I did it!

Maiden was made in heaven!!! Finally, after what seems like weeks of bad weather and preparation, the day and hour and minute came and went!

The worry about the throttle control and the rear stabilizer were non-issues really. The wind was blowing around 10-15mph but I had such a good trainer today that we decided to maiden her anyway. After making adjustments to the throttle control and making sure all the trims and control surfaces were moving the correct amount on both the main radio and the buddy box, and a radio check, I carried the airplane out to the field and I taxied her around some before Tony took the controls and took off.

It was Tony's first time taking off anyone's plane with a buddy box, which I have my own equipment for, but I had all the faith in the world with him as I've watched him fly and he's very good, especially at landings!

Even though I brought my camcorder I didn't want to bother anyone and decided against asking someone to video-tape the event for fear of being too corny! I'm bummed out now though. I wish I would have caught the maiden flight on tape. One thing I'm going to make sure of is to get my first landing on tape and my first solo on tape. I don't care how corny it seems to be!

The white Sig Kadet LT-40 taking off against some dark ominous clouds was a site to behold. I felt proud that I put it together so well - the stabilizer and rudder didn't even need any trim adjustments. I was worried for no reason about glueing on the stabilizer and rudder and keeping them true but my eyes and the right angle triangle I used when I epoxied them must have worked perfectly!

Oh well, tomorrow I'm determined to try a take-off at least and some approaches. I'm going to take it slow though and if my instructor's don't feel I'm ready I sure won't do anything they recommend against.

Wish me luck! I'll be practicing until someday I can post a message entitled - I solo'd, like I see so often from others.. Now I'm going to go and update my blog with the exciting news! Thanks to everyone on RCU and at the club for the encouragement, support and tips along the way! They were really helpful!

Congratulations, I'm glad you finally got in the air.

272 posts before your maiden flight must be some kind of record

It just gets better.

He's just getting started, wait till he warms up..

Congrats on your first flight. It's an excellent feeling that only gets better, just wait until you can make the post about your first solo. Then comes your second plane (which is what I'm working toward as we speak). And then...the sky's the limit from there. Again, congrats, and have fun. After all, fun is what it's all about.

Really, I bet he'll have a solo novel! I kinda felt that way too though.

I have the novel already started in the form of my blog! It's probably a boring read by anyone but me though:< Oh well![&o]

Well I've been burning fuel that's for sure. If the weather cooperated I'd have flown even more.

So far I've done nine takeoffs, several approaches, a touch and go, and two landings. All were uneventful and the landings ended on the runway in one piece. My instructor today, Ed, said my landing was 'excellent' several times so I felt real good about it. Hope my good fortune continues.

Two more flights late this afternoon; takeoffs and landings; went okay.

Six more flights today! All went well! The winds were strong today and I feel good that I flew in it anyway with a trainer getting tossed around pretty good.

My takeoffs were all good except one where I headed left a little and needed Ed's correction, and all my landings were fine except a little bouncy mainly due to the wind lifting the plane up a little on my flares.

The landing gear struts are all taking their toll and I need to bend them back into shape before the next flights!

All in all I must be close to twenty flights so far and almost all were done without any help except being tethered by the buddy box, which I realize is still a lot of help in confidence. I'm getting more confident but still need a lot of practice before I can even think about a solo flight!

Wish me luck! Thank you!

Sweet!!! Sounds like yor having fun. I really enjoyed learning to fly. Learning the landings were challenging for me. But I am not a good pilot. But I flew in the wind alot learning...it was just a windy time of year here. Now its summer and the winds have died down and I look like a better pilot.

Good luck and keep flying.