Devin W.C. Ryan

First Solo Flight

Due to the weather not cooperating it was nice to finally find an opening to squeak in some flying.  Though their was bad weather all around us Petter and I decided to take a chance and headed to the airfield on May 26th for 6:30PM.  The evening could have went either way for us but turned out awesome!

I got up for 2 or 3 solid flights on the buddy box, taking off and landing by myself.  On the last flight of the day I did my first solo flight!  This is the first time I actually held my Spectrum DX6 transmitter in my hands while flying.  Using this transmitter over the old one I was using (as Peter held the primary) gave a different feel while flying due to the joysticks being stiffer and the ergonomics of the transmitter itself.   I was on an ‘aeromodellers’ high and my heart felt like it was going to beat out through my chest!  Following tradition my maiden solo voyage was a short one.  I took off, flew down to the end of the run way and maneuvered right into the box pattern, turning left and flying out away from us parallel to the runway.  I then throttled back, getting ready for my approach, banked left once I got to the far left of the field, leveled out and then shortly there after banked left again pointing me at the runway, cut the throttle and coasted in for a successful landing!

We then called it a night as my first solo mission was a success and we were going home with the plane in tack!  We then packed up, and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the sun went behind the clouds (didn’t want to be flying in shadows just yet!), the skeeters instantly became wicked and the rain started to fall.  Didn’t matter to me as I was on cloud nine!  I think Peter was too as he gets a great thrill out of seeing his students progress and ended with saying, “Now you’re on your own as there’s nothing more I can do for you while you’re flying”.   Though I know he’ll still help when he can, and plan to be on the buddy box again when I’m out their and the wind has changed and need to land from the other direction.  We then followed it up with going out for a treat.

I’ve been really looking forward to getting out again; however, the weather still hasn’t been cooperating as it’s been raining to much making the field to wet or their have been threatening dark clouds in the sky, which typically end up contributing to the sogginess of the airfield!  If it hasn’t been precipitation it’s been strong unpredictable winds.  Based on the forecast Thursday is looking to be my best chance of getting out before I go on holidays.  In the mean time I’m blogging to take the edge off. 😉

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