Thats right, while you were all working hard today, I was undertaking my first ever SOLO flight over the island of Jersey.
After a false start in the morning where we canceled due to fog, the weather dramatically improved to give clear skys and light winds. At 4pm my instructor and I took off for dual circuit training (which is basically take off, fly a big rectangle circuit and then land). After 4 of these circuits my instructor called the ATC and requested their permission for me to fly a solo circuit – my first! They agreed after the instructor assured them 
So my instructor got out of the plane…
… and closed the door…
… and then it was just Me in .
After my power checks I was given clearance to take off, so I took a deep breath, and another, and another, checked all the instruments and applied full power…. wow.
Took off, turned left, turned left again and headed downwind, following another aircraft ahead, when the ATC came on the radio to say I was number 2 in line to land and had to give way to a commercial jumbo jet!!! so I circled in orbit for a few revolutions before being able to proceed to final and to land…. engine rpm reduced, flaps down, so far so good… line up with runway, received clearance to land – great!
I was a little low and so applied a little too much power and bounced on my landing, a little blast of more power to comfort the next landing and I was down… phew, I did it.
I cant say I was not a little nervous, cause I was, but the feeling was AMAZING knowing that I just flew my first 20mins solo in a plane. The circuits here in Jersey are over 10 miles long unlike a normal circuit you can do in 7mins! this is because we track the coast of the island rather than flying over land…
So now, I have done my first solo flight, I get told that here in Jersey the next 3 hours training are ALL SOLO’s which is different to the training scheme I had in 2001 in the UK so I was taken aback, my next lesson is for tomorrow, so I guess that will be 1 hour of solo circuits, on my own, patting the seat next to me to prove I’m on my own, gasping for air as I land…
All good fun – really
I believe that’s a Piper Arrow?
Yes – its a P28A Warrior II
Props to you kind sir. May the wind carry you to wonderful places.
Yes it is a Piper 28 Arrow Warrior II
Congratulations. A day you will long remember.
congratulations! I too have experienced that first solo flight. That was many many years ago, currently I have a commercial pilot license with instrument rating here in USA. I worked at a drop zone for a few years taking sky divers up and dropping them out. haha
Still, NOTHING like the first solo, did you notice how much more power the plane seemed to have without the extra weight of the instructor? What a great feeling! Congratulations again.
Hi Phil,
Congratulations!
I started flying when I was 16 and still remember my first solo.
Now over 60 and happy to see my son Jonathan as a pilot for USAirways flying the Dash-8, he is only 25.
That bird is a Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II and used to be registered here in the States as N9142D
Happy landings!
Congratulations. I still remember my first solo flight. Great experience! I flew along the Southern Cape Peninsula in South Africa. Beautiful!
That’s an awesome achievement Phil – well done!
“You can’t discover new oceans unless you have the courage to leave the shore”
Does that license allow you to fly a helicopter or is that another license?
Flying is something we all want to do, some fly high some fly low, but whatever the preserence flying is the second best thing ins live. If you dont know what is first then you have never flown a plane by yourself solo.
Welcome to the fly people Phil
Mike
Hi Phil,
Congratulations!
Al
Hi Phil,
That’s really great. A real live beside code hacking. Enjoy.
Best Michael
Hi Phil. Hope you are still enjoying your training. Or have you got your PPL? I’m doing my training at the moment here in Australia. I haven’t done my first solo yet but I think it is just around the corner. I have taken a video camera with me and mounted it in the back seat, tied down of course, and the sound patched into the aircraft intercom. I think you may recognise the intrument panel – good old PA28-161. The videos are on my website and on Youtube if you want a squiz.