Forum Pilots: How Did You Celebrate Your First Solo?

April 17, 2019, 09:14 PM

bordeth

quote:
Originally posted by Snake207:
Got doused with a lot of water right before entering the FBO, then received a first solo t-shirt with the A/C tail number on it.

I got doused with a bucket of water trying to get back in the old FBO at AUO. Where and when did you take your flight instruction? War Eagle!

April 18, 2019, 11:28 AM

Perception

I actually had 2 "solo" flights, I think around 2003. I did my training at a class D airport. On my first solo we did a couple of touch and gos, then my instructor had me taxi back to the terminal, hopped out, and told me to go do 3 more. I took off and was immediately directed to do two right 360s on the downwind leg for clearance. I had never heard that before and didn't have a clue what they were asking for, but I figured it out. I made 3 really nice landings, taxied back to the ramp, and my instructor took my T-Shirt home to decorate. That instructor got hired by one of the airlines a couple of hours after my solo, and I never saw him or the T-Shirt again.

My second solo was uneventful, I just had to prove to my new instructor that I wasn't a total idiot before he let me go off on my own. Since it wasn't my real solo we didn't do anything to celebrate.

I used to joke that I needed to quit flying and go into business as a consultant getting instructors jobs with the airlines. I got my private with 41 hours, but it took 6 instructors to finish it. The airline business was booming, and I'd fly a few hours with someone and they would get hired and be gone. My 6th instructor was brand new, and I was his first student so I was able to finish up my final 20 or so hours. If it hadn't been for him being so fresh, I might have needed another 6 instructors to get it done.

"The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford, "it is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards."
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard, then the wrong lizard might get in."

April 19, 2019, 09:17 AM

Snake207

quote:
Originally posted by bordeth:
quote:
Originally posted by Snake207:
Got doused with a lot of water right before entering the FBO, then received a first solo t-shirt with the A/C tail number on it.

I got doused with a bucket of water trying to get back in the old FBO at AUO. Where and when did you take your flight instruction? War Eagle!

Same place!

Went through Aviation Management at Auburn and flew out of AUO. I got down there in '93 and solo'd in October of '94.

April 19, 2019, 09:39 AM

heavyd

They cut the back of my shirt out and wrote on it. I framed it. Great memories.

April 20, 2019, 06:19 PM

bordeth

quote:
Originally posted by Snake207:
quote:
Originally posted by bordeth:
quote:
Originally posted by Snake207:
Got doused with a lot of water right before entering the FBO, then received a first solo t-shirt with the A/C tail number on it.

I got doused with a bucket of water trying to get back in the old FBO at AUO. Where and when did you take your flight instruction? War Eagle!

Same place!
Went through Aviation Management at Auburn and flew out of AUO. I got down there in '93 and solo'd in October of '94.

I graduated in August 94 and went on to work at RYY as an assistant airport manager for a year before moving down to PDK at Mercury Air Group. Flew and worked the line there a few years before going back to Auburn to complete a BS in Civil Engineering. I now live in Helena AL and work for Southern Company.