Saturday, September 27, 2003

First solo flight

I did my first solo flight this morning.



After doing three takeoffs and landings with my instructor, then an unplanned go-around (from my point of view, my instructor yelled out "Go around, NOW!" when I was about 100 feet up off the runway), he got out. Without his weight, which is barely 130, I'd guess, the plane leaped off the takeoff. I flew around the pattern and landed smoothly.
Then the traditions... I bought a meal for the tower controller, and a case of beer each for the firemen. Now, I'm told, they'll put me out if I crash on the runway. I had wings pinned to my shirt, and the instructor and several of the school's staff and students dumped creek water over my head as I knelt beside the propeller.
They said I would have "diplomatic immunity" from their other tradition, the instructor urinating into the water first. I hope I'm not jinxed for missing that.
Check here for pictures.

No comments:

Post a Comment