RE: Your first crash? I want to hear about it...
Nothing really exciting. It was with my 1st trainer and I had all of a few minutes time on the buddy box. I got to the field and nobody else was there. Why should I let that stop me right? I take off climb out, fly the racetrack pattern, knees are knocking but I’m doing ok all in all. I try to land with the wind, abort several approaches, and finally lose control and spiral in a hundred yards or so from the runway. I remember seeing the impact and hearing it a split second later. I stuffed the plane in a trashcan and didn’t fly again for 3-4 years. Knowing what I know now, it could have been repaired fairly easy. (It was an ARF and I had no clue how to build/repair)