Tell us about going solo for the first time.

[waraton]

I am close to being let loose into the blue yonder and was chatting with Rosco in the shed about his early experiences and his mishaps while learning to fly many years ago. Clearly, there is much more support available these days in the way of training but it still a daunting thought transitioning from a 2 seat Rosscraft with an instructor into a single seat open frame Rosscraft for my first solo flight.

Please share the story of your first solo, from ye olde days as well as modern experiences. What would you do differently and what is your best advice for nailing that first flight.

[RickE]

Lots of memorable things happen in your life, getting married, having kids etc etc. I would rate learning to fly and going solo up there as well. After 30 or so hours of training my instructor jumped out and said away you go, I did and now some 1500 hours later can't believe that I didn't take it up sooner.
The main thing I remember about that first solo flight was how much better the machine went with only one person on board.
Happy days.

[Brian]

Basically did just what Rosco told me to do & took no shortcuts and all worked out very well ! Once you get airborne its an experience like no other, doesnt matter how many dual hours you have up so be ready for a blast of adrenaline to hit then do exactly what you have been trained to do ! Enjoy, good to hear you are about to get airborne !

[waraton]

My first solo was on a day very similar to this mornings conditions, 13kts straight down the strip, not hot and not cold. I had been preparing with ground runs for rotor handling practice in the open frame machine knowing it would feel much differently to the two seat trainer I had learnt on. Blades came up quickly and power on, into the air and "farrrk I up!". Climb out level off and around 15 minutes getting a feel for the machine as best a novice can. One circuit with a strip run and next one for real. Landed safely and returned to the hanger to the sight of my friends jumping and cheering. I was shaking with excitement and was (still am) pretty pleased with myself. What an achievement and amazing thing to be able to do - fly a gyro. Anyway that was today and was a bit of what my first solo was like. One of those things you have do for yourself to really know what it is like.

[RickE]

Congratulations mate, trust me it just gets better and better.

[mad max]

Aug. 6 1986 I left the ground just a few feet and gently put the VW Benson (Higgans) back down after several hrs. of high speed taxi-ing over several days. No Instructors then. Not in the outback. Just phoned people who had survived gyro flying and asked lots of questions. Legs shaking at the time. Just nerves. Probable a good thing it was under powered.

[RickE]

Aug. 6 1986 I left the ground just a few feet and gently put the VW Benson (Higgans) back down after several hrs. of high speed taxi-ing over several days. No Instructors then. Not in the outback. Just phoned people who had survived gyro flying and asked lots of questions. Legs shaking at the time. Just nerves. Probable a good thing it was under powered.

Whereabouts did you start flying Max?

[mad max]

A little dirt airstrip 7 miles north of Tennant Creek. The 'authorities' eventually gave the land to our indigenous cousins who put a bush track across the middle in order to disable it as an airstrip and never came back. I remember my first cross country when I plucked the courage to fly 18 km to 3 ways and proudly parked outside the roadhouse. When I came out of the roadhouse a tourist pointed out that he could rotate one of my head studs with his finger's