Forum: Future F-16 crew

Went up for a routine Flight lesson today, stayed in the pattern and practiced landings. After no. 4, my Instructor told me to park the Airplane in the Tie Down Area. "WTF!?", I thought. It had only been .6 on the HOBBS. He grabs my log book, signs my solo endorsement, and gets out of the aircraft. Whoa. So I taxi back to Runway 29, check for traffic. I keyed the Radio and said "Chester County Traffic, Cessna 730 is taking the active for Runway 29. Chester County." And then it hit me, that was the first time I'd said that without someone else in the cockpit. I push the Throttle in and realize a few things:

I'm really sh*t hot. Not that sh*t hot (Yet!), but very sh*t hot.
This REALLY kicks a$$.
Oh sh*t, there's about 150+ pounds missing, and I'm 2 hundred feet above where I should be for Crosswind, and 20 knots fast. Damn. It was a homesick angel without my instructor in.
I'm STILL really sh*t hot.

So continue, and end up 400 feet above the runway on final. Oops. Missed approach. Did 3 Nice ones after that, then, I swear, everyone was out to get me, because 4 other aircraft came on the Radio. A Jet was spinning on up the ground, a King Air Turboprop was Crosswind and two miles out, a Cessna 150 is coming in Downwind, and another Cessna out 6 miles coming in on a 45. I eventually squeezed into the pattern, all 3 of us were about 500 feet apart from eachother. Kinda creepy. The guy in front of me did a short final, and the one behind me circled, while I extended my downwind- Certainly easier than merging on a highway!

Alas, I eventually made it on the ground for the last time today, and tied down the aircraft. Damn, I won't be able to fly again 'till friday!!!

But it's just the first step on a long road.

-Geoff

F-16.net Sponsor

Hey Geoff, I remember my first solo in 1984 in a Tomahawk while on active duty; CONGRATS!!! But you forgot #5 on your list:

5) Sweating Bullets..... Shocked

Good job man Cool

i'm only on my 4th [Link pending approval] like, emergeny procedures and practicing steep turns lol. i took off in the plane on my own for the first time [Link pending approval] longer road Sad

allenperos wrote:

Hey Geoff, I remember my first solo in 1984 in a Tomahawk while on active duty; CONGRATS!!! But you forgot #5 on your list:

5) Sweating Bullets..... Shocked

Heh Heh, I forgot about that as soon as I opened the throttle up.

teh_zero: Keep at it. You won't regret it Cool

Geoff, now that you've soloed and cleared for further solos, WARNING: when doing touch and goes with full flaps, do not forget to raise your flaps on roll-out for departure and then retract your flaps during climb-out, you will mush into the ground and be a smokin' hole, it can happen, I almost did it once, be careful!!! I got out of it by assuming full power and best L/D AOA, in a Tomahawk, scary thought. Whistle

Already almost did it with the instructor in the cockpit. He yanked the power and we went around. Not gonna make that mistake again.

Congrats man..... We should have more first time flying stories... SOLO that is. That was fun to read... It took me back to mine! Next time... NO FLAPS = More Fun!!!
Crazy Pilot

Forum: Future F-16 crew

First step on a long road ahead