First Solo!!!
7/24/2002
CFI: Jeff
C-172 99348
Hobbs: 1.7 hours
1.4 Dual
0.3 PIC
Preflight +WX: 6:30-7:00pm
Takeoff OAK 33 to Petaluma 'O69' "Oscar"-69.
Mostly routine flight, cruising at 75% power for a fast arrival at Petaluma.
Announced Petaluma Traffic at 10 miles, 5 miles, overflying the field at 2000', and the left u-turn to the 45 Came in for one good landing, one high go-around, another go-around (way-high from a simulated engine out on downwind), and then a really nice landing (somewhat long).
Taxied off of 29 and back to the start of 29 - Jeff did some paperwork (endorsements), gave me a mini-brief, and climbed out of the plane! He took my camera, and to my surprise, didn't have a radio. For that matter, he simply left everything in the plane (I would be back soon :).
Taxied and did a left 360 in the runup area looking for traffic, called taking the active after another plane called 5 mile final, and lifted off. Wow - all alone! strange eh! Really exciting - and without the safety blanket feeling of having a CFI with me, I could see why Jeff always wants to stay near the field in case of engine failure. I had to push myself to get all the way to 800' before turning crosswind. Called out each leg, and after running thru all the good procedures (check gauges, flow check, check final, etc).
Did a very nice landing on the first try. Just past the numbers, nice flare, smooth touchdown. I just knew what to do after all of the practice and training - although I probably double-checked everything I was supposed to do (flow+gauges+rich etc).
The second landing (approach) had an OK approach, but the slight crosswind took had me drifting off center at about 50' - so I went around - no problem, and called it out on the comm. All the while, by this time, more people were entering the traffic - all with NAV+Strobes+landing lights on, and the sun was really in my face (near setting), so I decided to make this the last one so we could get back to OAK.
Pattern was fine - saw a cool view of a Piper making a right u-turn to the 45, and called my turn + having him in sight - which they repeated and had me in sight :).
The last landing was a fine approach, but I started to roundout way too early - this probably had a high stall/flare, and one bounce - simply didn't push forward, but held back. Jeff didn't seem worried at all, and was happy I came back before going for the third landing.
Taxied off the active - calling on the comm, taxied to Jeff, shut-down, he hopped in, and we were on our way back to OAK. Jeff flew the takeoff and climb to give me a break, and it was just after sunset for incredible views of the East-Bay, San Francisco, cities lit up incredibly. I did the calls to approach & oakland-tower no problem, and we were cleared 27L. Because all of the taxiways across 27R are closed, Jeff asked for short approach + back taxi - this went really well & was fun.
WhooooooOoooooo!
Tomorrow it's time for my first unsupervised solo - from OAK to the San Pablo practice area, and back. Can't wait. Soo many thoughts, soo little eloquency at this point. I'm incredibly happy that I finally got myself to do this.
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