Boonah Blog
My First Solo
Surprise 1st Solo
Any of our Instructors will tell you that you are ready to Solo on the day that you’re ready to Solo. We all know what is required and as we progress we tick requirements off in our log books in preparation for the big day. When you are close you generally know and the rule of thumb is that it is best to fly as often as possible to keep your skills current.
Yesterday after thinking about this since March I arrived at the usual 8.30am ready for a days flying and trying not to think too much about going solo. Gary Wilkins was the level 2 Instructor and John Preimonas the Duty Pilot. With no level 1 available and only BGE available for instruction Gary was greeted with three students and a number of post solo pilots some looking for check flights or endorsements. Of course there was a number of AEF’s also to slot in so with effectively one aircraft John and Gary came up with a plan of attack for the day and did an unbelievable job of getting as many people trough as possible.
Gary and I discussed were I was at in my training and the weather conditions and we agreed that the best conditions for me would come late in the day. This also would allow Gary a better opportunity to deal with the newer pre-solo pilots. Things were running fine until the starter motor on the tug gave up. After much investigation by our Tug Master and Pilot of the day John Zoanetti as well as some input from Nigel Arnot the tug was returned to service all be it requiring to be either kept running or started manually.
The day was getting on and the tug hadn’t been refuelled so we waited patiently on the grid only to hear from the other end (we were operating on 22) that in a valiant effort to restart WWP John had caused himself a mischief. So we were now down a tug pilot. Rhys Mudford who had come up to fly himself generously volunteered to step in to the hot seat and we were away again.
Gary had always planned during the day to get me up last and give me every opportunity to show I was ready to Solo and to his credit he stuck to his guns where I may have been ready to give up. So with last light due just after 5.30pm we clambered in to the 21 with about three quarters of an hour’s light remaining. Thanks to the efforts of Rhys in the tug, and Kylie Pitt and John Preimonas on the ground Gary whipped me through three incredible flights which included spins, recovering from heavy sink (read airbrakes deployed) and a wave off culminating in a 180 degree turn and landing long on 04. It all happened so fast it barely had time to register maybe that’s why I didn’t muck it up.
Landing long on 04 as we came to a rest Gary leapt out of the back seat spun the aircraft around and told me to start my checks. Before I had time to think much about it I was hooked on and off on my first solo adventure. It only lasted 9 minutes but it may be most exciting 9 minutes I have ever experienced. Back at the club it was beers and congratulations all around and I now realize that this adventure has only just begun. My many thanks to Gary who believed in me and never gave up. Also thanks to Rhys for flying the tug at short notice as well as John our hard working Duty Pilot for organizing the day and Kylie for helping on the ground. There have been too many instructors and members who have helped me along the way to name them all here, but they know who they are and I will catch up with them. For all our new members all I can say is keep persisting it is worth the wait. See you all at Boonah
Tony