[color=#FF0000]I flew solo today, I am so excited!!. I put the final touches to my GWS Beaver before lunch, my instructor assisted me, had lunch while waiting for the final glue joints to dry, then off to the park. My instructor did a couple of flights to check out the plane and trim it, and then handed me the transmitter. I successfully landed the plane and then took off again , flew around doing circuits and landed. I did this four more times with out a problem.

Out with my glow trainer again tomorrow, weather permitting, have to go solo in that soon too. Not quite as easy, but if I can do it in the Beaver I can do it in the Explorer 40. I will keep you posted of progress.

A great afternoon!!, after a suckey morning, where I spent and hour in the dentist chair getting a tooth crowned.

Cheers
David

Well, soloing beats the dentist chair any day of the week!!! Now you have a reason for that smile on your face, and it's not because of the dentist!!

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

Ken

Excellent!

Congrats on the solo! Be sure to take your time getting lots of practice in, be careful don't to not get too over confident for the first few hours.

As a newly soloed pilot myself, I know exaclty what you are feeling. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Great job!

CONGA RATS!

Don't worry, I am VERY aware of being over confident. About three months ago I managed to pile the Explorer 40 in to the ground in what my instructor calls a grade 2 prang. Repairable but quite a lot of work. I was being a bit causious and cut the throttle and air speed back a bit far, plane went into a stall on a turn, I did the entirely the wrong thing to correct the stall, putting in up elevator to lift the plane, that only increased the rate of the turn and dive into the ground, and bang. I should have increased the power, then once the airspeed increased use the ailerons to turn out of the stall. It is all learning!!!!! I actually purchased another trainer while I fixed the Explorer 40. However it has all worked out well as the second trainer has a semi symmetrical wing (Explorer 40 has a flat underside to its wing) and the second trainer will a great advanced trainer, when I get that far.


It is now just practice and more practice to get things to become second nature. I compare it to like riding a bike, difficult to start with but once you have the skill you never lose it.

Thank you for your good wishes.

It is coming into winter here, which is if anything a better flying season, there are usually lots of calm days in winter in NZ, however the summer has been fantastic this year so can not complain at all, been flying 5 or of 7 days a week.

Cheers

David

Well I have really done it!! I went to the park with the plane all by myself!! Initially had a couple of dodgey takeoffs, couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Helps if you choose the correct model on the transmitter doesn't it!!!! After this was corrected I did heaps of perfect take offs and landings (at least a dozen)as well as flying circuits and for variety threw in a couple of touch and goes as well. I am really proud of myself. Plane must have looked alright flying as a couple of cars stopped on the road adjacent to the park and watched the plane for 5 minutes.


Mentally exhausted now!!

Cheers

David