1st Solo Flight...... ~! SPLASH !~

Time : 0900hrs
Sortie : DUAL / SOLO
Runway : 03
A/C : 9V-BOF
Wind Condition : Variable
Weather : Clear


Hey Blogster...

I did it... =)

1st Solo was fantastic.. One of the most amazing and best experience of my life.. I'll take you through it.. Come...


Mom sent me to Seletar Airbase..reached YFC at 0825 hrs.. kinda late already coz i got alotta stuff to do. Signed in and checked into Ops Room, saw Instructor Siva slacking inside. Then i wrote down some admin stuff for the flight and checked the weather outside,looks good.. it'sa good day to fly..

Oscar Foxtrot doesn't sound as vogue as Juliet..but nvm.. =p had to make use of what they've assigned me..

After putting my stuff into da locker,went to collect a life vest and headset and headed to the police desk to check my pass.. hai..the last time i'll ever be checked at the room.. Then..went out onto the apron and looked for Oscar Foxtrot.. It was parked at da 2nd last lot at the east wing of the apron.. Left my headset insde the cockpit and did the external checks.. could see Siva approaching already.. So for da last time.. i did my external checks with ease.. I can still remember how the aircraft fuel smells like..sigh~

Back in the cockpit,fastened myself up and hooked up the headset..Siva gave the go ahead and i got ready to start the fire up for the BBQ...

Mixture: Rich, Throttle : 1/4 inch, Primer : Locked, Anti-collision light : On,
Fuel Pump: On, "CLEAR START", Master Switch: On, Stall Warning: Check,
"CONTACT!"..... "chang-chang-chang VRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!~~~~"

Taxied out of the apron and all the way to Yankee and did my Engine Run-up Checks. Radioed Seletar Ground for clearance...
~
Sky 86 : Seletar Ground, Sky 86.
Ground : Sky 86, Seletar Ground, go ahead.
Sky 86 : Sky 86, Yankee, Request taxy, 2 P.O.B., for Circuits.
Ground : 86 taxy to Whiskey 3 holding position, Runway 03, QNH 1013.
Sky 86 : 86, Whiskey 3, Runway 03, QNH 1013.

(Vital Actions Before Take-Off Checks)

Sky 86 : Sky 86 to Seletar Tower.
Ground : Contact Tower on 118.45.
Sky 86 : 118.45, Sky 86.

Sky 86: Seletar Tower, Sky 86, Ready.
Tower : Sky 86, Backtrack Runway 03.
Sky 86: 86 Backtrack Runway 03.

Tower : Sky 86, Tower, Surface winds 3kts, Cleared for Take-off, Runway 03.
Sky 86: 86, Take-off runway 03.
~

Flew 3 rounds of circuits with Siva,and safely without any safety hazards. My take-offs and landings had to be safe.. 3 times consecutively, that's the requirement before i can go for Solo. After my 3rd Touch-And-Go, we continued take-off for another circuit and siva asked me if i was ready for my 1st Solo.. I said yes..and he told me to call for a landing so that i can drop him off at the Tower. He thot he could trust me into this..until i made my last landing.. Instead of controlling the a/c with the rudder pedals, i accidently hit da breaks and the a/c started to swerve left to right.. shit man..like some scence from a blockbuster movie where the plane would eventually roll over and crash and burn and kill the two victims inside.. Kkk that didn't happen =p.. Coz he quickly took control of the a/c.. Taxied to Tower and i got a big scolding from him for that swerve..shit man.. just before my 1st Solo and this had to happen.. He asked me again if i was ready.. I took a moment...

"Yes sir.. I'm ready..."

He gave me a few words of advice and then left the a/c for the Tower. I trembled when i realised that this was it.. I was alone in the a/c.. no instructor beside me.. no one to save me if i swerve.. no one to take over if i panic.. no one.. my life hung upon my own abilities.. It's all mine.. Oooo man...

He called me via a walkie-talkie and told me to contact Tower whenever i'm ready.. My call sign changed to "Niner Oscar Foxtrot".
~
9-OF : Seletar Tower, Oscar Foxtrot Ready.
Tower: Niner Victor Bravo Oscar Foxtror, are you sure you're ready?
9-OF : (For God's sake man!!!) Oscar Foxtrot, Yes I'm ready.
Tower: Oscar Foxtrot, Taxy to Whiskey 3 holding position.
9-OF : Oscar Foxtrot, taxying to whiskey 3 holding position.
~

As i'z backtracking on the runway..i swear i saw an "S" shaped swerve mark on the runway.. "Shit man!!! You mean i did that just now?!?!?! Gaawwdd... That's some awesome shit man hahaha!!!"

