My First Solo

Today, Sunday November 30th, 2008, for the first time I took complete control of an airplane and flew my first solo. Technically, it was no different than the hundreds of take-offs and landings I have done in the past with my instructor.

You pre-flight the airplane by checking control surfaces, hinges, oil, fuel, braking fluid, and so on. Once you are assured everything is in order, you settle in on the left seat, go through your checklist and start the engine. Perform a few more checks, listen to the ATIS and request your clearances.

I have been flying the airplane for a very long time, yet today was different. Today as I lined up with the center line for take-off, I was alone in the cockpit. I took a second to reflect on the significance of flying solo. Of what it meant that I have reached a point in my training where I am competent enough to fly and handle an airplane safely. Of what it meant to reach a goal I have had for as far back as I can remember. I thought about my first toy pedal airplane when I was two years old. Of how I used to daydream it was actually flying as I played with it. It is one of the memories from my early childhood that I still remember.

I let the realization of all of this sink in. Took a breath, slowly applied full throttle, I took in the full roar of the engine, the vibrations of the airplane, became one with the machine I was flying.

I slowly applyed right rudder as we, the airplane and I, sped down the runway, watching my airspeed come up, 30kts, and still aligned with the centerline, 40, 50, 55, slightly more right rudder and rotation, 60, the plane comes off the ground and airspeed is building, I raise the nose and settle on a climbout at 79 knots, airborne and clear of the Runway! (and trees).

At 800 ft, I start my left crosswind, and it was all smooth flying from there, LITERALLY!

Possible or not?

One of my friends recently sent me this video of stunt pilot James Andersson in a Red Bull Air Race and asked me if this was possible or not. Given some of my ground school and understanding, I wrote him back with the following explanation: "Because this plane is a certified stunt plane, the engine has enough thrust to provide vertical lift, in which case the wings aren't needed for vertical flight (in fact no matter how fast an airplane is flying, if the relative angle of attack (wing to wind) exceeds a certain angle the plane stalls unless the engine has enough thrust for vertical lift. This is completely possible and as I watched the wing come off it is exactly what I thought the pilot should have done. Now whether or not the video itself is real, looks real enough to me." I wonder what do others have to say about this video. Do you think its possible or not? Please post your comments.