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I soloed today

Jim

By Jim,
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Jim Newbie

Jim

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I haven't spoken about it before, but my wife and I bought an airplane and are taking flying lessons. Today I soloed, pretty much the foundational class "speaking in tongues" part of flying. It's been a lot harder than I expected, the hardest self-disciplined learning I've ever had to do.

Frank C, if you're reading this, thanks for the right seat time in Acts 2 and showing me how a pro does a crosswind landing. You were the best.

Here's the story for anyone interested in flying...

The weather was hot, winds were zero to 7 or 8 knots gusting in a quartering crosswind and the pattern was busy with a mix of small planes and corporate jets. We did three touch and go's and my instructor asked if I thought I could land my plane without breaking it. I said I was pretty sure I could. He got out and told me to give him three touch and goes.

I taxied out and flew a nice takeoff, pattern and crosswind landing. Wing down towards the wind, nice flair, windward gear squeaks down, leeward gear squeaks down, hold the nose up, nose gently touches. Wow, all I have to do is do that two more times. The next time around everything is fine until I start settling into the flair. A gust of wind yaws me about 20 degrees to the left, I don't have the confidence to get her straightened out before she touches down. Full throttle and climb out without incident. I go around again and get set up on final. Everything looks fine, I'm about three or four feet over the runway and all of a sudden I balloon up to 10 or 15 feet with the nose high. The controls feel real loose so I give her full throttle and go around again.

Third time around is a charm. There's a Citation jet sitting at the other side of the field waiting to make a downwind takeoff. I tell him I'm a student flying his solo and ask his patience. He says take your time. This time everything comes together. The wind settles down while I'm in the flair and I touch earth with a minimum of fuss. The Citation driver complemented me on my landing. I pick up my instructor and we go to the lounge to do the paperwork.

Big thanks my main instuctor, Bill B*rd*n, my "crosswind coach" instructor David G*ll, John D*nh*m, who took my money and delivered my dream, his brother Tom and AWelectric, who both gave me encouragement when I really needed it, everyone here at ctflyer.com who let me know I wasn't alone, and most of all, my wife, who let me spend our money on my dream and now shares it with me.

-jim

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rhino Newbie

rhino

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and most of all, my wife, who let me spend our money on my dream and now shares it with me.

Way cool ... congrats Jim ... from my living room I can see my neighbor take off from his little grass strip. He's done this for 40 years or so ... he still flies and is 80. The runway has about a 70 foot elevation difference from one end to the middle.

So is this the coolest thing you've ever done? (besides your family) :)

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Nottawayfer Newbie

Nottawayfer

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Congratulations Jim! It sounds like fun. Living in Northern California, that could be an alternative commute for you! :-) I used to live in the SF Bay Area. My office was in Union City. We had a sales man who lived in Napa. He had a kid in San Jose who would visit him for the weekends. He used to fly to work on Fridays.

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2life Newbie

2life

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Congratulations!!!! This is wonderful!!!

I love it!... you bought a plane... and NOW are learning to fly??!!! THAT is too cool!!!!

Both of our kids fly.. our daughter professionally. They speak a whole different language!!

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  • 4 weeks later...
Belle Newbie

Belle

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Oh, I missed this! Congrats, Jim!! Sounds absolutely exhilarating, especially for someone like me who's so scared of heights that I won't even stand on a chair if I can help it. :biglaugh:

There's nothing more exciting than having one more dream come true and I'm tickled to pieces for you!

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