I've been training on RealFlight and at the field on a buddy box for about 6 weeks (that had added up to less than 2 hours total of stick time). My "solo" came in stages: first the usual trainer wasn't there so I went up with another guy who was much more "relaxed" (not necessarily a good thing) and let me land on my own. Next, no one had a buddy box (and I hadn't yet bought one) so we did the ol' "hand the radio back and forth" routine. Again the other guy took it off and I ended up landing it -- dead stick -- with him talking me in. All these take offs and landings were satisfying in an incremental sort of way but didn't feel like a true solo. And I actually felt more nervous on the box. It was like I had to perform for the trainer and had to worry about who actually had the plane -- and somehow just knowing I could "hand it over" at any time made me concentrate just a bit less.

Anyway, for a couple of weeks I had been telling myself that it was time. So last Friday I went out to the field and there was only one other guy -- another fairly new guy like myself though he had been flying solo for several weeks. This was going to be it. Me from start to finish, that is, from starting the engine to landing the plane. We took turns carrying each others' planes out to the flight line. I suppose I got in about a half dozen solo flights and then around 11:30 the other guy decided to call it a day and head home. Not me!!! For the next hour it was only me at the field without another soul in sight (or in the air). It was GREAT!!!! I wasn't nervous in the least. If I screwed the plane into the ground -- so be it.

I took off (there was even a light cross wind) flew all over the place, did all those loops, rolls, Immelmanns, etc. I had been practicing on RealFlight and a few more landings. Basically, I flew until I had no more fuel! I don't think I'll ever forget that feeling of being totally on my own for that first (and second, and third, and fourth) TRUE SOLO.

If I look in my log book at 1984 when I first started it looks a lot like what you just wrote. Except I didn't have Real Flight. I may have used Microsoft Flight Simulator on my Atari 800 as a simulator. Anyway, I remember it well. Great hobby isn't it?

Wait! If noone else seen it or you have no pictures, it doesn't count!!

Just kidding! WTG!!

Hey congrats.

I work second shift at my job, so I usually go out to my field in the morningish on the weekdays. I usually show up around 10-11, and there is never anyone there, just me. It's nice to have guys to talk to, but it sure is nice to have the whole field to myself sometimes. I try stupid stuff that I wouldn't try when others are there, as I dont have to worry about embarrasing myself/hitting a pitted plane/injuring a bystander.

Congrats! Solo-solo!

Just make sure you check your RX battery pack after that many flights!

What are you gonna buy/build next?

I always have multiple batteries out there both for the radio and the reciever. In terms of that NEXT plane, well, I'm already working on a scale Fokker Eindecker III (and am thinking about something like a Lucky Stik in the short term). Here are a couple pix of my Eindecker-in-progress.

It started life as a Balsa USA kit now has been modified beyond any recognition -- basically I'm building it from scratch off the Joseph Nieto drawings from the National Aeronautics and Space Museum blown up to the size of the BUSA kit.

Congradulations!
Now that you are hooked.... it is time to open up the purse strings and go bigger, faster, better

That is a great feeling. I like flying and seeing other folks planes at the club, but it is great to fly solo. You dont have to worry about who else has a plane in the air and if you do something stupid people arent laughing at you. I used to live in Chile and I flew near the Andes. There was nothing better than to go out super early and fly while seeing the sun rising over the snow covered mountains!!!