First Solo In Actual Conditions

On 9/1/04 4:16 PM, in article
, "David B. Cole"
wrote:

On Saturday I had my first opportunity to fly solo in actual since my
IR checkride. One of my biggest concerns since getting the rating was
how I would make my first entry into actual without the benefit of an
instructor at my side. With about ten hours of actual during my
training I had always felt comfortable in that environment. But I
knew the true test would be doing it alone, or almost alone. Another
pilot who had just gotten checked out at my FBO and who had passed his
instrument checkride about a week earlier wanted to go up, so I
figured it would be a great opportunity to get some simulated
instrument time, knock off a little rust , and get an approach or two
in for currency. Because the other pilot was only checked-out in
planes with normally aspirated engines, we had to use one of the older
172s.

Solo?
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino
Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

Wizard of Draws wrote in message news:BD5BD60A.1F633%jeffbREMOVE@REMOVEwizardofdra ws.com...
On 9/1/04 4:16 PM, in article
, "David B. Cole"
wrote:

On Saturday I had my first opportunity to fly solo in actual since my
IR checkride. One of my biggest concerns since getting the rating was
how I would make my first entry into actual without the benefit of an
instructor at my side. With about ten hours of actual during my
training I had always felt comfortable in that environment. But I
knew the true test would be doing it alone, or almost alone. Another
pilot who had just gotten checked out at my FBO and who had passed his
instrument checkride about a week earlier wanted to go up, so I
figured it would be a great opportunity to get some simulated
instrument time, knock off a little rust , and get an approach or two
in for currency. Because the other pilot was only checked-out in
planes with normally aspirated engines, we had to use one of the older
172s.

Solo?


Jeff,

I have the IR, but this was my first time in actual without an instructor.

Dave

"David B. Cole" wrote in message
m...
Wizard of Draws wrote in message
news:BD5BD60A.1F633%jeffbREMOVE@REMOVEwizardofdra ws.com...
Solo?

Jeff,

I have the IR, but this was my first time in actual without an instructor.

I think he was referring to the pilot in the right seat. I know he wasn't
your instructor or instrument-rated himself, but any sort of pilot who can
dial in frequencies and squawk codes is quite a help when flying IMC. My
first IMC without an instructor (in July) was with a passenger who doesn't
know his ass from his elbow when it comes to planes, but he was still able
act as a pen and chart holder! I dropped him off and then got about 2
minutes of truly solo solid IMC while climbing through an overcast layer,
but the rest of the flight was in the sunshine on top and the destination
was VFR.

Jeremy

On 9/2/04 10:41 AM, in article
, "David B. Cole"
wrote:

Wizard of Draws wrote in message
news:BD5BD60A.1F633%jeffbREMOVE@REMOVEwizardofdra ws.com...
On 9/1/04 4:16 PM, in article
, "David B. Cole"
wrote:

On Saturday I had my first opportunity to fly solo in actual since my
IR checkride. One of my biggest concerns since getting the rating was
how I would make my first entry into actual without the benefit of an
instructor at my side. With about ten hours of actual during my
training I had always felt comfortable in that environment. But I
knew the true test would be doing it alone, or almost alone. Another
pilot who had just gotten checked out at my FBO and who had passed his
instrument checkride about a week earlier wanted to go up, so I
figured it would be a great opportunity to get some simulated
instrument time, knock off a little rust , and get an approach or two
in for currency. Because the other pilot was only checked-out in
planes with normally aspirated engines, we had to use one of the older
172s.

Solo?


Jeff,

I have the IR, but this was my first time in actual without an instructor.

Dave

Gotcha. I kept waiting for the other guy to leave. g

Congrats. It's pretty fun knowing you can get through that stuff by yourself
isn't it?
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino
Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

Jeff,

I guess the correct phrase would have been sans-CFII instead of solo.
It was fun, but served to reinforce my belief that it is to be
respected.

Dave

Wizard of Draws wrote in message news:BD5D2CAB.1F9A9%jeffbREMOVE@REMOVEwizardofdra ws.com...
On 9/2/04 10:41 AM, in article
, "David B. Cole"
wrote:

Wizard of Draws wrote in message
news:BD5BD60A.1F633%jeffbREMOVE@REMOVEwizardofdra ws.com...
On 9/1/04 4:16 PM, in article
, "David B. Cole"
wrote:

On Saturday I had my first opportunity to fly solo in actual since my
IR checkride. One of my biggest concerns since getting the rating was
how I would make my first entry into actual without the benefit of an
instructor at my side. With about ten hours of actual during my
training I had always felt comfortable in that environment. But I
knew the true test would be doing it alone, or almost alone. Another
pilot who had just gotten checked out at my FBO and who had passed his
instrument checkride about a week earlier wanted to go up, so I
figured it would be a great opportunity to get some simulated
instrument time, knock off a little rust , and get an approach or two
in for currency. Because the other pilot was only checked-out in
planes with normally aspirated engines, we had to use one of the older
172s.

Solo?


Jeff,

I have the IR, but this was my first time in actual without an instructor.

Dave

Gotcha. I kept waiting for the other guy to leave. g

Congrats. It's pretty fun knowing you can get through that stuff by yourself
isn't it?

David B. Cole wrote:

Before
we headed out I ran into my instrument instructor who informed me that
one of the pilots who died in the NJ midair last month was a member of
our local pilot's association. This certainly tempered my excitement a
bit.

Oh, yes. You missed that meeting and the picnic. Depressing, eh?

Congrats on your first sans-CFII IMC. But I'm selfishly glad you didn't get
to Lancaster this time either. Heh heh heh.

- Andrew

Andrew Gideon wrote in message gonline.com...
David B. Cole wrote:

Before
we headed out I ran into my instrument instructor who informed me that
one of the pilots who died in the NJ midair last month was a member of
our local pilot's association. This certainly tempered my excitement a
bit.

Oh, yes. You missed that meeting and the picnic. Depressing, eh?

Congrats on your first sans-CFII IMC. But I'm selfishly glad you didn't get
to Lancaster this time either. Heh heh heh.

- Andrew

Andrew,

Once I realized who it was it was a blow. We had spoken at the last
MAPA meeting that I attended and he congratulated me on completing the
IR and told me he was about to resume his training. With regards to
Lancaster just let me know, you know I'm down for it.

Thanks to everyone else for your responses and advice.

Dave