed, Aimpoints…” I came in over the “numbers” too high and too fast and ended up floating a little ways before slamming down hard on the runway. I had just landed the plane successfully, although hard, on the runway.

I retracted the flaps and line up on the centerline and immediate gave it full throttle again. This time expecting being shot up like a rocket, I was not surprised and got used to the feeling. I made my radio calls and began my preparation for landing.

First notch of flaps in I noticed the same thing, the plane didn’t want to come down! This time I compensated by extending downwind a little further to allow me more time to descend. Base leg second notch, but I was still too high and the plane just didn’t want to land! Again I came in over the numbers a little too high and fast but over all better than the first. I touched down a little smoother, but it was still a rather jarring landing. I had just landed twice by myself!

The third time I took off I began to really enjoy the sensation of being an “astronaut”. I again prepared for landing by going through the routine: throttle, carb heat, flaps… This time expecting how the plane will behave, I extended even further and took more throttle out earlier. On final, it finally happened; I reached 60 knots and had perfect altitude! I came in over the numbers and touched down exactly where I should. It was still bumpy, but by far my best landing of the day!

I exited and announced clear of the runway when my instructor announced over the radio, “Good job 48400!” I taxied back to the ramp and tied the plane down and went inside. I was exhausted. I felt like I had just wrestled with a wild bull!

When we got inside my instructor got some scissors and began cutting the back out of my shirt, which is tradition for first time solo. He endorsed my log book and wrote in my limitations for soloing: no passengers, winds less than 10 knots, winds no greater than 30 degrees from the centerline, cloud ceilings no lower than 10,000 feet, and visibility no less than 10 statute miles.

Looking back now, my first solo still holds a special place in my heart. It was this day that I learned that I could actually fly. Before that solo, I always thought in the back of my mind, my instructor was flying the plane. I had just reached my first milestone in flying.

Sometimes we need look back and reminisce on the days of old. It is a way of reliving the things we enjoyed doing. I continue to fly today, but it will never be the same as my first time.