I'll Never forget September 4, 2006

September 4, 2006 will remain a historic day in my life. For the first time in my life, I took the controls of an aircraft and flew solo. The experience was both kind of scary and extremely exciting. I must have and a HUGE adrenaline rush during my 3 "touch n go's" because when I got home, my energy level dropped hard.

So, there I was flying along with my instructor and practicing in the "traffic pattern" at Lancaster Airport. For those who might be aviation minded, I was flying C-152 tail number N68727 and doing Left Traffic for runway 31. Anyway, we were downwind and reporting "Mid-Field" to the tower when my instructor jumps on the radio and advises the tower we were making a full stop. Upon landing, we taxi over to the west ramp and my instructor tells the tower that I'm a student who'll be making my first solo flight and to watch out for me. I appreciated that! I then stop the aircraft, he opens the door, jumps out and says, "Go do 3 touch n go's" then bring it back and we'll celebrate....Have Fun." He closed the door and there I was, watching my instructor walk away from the plane and I'm all alone inside this thing with the engine running. Nervous and excited, I gently push the throttle until I start moving and I turn towards the taxiway and contact Ground Control for a "Closed Pattern" departure with information "Bravo." Ground came back and gave me permission to taxi and hold short of RWY 31. I began my long taxi to the hold area and kept repeating to myself "Holy F*ckn S#*T, I can't believe I'm actually doing this!" I really had to pee too. I also have to not that I don't think I've ever taxied so well. I guess I must have put on my Game Face once I throttled up because now, I was playing for real.

Once I parked at the runway hold line area, I did my before takeoff checklist and then keyed the mic again and said, "Lancaster Tower, Cessna 68727 is ready at runway 31" Those next few seconds my heart was pounding waiting to hear the tower call me and say, "Cessna 68727, Good Morning...winds calm, altimeter 3012, cleared for take off runway 31." That was it, 29 years in the making....I was "Cleared for Takoff" My heart was pounding out of my chest as I taxied onto the runway, pushed that throttle to max power and within a few seconds, I was speeding down the runway, rotated and climbed into the air without anybody in that aircraft with me. Then, the nerves relaxed and my pilot skills took over. I have never landed as smooth and consistently as I did that day. My instructor told me "3 touch n go's." I gave him 3 full once and departed the runway again for a 4th and final full stop landing. It was one more landing than I was required to make, but what the heck....it was worth it! Once I taxied back to parking, I had a bunch of senior citizens who came out and congratulated me on my Solo. They were watching from a balcony that my instructor was standing on. I guess he went inside and told everyone in the building that I was doing my first solo and invited them out to watch. The older folks were going up to do some flying that day and I had one of the planes they were going to use. Hey, it was nice to have a warm reception, very unexpected...cool and nice of them to do for me. My instructor also came out with a Polaroid Camera and snapped my photo with the airplane. After that, he signed off my logbook, handed me a certificate that said "Congratulations on your First Solo Flight" and shook my hand.

The next step...another lesson with another solo, then I need another instructor to fly with me to make sure that my first one isn't totally nuts....then I'm given the rights to solo anytime I want in the local area. After that, we work on "Cross-Country" training. Total hours so far:

10 hours since I've started flying again
31 hours total Pilot in Command for my lifetime

Ahhh....Life is Grand! Speaking of that, I'll be taking a very small vacation this week. Sheri and I are heading out to Arizona for a 4 day weekend. We'll be staying at Pat Bading's house so I can finally swim in the Tom Brainsky ATA Memorial Swimming pool. See, all those years of ATA's massive delays, and Pat now has a nice house with a pool in Scottsdale...the pool is dedicated to me for all the business I've sent him. There is probably nothing that designates the pool as dedicated to me...but I know the truth. After that, she and I will be relaxing rich people style at The Boulders.