Blazer1

My Feedback: (1)

After 8 tanks of fuel over two days of flying, I soloed. I was very nervous but my instructor stood with me. To be honest I was kind of forced into soloing. I had made about 15 unassisted take offs and landing's and after fueling the plane for the last flight this evening my instructor looked at me and said "it"s time", oh man I was not ready. My take off was the worst ever and I had to make several approaches before I could land, it is amazing how my flying went down hill as soon as the cord was not attached, nerves I guess. I am not ready to fly without anyone at the field, but very close.

A few things I have learned on my journey to soloing

1.) It IS harder than it looks!
2.) Be polite to your instructor or anyone else willing to help for that matter, they are not paid to do this! ( there is a story behind this, lets just say it involves a very rude student.)
3.) Spend more money on your radio and less on your trainer (its better to have 2 planes and 1 radio than 2 radios and 1 plane)
4.) When at the field turn your ears on and your mouth off (there is loads of valuable information floating around if you are willing to listen )
5.) Practice the fundamentals, not the latest 3D moves ( No one will think your low, inverted, high speed passes are cool when you can't land without clearing the pits)
6.) In this hobby safety is taken very seriously, learn the rules.
7.) Did I mention it IS harder than it looks?

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Tomorrow everybody you meet is gonna wonder what that silly smile on your face is about!!!!! But you know what's it it!!!! Don't worry, it goes away..... well, never really!!!!! [)]

A solo flight is a great accomplishment and that wins you one genuine RCU ATTABOY (Suitable for framing, wrapping fish, or lining trashcans).

Ken

Nathan King

Congratulations! Great feeling 'aint it?

From the looks of you're list it sounds like you are pretty wise for a beginner. I remember when I first started flying pattern (aerobatics) after I soloed. Guess what maneuver I perfected first? I bet you didn't guess straight and level flight. Fundamentals are extremely important - without them you really can't do anything else truly accurately. I would consider a guy who is able to fly the traffic pattern at a constant speed, turns with constant radii and altitude, smooth descents, arrow straight gradual climbs, and spot landings to be a much better pilot than somebody who can hover over the runway or jerk the sticks to do all sorts of neat looking things. Good for you!!

ErikElvis

My Feedback: (2)

Im ready for my solo. My turns are going where I want to go. I can get the nexstar into as much trouble as it can get into and react pretty quickly (not near the ground). Take off I already half assed when I was supposed to be practicing taxiing. Its landing that is gonna get me. I plan on practicing all of my initial solos in little or no wind. Cross winds will kill ya on a landing. Oh and be sure to use all of the runway. I have a tendency to drop quick at the beginning of the runway and float all the way over it. Just keep someone close by and you'll be just fine! Planes wreck, just try not to do it into people! (prob the most important lesson to learn) )

Missileman

Congratulations, Way to go

bassfisher

My Feedback: (21)

EricElvis - sounds like you are getting too nervous thinking about soloing, especially landings. Your instructor (hopefully you have one) is the one that should make that decision. Practice makes perfect, Blazer's remarks about touch and gos is sound advise. As for flying in little to no wind or cross winds, that might really hamper your flying if you just wait for those "magic" days. You should learn to fly in light to moderate winds as not to limit yourself.

Blazer- way to go!

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Congrats Blazer!!! [&:]

hogflyer

I'll second that. I like to fly a last flight shooting touch-n-go's just to relax and wind down, especially after a long day of instructing. I fly the same pattern at the same altitude, make turns at the same place, and land within a 3 ft. radius all the time right in front of myself. I've had a student just sit there and watch as I repeated landing over and over again at the same spot and realize why I talk about fundamentals and working on perfecting the basics of flying.

There is one guy flying at our field who can't fly very well, and all he does is hog the runway practicing pylon turns. Back and forth at 4ft - 5ft every flight, or some sort of attempt at aerobatics. Heck, he can’t even make a decent loop or roll and has no idea of what a good up-line or down-line are. His landings are atrocious – he has yet to land without bouncing that I’ve seen, and most of the time he’ll prop strike and have to walk out to retrieve his plane. He repeats this process every flight. He is not one of my students (before anybody asks), and he evidentially was not taught the basic fundamentals of smooth, controlled flight. Almost everybody comes down when he goes up.......

ErikElvis,

Don’t worry about when you’ll solo – it’ll happen when you least expect it. Only your instructor can determine when that happens based on his judgment of your capabilities. Just relax, have fun flying and work on flying smoothly.

Hogflyer

opjose

Congrats!

The above should be required reading for any newbie.

Gary L.

Cool!!!!! It only gets better, now you don't have to wait till your instructor can go..

Adui

Congrats man!!
Forgive me but

I AM SOOO JELOUS!!!

I missed out on flying this weekend due to weather, I am as close to soloing as it gets without actually doing it.. (or so my instructor would have me believe.. still a bit chicken really LOL)

He said 3 good landings on the cord, I've got my first.

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

CONGA RATS!

Dave trimmer

congrats remember if you know your limits and take it slow, if you will know what not to do you will be less likely to make a mistake and get discouraged like i did

dave