First Solo Flight !

Jim Schmidt, CFI - Flight Instructor ; After my First Solo Flight

On December 17, 2009, after 15.8 hours of dual training, Jim asked me if I am ready for my first solo flight. I said yes and I took leave of Jim at the FBO and started taxiing to Runway 3 on KTTA after announcing over the CTAF.

I performed a normal takeoff at 56 MPH from the Allegro 2000 LSA (N50631) and started climbing at 70 MPH. I did four traffic patterns during my first solo flight - 2 go-arounds (one due to traffic and one being too high), 1 touch and go after a landing performed with a Forward Slip maneuver (my first solo landing !) and a Final landing with no-flaps....That completed my first solo flight...I have now logged 0.5 hours as Pilot-In-Command (PIC)...

B Bar D Aviation, Sanford, NC

I later realized that the First Flight by the Wright brothers was accomplished on the same day 106 years ago (December 17, 1903) !