My first solo pt.2

“Be there before 7am” I told him, but as usual, it fell on deaf ears and he was late for his solo. I told him the plan was to do a few patterns with me, and if he was still up to speed, I’d send him for his solo. Now that he was late, I told him the solo may not happen since we may run out of time. Nonetheless, we get airborne, and I look keenly for any mistakes he could make. There’s a company 152 in the pattern doing circuits also. My student does 3 circuits with minimal input from me. I think he’s ready.


I request a full stop landing so I can get out of the airplane, and we’re cleared to land. Just then the 152 calls ready for circuits- her first solo flight. Nice- two first solos will be in the pattern at once- just what the controllers wanted at 8am.


We taxi to the nearest ramp, I sign the paperwork, and tell him to do 3 full stop landings. “Pretend I’m right beside you, and fly just the way we trained.” I grab my radio and jump out of the airplane. I see the 152 on downwind, and wonder if it was really smart to put two newbs in the pattern at once.


I listen keenly as he calls for taxi clearance, then departure clearance- this time adding “first student solo” to the request. I can’t help but smile, because he’s doing it perfectly- no mistakes so far. He gets takeoff clearance, and starts the roll. I hope he’s keeping the plane on the centerline. I note that he’s forgotten to turn on the strobes and landing lights, but that sin can be forgiven.


I watch as he does his first landing. A little slow on final, but safe enough. He vacates the runway as the 152 is taxiing by me for her third circuit. They are actually talking to each other on the frequency. The other instructor and I look at each other in disbelief- “who the hell taught him that?” I say out loud. We’ll need to have a chat when I get back in the airplane.


The 152 does her final circuit and contacts ground. Instead of coming to pick up her CFI, she taxis back to her normal parking spot on the other side of the field. I can’t bloody believe it. She left her CFI to walk across the airport to the flight school. I’m not about to have that happen to me, so I call the tower and ask them to make sure he comes back to pick me up after his last circuit.


He does his third safe landing, and taxis to the ramp to pick me up. When I opened the door, he was grinning from ear to ear, already telling me about how it was the coolest thing he’d ever done. We request taxi back to our usual parking spot- smiling all the way. My student- because he’s excited. I’m smiling because I’m so bloody proud of him. He’s come a looooong way since that first flight.


We get back to the flight school, and I start the first solo ceremony by writing on the back of his shirt, and making the first entry in the PIC column of his logbook. For today, his name will be “Captain”. I’m proud as a peacock for the rest of the day. My student did his first solo. My first student. My first solo.