Ye that's it... I finally went solo in the air!! And this picture says it all... that's me taking off from Falcon Field, all on my own for the very first time!! Wuhh what a day to remember!!
Ye I know I should have written something immediately after my solo, but time here ran so fast during this last week! Basically it was one whole run from my solo at Mission 32 to Mission 41, where I stand now.
But ye... let me talk a bit about one of my unforgettable days in all my life! Initially I was supposed to do my first solo flight on Monday 12th January, but the winds were a bit too much for a first solo so I had to postpone to Tuesday 13th January, and that's where I left my blog. Well gues what... no, 13th January wasn't the big day either! It was windy again, and I was so pissed off! So I had to wait for another day!
But, 14th January 2009 then became a day to remember! I was scheduled to fly early morning, at 0730 local time. So ye, I had to wake up at 0500 (something which I have been doing everyday since then!) Anyway, when I got at the school I met my instructor and prepared the weather briefing. The winds were finally withing my limits and my instructor said, ye we can fly. I then made the pre-flight inspection of the N4107F, which was going to take me solo to the skies for the very first time! The birdie was airworthy so off we went!
First, I had to make three full-stop landings together with my instructor. Those seemed quite normal, as I had been doing landings with my instructor for quite some time now! But then it was time... I landed and taxied back to the ramp and my instructor left. It did start to feel a bit tense, you know, looking at that right seat, seeing it empty, and thinking "What if?!..." But ye, I was looking forward to get back in the air and do my first solo flight. I taxied out to the runway and then... "Diamond 4107F, runway 4R cleared for take off..." Wuuu here we go... I pushed the throttle lever and there I was, rolling on the runway... going solo. It really went fast but I remember actually taking off, leaving the ground, and me just going WAAAAAAAAAAA in my head :-) At time I couldn't beleive I was actually flying the bird all on my own! After take-off, I joined the traffic pattern on the North runway to come in for landing. Everything went so fast... but everything was so cool. I kept a sharp lookout for the other traffic, more than ever. Normally, there used to be two pairs of eyes watching out, but now... there I was all on my own. As I approached the runway for my first solo landing, I was concentrated on getting the landing right, but at the same time I was still thinking "wuhh am I really doing this?!" Anyway, in a few seconds, there I was, flaring on the runway to put the bird on the ground. The landing was quite decent as well! It just felt great! I repeated two more patterns, and then landed, and taxied back to the ramp. My instructor and my friends were waiting for me there and soon, the "after first solo ceremony" was about to start!
Basically, after your first solo, you're not allowed to touch the ground! So what happens is that, your friends push the aircraft back in its place and then one of them, carries you on his shoulders (the unlucky guy who had to carry me was Josef :-)) Then, you're dumped in the trunk of the car and driven back to the residence. No, you don't touch the ground... but, you're taken out of the trunk and thrown in the pool! And ye it all happened and withing twenty minutes after landing, I was all soaked in the swimming pool! Everything went so fast... but ye, it's one of those unforgettable days!! There are some photos of my solo online. Just click on the album below!! I also have a couple of videos of the big day but I still need to edit them to make one whole video. Ye I want to get it done as soon as possible but this week was very busy!!
Here, I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who made this day possible! Thanks to all my friends here for making this day a special one, for all the photos and videos, for throwing me in the pool and stuff :-) Thanks to my instructor, for getting me ready to solo! Thanks to all my friends who e-mailed me wishing me luck and thanks for all your support (I still have to answer your e-mails!). Thanks to anyone who in some way brought me to this day, and finally, most specially, thanks to my family... especially my parents for all the support, each and every single day, and also my sister and her family! Thanks people!!
Anyway... and after my first solo? Uuh it was one whole busy week!! I flew everyday since then, except on Sunday. Thursday and Friday I made two flights, half an hour with my instructor and an hour solo each time. I stayed in the Falcon Field pattern practicing my landings. On Saturday, I flew again, and had two missions, all solo, and went over to Gateway airport! On Monday and Tuesday, I flew with my instructor in the morning and solo in the afternoon, and finally today (or rather yesterday, now) I had another solo flight. So ye, one busy week, and everyday waking up at 5am... ye I'm getting tired :-)
What's next? Today we had the navigation briefing, which means that tomorrow I'm going for my first cross country with my instructor! That's right, I'll be leaving the Falcon Field area and fly over to Gila Bend, south west of Phoenix. It's a whole lot of preparation; today I spent a lot of time planning the flight, and tomorrow I have to wake up early again to check the forecasted winds! Ye busy busy busy... but... fun!
Well, that was a long post for today, and now it's time for me to go to bed and get some sleep! I really need it! Anyway, take care everyone! See ya!!
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