Given clerance to take-off...for the last time...i thrusted the throttle forward for maximum power and controlled the a/c to stay in the middle of the runway.. By 55kts i pulled the control column back... and my my..the a/c is far more ligther without the instructor inside hahaha =p And yeah..i could only focus on my ascend.. Talking myself thru the procedures every step of the way.. Did a lookout at 400ft and a climbing turn at 500ft.. Continued to ascend until 800ft and levelled off as i turn for the Downwind leg of the circuit (this is parallel to the runway).
~
9-OF : Niner Oscar Foxtrot, Downwind Full stop.
Tower: Niner Oscar Foxtrot, Number 1.
~

Made a turn to the Base leg, closed the throttle and descended slowly as i controlled the Airspeed at +65kts. Anticipated the turn for the runway centreline and slowly turned the a/c to be in-line with the runway.
Centreline,Aimpoint,Aspect,Speed... kept repeating that sequence as i checked my Final Approach towards the runway.
~
9-OF: Niner Oscar Foxtrot, Finals to Land.
Tower: Niner Oscar Foxtrot, Cleared To Land.
~

As i reached the Treshhold, i levelled the a/c and maintained Straight and Level.. Holding off the a/c was abit akward... yes because no instructor inside what... Then suddenly... "BUMP!"... i think i bounced off the runway and then landed properly =p Went all the way to Whiskey 1.. and that's when the confusion started...

Tower told me to taxy back to Bay B2..but where the heck was B2!?!?! Shit.. so i just continued to taxy my way in... Passed a few jets and helicopters parked in the Bay.. Then Tower cut in thru my radio..

~
Tower: 9-OF, taxy to B2.
9-OF : Tower, where is B2?
(No answer from Tower, i'm still taxying...)
Tower: 9-OF HOLD POSITION HOLD POSITION!!
9-OF : (SHIT!!!).. Tower, where is B2!!??!
Tower: 9-OF, can you see C2?
9-OF : Negative Tower, i can't see it.
Tower: 9-OF, just make a continous right turn and anticipate a yellow line.
9-OF : Roger.
~

I practically made a full circle in the middle of the Bay Area..like.. no aircract shoud do that..but hey..look at me Ma..i'm making a circle~~~~~~ Then i found the yellow line leading to A1 and i continued to taxy there till i reached A1 where my instructor was waiting. He got into the a/c and asked me why i'z monkeying around on the Bay Area. Hahahaha... He then took control of the a/c and i treid to relax as he taxied back to Yankee.. I'z still trembling...

After shutting down the engines, i walked around Oscar Foxtrot for the last time.. Had some words inside me talking to it..
~
Me : Tanx Foxtrot, you're a tough Piper man...
OF : You dumbass, dunchu know da diffrence between brakes and rudder pedals!?!?
Me : Will you shut the f**k up! I still got u back here in one piece dammit!!
OF : Yea and tanx to you i've got burnt tyres you piece of shit!!
OF : You're like the worst pilot who's landed me man..
Me : Hey... at least i've got a legacy marked on the runway =p
OF : ....
~

Back in the briefing room, Siva had some words for me.. Well..although i did my 1st Solo.. he doesn't think i am capable of continueing to PPL at this point of time.. he knows i'm not focused on flying..and he's totally right.. i agree with what he said, coz although i do love flying very much, i still have alotta passion for other things.. Its hard man.. But nontheless.. he said that i have the potential to be a pilot in future,and i should continue to succed in flying should i choose to have a career in it.. Then he told me to get ready...
~
Siva : You know what to do now right?
Efin : huh? Do what?
Siva : Don't act blur.. all solo pilots get the "pail" after their 1st solo!
Efin : Shit.. ok fine i'll go fill up the pail outside..
(outside)
Siva : This is what you get for flying 1st Solo!!!! *SPLASH*
~

Drenched to my butt...he congratulated me and gave me my 1st Solo pin... wow.. i thanked him alot like i owed my flying career to him.. Really man.. so much that i hate the way he nags at me.. i still don't regret any bit of it.. He's a top dog and a hall of fame in my books.. Tanx Siva =)

Back in the locker room..Afzal Ismail and Shafiq were laffing at congratulating me at the same time.. hahaha.. i'z glad i could share some happiness with them.. Hai.. it's the last time i'z gonna hang out with them in that locker room.. all drenched and half naked, trying to dry myself... And still staring at the Solo pin...

It all makes it worthwhile.. if someone says that i wasted my chances in not making it to PPL.. i think they forgot that passion won't stop you from going further.. I'm not done yet with flying.. I can still feel urge to take-off, to roll, to swerve.. =p
Hehehehe...sigh.. This is not the end.. I'm gonna get back up there...someday.. somehow.. And to all those who've supported me one way or the other.. Ma, Abah, all my friends who's encouragement never stopped pouring in, Instructor Siva, Teo, Mickey, and not forgetting the people at YFC.. you guys have been great man.. all the way thru.. Tanx for everything =)

And lastly.. God... you were with me all the way thru.. from my 1st sortie.. all the way and still with me now.. I thank you so much for guiding me.. for lending me the ability and skill to fly... And giving me the strong belief that i'm capable of anything.. You make me wanna try harder coz i know you're always with me to help me out.. You never left me alone, and you always listened to my cries and prayers.. You gave me everything that i needed to succeed.. and now.. with all that you have given me, i did it... Thank you...

Before i left the locker room.. i told the guys.. "The next time you're backtracking on the runway.. watch out for the "S" swerve marks... I left my markings on the runway.. *wink*.. Those marks are gonna be like some legacy man..

Well...like they always say.. "The legend continues..."

~Mats can fly~