Having completed my Air Law exam, worked through the pre-solo questionnaire and secured my Class 1 medical, I was finally ready for the big day: my first solo, this would also be my 13th hour of flying. A lucky number for some and unlucky for others, take of that what you will.
I turned up at TPC excited but also nervous. It did not help that I had got my lesson time wrong, I got a call from Jeremy on reception at 09:00 asking me if I was aware that my lesson was booked for 08:30 not the 10:30 slot I had written down. Eva was relaxed about it though, and she soon had me settled. Today was beautiful weather so the circuit was already very busy. We sat in her office for a while watching some of the other student landings. I think this was her way of easing me into the day and taking the edge off my nerves. She had already completed the pre-flight checks on G-BNHJ, so once we had finished our chat it was time to head out.
The plan was simple: I would show her three good circuits, and if she was happy, I would then go solo. The first landing was a little flat (but safe), but the next two were solid. I felt comfortable and calm in the circuit. After the third, Eva looked at me and asked if I was ready. I dropped her off at the parking area, where she would then watch from the ground, and suddenly it was real.
The adrenaline hit me straight away. My nerves were running high, but I took a deep breath and reminded myself that every instructor I have flown with has told me I have some natural talent for flying. I told myself I was ready. The plan was to complete two full-stop circuits and then return.
I taxied to runway 06, ran through my checks, and made the call that I was ready for departure. Everyone says to be prepared for how much lighter the aircraft feels without the instructor, but it still caught me off guard. Before I knew it, I was climbing rapidly and reached 1000 feet AMSL before even turning onto crosswind. At Denham, the maximum circuit height is 1000 feet, so I had to be careful not to climb any higher. The realisation that I was completely alone in the aircraft hit me at that point. It was an incredible and slightly surreal feeling.
Both of my landings were again a bit on the flat side, which frustrated me, but the circuits themselves went smoothly with no hiccups. As I taxied back, Eva phoned the tower to pass on a message that I could go for another if I wanted, but I decided not to push my luck. Two circuits were enough for the first time.
Back on the ground, Eva had kindly tried to capture some pictures and recordings of the moment. Then came the best part: signing off my first ever Pilot in Command time. It felt like a true achievement, the first step into real flying on my own.
Modular Pilot Kiran 