The images just never stop playing on repeat-- visions of the butterflies that will flutter in the cave of my nervous stomach once those wheels finally leave the active runway, supported by nothing more than me-- the Pilot in Command. She'll climb slowly but surely, and if I had any doubts at take-off, I'll be reaffirmed that I am, for the first time ever, alone. I am not a pilot; I am the pilot.
Without a doubt, every pilot has these visions--sometimes for years and years, and sometimes, unfortunately, forever. Now, we all know what it's like to watch a series on repeat (Breaking Bad). This is different. You know when Netflix asks you, "Are you still watching this program?" and the implied meaning is 'get off the couch'? Well, this is like that, except Netflix asks you like, 84 times in a row, every single day, while you are taking that solo flight via Vivid Imagination Air. And you always feel like you need to get off the couch. Some little wind is always drifting through, pulling the hairs on the top of your head toward the sky, egging on the visions. Each and every day.
The visions never stop. Most of them are pleasant, with a few exceptions (also not unlike Breaking Bad-- cue image of body in bathtub falling through ceiling). That engine out always pops in there somehow, although I just throw my head back laughing and shoo it away, knowing that I am prepared for anything. I am the pilot.
As you can see on the "My Progress" page, I have flown about eleven hours so far. While I have heard that some "naturals" solo between ten and fifteen hours, I do not think I am quite there yet. It gets a little muddy when trying to figure out just when is the right time to solo, though. My gut tells me that I am not quite there, while someone else may have felt extremely comfortable after eleven hours of training.
My stance is that there should be a certain serendipity about the solo. Both the instructor and the student should feel as though the training has progressed naturally to that point. Neither the student nor the instructor should feel rushed or pressured, but should let the moment come as it will. Ignore the logbook and listen to your gut.
Don't be a stranger-- this is a place for pilots to talk about the nitty-gritty. Please post your thoughts on when is the right moment to take that serendipitous solo!
Without a doubt, every pilot has these visions--sometimes for years and years, and sometimes, unfortunately, forever. Now, we all know what it's like to watch a series on repeat (Breaking Bad). This is different. You know when Netflix asks you, "Are you still watching this program?" and the implied meaning is 'get off the couch'? Well, this is like that, except Netflix asks you like, 84 times in a row, every single day, while you are taking that solo flight via Vivid Imagination Air. And you always feel like you need to get off the couch. Some little wind is always drifting through, pulling the hairs on the top of your head toward the sky, egging on the visions. Each and every day.
The visions never stop. Most of them are pleasant, with a few exceptions (also not unlike Breaking Bad-- cue image of body in bathtub falling through ceiling). That engine out always pops in there somehow, although I just throw my head back laughing and shoo it away, knowing that I am prepared for anything. I am the pilot.
As you can see on the "My Progress" page, I have flown about eleven hours so far. While I have heard that some "naturals" solo between ten and fifteen hours, I do not think I am quite there yet. It gets a little muddy when trying to figure out just when is the right time to solo, though. My gut tells me that I am not quite there, while someone else may have felt extremely comfortable after eleven hours of training.
My stance is that there should be a certain serendipity about the solo. Both the instructor and the student should feel as though the training has progressed naturally to that point. Neither the student nor the instructor should feel rushed or pressured, but should let the moment come as it will. Ignore the logbook and listen to your gut.
Don't be a stranger-- this is a place for pilots to talk about the nitty-gritty. Please post your thoughts on when is the right moment to take that serendipitous solo!