Surprise! Solo Time!

Today's flight began like every other flight. Off to the practice area. Practice stalls, slow flight, emergency procedures, etc. Finally my instructor wanted to head back for more touch and gos. Fine with me... We did three or four and then went and parked the plane.

Before we got out of the plane, he asked me for my log book and medical certificate so I indulged. He began writing and I was waiting for him because I couldn't get out of the plane since he was sitting by the only door. Finally he said, "Do you want to solo today?" Heck yeah!

He had endorsed my medical and logbook and I was free to fly the plane by myself! He said that he would wait here and he wanted me to do two touch and goes and one full stop landing and then come back. I was shaking from the excitement. The time was now!

Falcon Ground, Archer 4182L at Tango One with Bravo, ready to taxi to the active.

Archer 4182L, Falcon Ground, taxi to runway 4R, verify you have information Bravo.

Taxi to runway 4R, affirmative on information Bravo, Archer 4182L.

Run up. Everything looks good. A little weird with nobody sitting to my right. Back to the task at hand...

Falcon Tower, Archer 4182L is holding short of runway 4R closed traffic.

Archer 82L, Falcon Tower, cleared for takeoff on runway 4R, make left closed traffic for runway 4L, contact tower on 119.7.

Cleared for takeoff on runway 4R. Make left closed traffic for runway 4L, contact tower on 119.7, Archer 82L.

OK, one notch flaps, fuel pump on, mixture full rich, transponder to ALT, landing light ON,full power... Oh man, I'm flying! Alone! Turn left crosswind, switch frequencies.

Falcon Tower, Archer 4182L crosswind for closed traffic on 4L.

Archer 82L, make left traffic for runway 4L, number one cleared touch and go.

Left traffic, number 1 cleared touch and go runway 4L, Archer 82L.

OK 90kts downwind. Runway numbers, one notch flaps. 45 degrees past threshold, turn base, 2nd notch flaps, pitch for 80kts. There's the runway. Turn final. 3rd notch of flaps, pitch for 70 kts. VASI says I'm right on glide slope. Keep it coming (I'm hearing my instructor and he isn't even in the plane)... Keep it coming... there's the numbers, back pressure, squeak! GREASED IT!

Now I'm having fun! I am shouting at the plane now... "That's what I'm talkin' about. I'm flying you now! Who's your daddy? I'm your daddy!' Anyhow, it wasn't one of my better displays of character but who the hell cares!

Archer 82L, Falcon Tower, make left traffic for runway 4L.

Left traffic runway 4L Archer 82L.

Not climbing real fast... Maybe I should take the flaps out. Duh! Checklist stupid! On downwind now.

Archer 82L, Falcon Tower, number 2 behind the Diamond wing up left base.

Archer 82L has the traffic in sight.

Archer 82L, Falcon Tower, number 2 behind Diamond, cleared touch and go, then make left traffic.

Number 2 cleared touch and go and left traffic, Archer 82L.

Same routine... Turn base, flaps, turn final, more flaps. Why isn't he getting off the @##@! runway?

Archer 82L go around!

Archer 82L is going around.

The next landing wasn't as good as the first but it was in the top 10 landings that I have ever made. The third was a floater - who cares? I flew SOLO!!!

I taxied over to where RC was waiting and did the high fives and hand shakes and fists and all of the other barbaric masculine gestures of success in battle. Only thing was that I was wearing a $125.00 shirt and when it came time to cut the back out of my shirt, I suggested the we find a different shirt...

That's cool... One of the best days ever!

Flight time: 2.2

Total time: 37.8