Like a baby bird leaving the nest...

...this aviatrix leaves the pattern.

Waiting on the ramp for arriving traffic

The day after my solo in the pattern I was scheduled to fly again. The plan was to go out to the practice area with my CFI, circle around, and bring him home. If I didn't screw up anything he would send me back out on my own.

The weather was great, not too much traffic, we went out and reviewed emergency procedures.  He asked me a few other procedural questions and we headed back to the airport. I dropped him off at CAS and made my call to get me back out to the practice area.

I took off and climbed, did a left turn and headed back to the practice area but this time alone!

Reached cruising altitude, straight and level flight

Look at me, I'm flying solo!

Heading back to the airport

Don't worry all the photos were taken with my point and shoot camera which I literally just held up and pushed the button. I'm surprised the photos turned out as well as they did since I was being a pilot not a photographer. ;o)

I arrived back at CHD, did two TNGs, landed and taxied back to CAS.  It was great up until I parked or rather attempted to park. I pulled up next to the building to try to get a spot and leave an open spot for the next person. I lost momentum, people walked out of the building, and by then I was at a weird angle. My CFI came out and game me the 'kill it' signal and we pushed the airplane back and maneuvered it around into its spot. So I need to work on parking.

~Blue skies and Tailwinds

Flying Along

I started this little adventure the Saturday after Thanksgiving 2011. I have been motivated to fly as much as practical on the advice of many students before me. The more you fly, the less you lose between lessons. Of course what makes airplanes fly... Money! And contrary to popular belief money does not grow on trees.

However, I have been able to fly two to three times a week most weeks and am cruising along. In addition to the flying, my CFI (certified flight instructor) and I have also done some ground school to cover important information like what is safe and what is legal.

Saturday, February 4, 2012, my CFI and I went flying. We stayed in the pattern and did touch and goes (TNG). It was crazy busy. I was on a runway I hadn't really used much before, coming from a direction I'm not really use to, and crosswind I had not encountered before.  All good for learning.

After we were done he said that we would practice more next week and when I was ready I would solo. He endorsed my logbook and made sure that I knew what I needed to have in order to solo... logbook with endorsement, student license, and medical.

Monday! I went to CHD, preflighted the aircraft and off we went. It was calm, hardly any traffic, and I was on a runway and in a pattern I was really use to. On our third TNG he says, "do you think you are ready? I think you are ready."

"Um, sure, sure... umm." Very profound and confident, huh?

We talked about what was going to happen. He called the tower for the option and as long as I didn't mess up the next landing I would be going up Solo.

Everything went well. I dropped my CFI off on the ramp. Taxied back to the taxiway. Called for my clearance telling them that I was a student on first solo (ATC already knew that I was a student, we had requested instructor drop off on the ramp. So they were expecting me). I had to wait for landing traffic and then I was cleared to go.

I did three uneventful TNGs, watched a ground squirrel run across the runway as I rotated on my last TNG, landed, and taxied back to pick up my CFI. He congratulated me and gave me a high-five!

It was awesome! I loved seeing his smile and knowing that I did good.