FIRST SOLO!

It finally happened....I busted my aviation cherry! Yesterday evening I logged .2 under the PIC column of my logbook. For those of you who do not understand what PIC is, it stands for Pilot In Command. This means that the PIC has the ultimate responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the aircraft. I was in complete control of my ship and it was my responsibility to get it back on the ground safely and with no ones help. We left my home airport CNA3 (Springwater Airpark) and headed to CNB9 (Lake Simcoe Regional) to take on fuel. We decided to stay in the circuit and practice some touch and goes, stop and goes etc. After a couple of decent ones we did one more and while turning final i was about to call out "Simcoe Traffic, Uniform Bravo Charlie is turning final for 28 touch and go, Simcoe Traffic" Mike (my instructor) told me to make it a full stop. So I made the appropriate call ("Simcoe Traffic, Uniform Bravo Charlie is turning final for 28 Full Stop, Simcoe Traffic") and landed. I personally thought I came in a bit hot but I still put her smoothly on the runway. I started backtracking 28 and asked Mike if he wanted me to taxi to position on 28 (I thought we were going to practice a short field, or a soft field take off, but instead he said something to the effect of "Actually I was thinking you should make this one solo." He asked me how I felt, and I kind of studdered something, then he assured me and said I was making all of my landing great, it was a perfect day to do it, and that if anything went wrong, if it didnt look good, what ever I could just go around....so I dropped him off at the north ramp where he gave me an enthusiastic grin and a thumbs up, and I gave him an aprehensive thumbs up back. I turned around and started to taxi to the runway when I heard on the radio that there was a Helicopter (Hydro 1 I believe) on a 1 mile-final, so I declaired my intention of taxiing to position, he gave me an advisory, I looked, told him I saw him and all was well. That may seem like the most mundane of details but it's amazing how you feel even keeping and eye out for traffic when there is no one else there to do it for you. I made my call "Simcoe Traffic, Cherokee Uniform Bravo Charlie taxiing to position on 28 for the circuit" I decided to do a short field take off, instead of a rolling take off (I was used to it as CNA3 25/07 is 2100'). I called that I was rolling and bam! I was taking off on my own! It's a very interesting thing to be doing all this with out an instructor! Funny thing is that I remembered all my checklists, at 1300' I checked guages green and pulled up my flaps, I called my crosswind and turned left at 1600' levelled off at circuit altitiude 2000' (airport elivation 968') called and turned downwind, did my downwind checks, somehow lost 150' (but whos counting?), called and turned base, then called and turned final, unfortunatly I did go through the center line a little bit but I got back on no problem. Final approach was awesome, it's weird seeing a little speck on the side of the runway and realizing that speck is your instructor, which means hes not in here, which means your the one landing the plane. Well I realise that me crashing the plane into the ground, or landing so hard the struts shot through the gas tanks would make a more interesting story, but I am happy to say it was un eventful, I gently put her on the ground, stopped, and turned around. When I got back to the end of 28 Jim (They owner of a yellow stintson from CNA3 was in the area and asked me if that was a solo flight, I replied yes and he congratulated me on the radio. I was in shock/disbelief! I did all that by my self, up till now the only time I was in my a/c by myself was cleaing, or preflighting, or just chilling out (yes I know I am an aeronerd) but this time I was moving it, flying it, and landing it. I was at a certain skill level that I could be trusted with my airplane to not kill anyone or hurt anything! IT WAS AWESOME! I taxiied(sp?) back to the north ramp to pick up Mike where I got my congrats and handshake. Unfortunatly neither of us brought a camera so the picture will be taken this afternoon. I will post it when I get it. This seems to be one of my longer posts but there really isn't enough I can say about it! This, as I understand is a major milestone in aviation, this is a moment nobody ever forgets. I know I wont. At the risk of sounding too cliché I will leave on this.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earthAnd danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I've topped the wind swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew -And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. Pilot Officer Gillespie MageeNo 412 squadron, RCAFKilled 11 December 1941