As I’ve written before, my first flight was on September the 3rd. Well, on November the 3rd 2008, with 14 flight hours, I made my first solo!

The weather was good. CAVOK with winds 360/20G25KT. The runway in use was runway 35, which meant that I would be landing and taking off with some head winds.

I started the flight with an instructor (Rodrigo Aguiar) on CS-DPD at 11:05. We made two touch and go’s with a simulated engine failure after take off and we also flew an engine failure procedure on downwind. It was the first time I was flying with that instructor so I was pretty much sure he wouldn’t allow me to fly solo, specially with those winds… I was wrong!

At 11.40 I had just touched down on runway 35 for what I assumed was another touch and go, and, just as I was about to apply full power, the instructor took control of the airplane and advised ATC we were performing a Stop and Go and that we would taxi to the apron just for him to get out. I was speechless!

A few moments after the instructor had left the plane I contacted the ground controller and requested taxi. From that point on I did my best to be fully concentrated in the flight.

With all the Before Take off checklist procedures completed, I was finally ready to go up to the air. I advised ATC I was ready for departure and they cleared me for an immediate take off. No more chance to change my mind!

- Landing lights ON;

- Brakes APPLY;

- Throttle 1700 RPM;

- Ammeter CHARGING;

- Low voltage light OFF;

- Engine oil temperature and pressure ON GREEN ARC;

- Suction gauge ON GREEN ARC;

- Brakes RELEASE;

- FULL POWER.

In the blink of an eye (well, not actually, it’s a Cessna 152, not an Eurofighter…) I was at 55 Knots and it was time to rotate. A small movement on the yoke and I was no longer feeling the vibrations of the airplane’s wheels of the runway, everything had gotten smother and there was only one thought in my mind: “I AM FLYING!!! ALONE!!!!!!”.

Climbing at 70 Knots:

“500 Feet (MSL), Landing Light OFF, Flaps UP.”

Everything was perfect. At 700 Ft it was time to join the crosswind of runway 35 and shortly after I was already flying on the left downwind and it was time to once again speak with Cascais Tower.

ME: “Cascais, CS-DPD on left downwind runway 35 for touch and go.”

ATC: “C-PD, number two, number one on final, do you accept a short approach?”

ME: “Negative. I have the traffic in sight and will extend downwind, C-PD.”

ATC: “Roger.”

When ATC asked me if I could perform a shorter approach then usual, I thought about it for a second but decided It was not worth the risk of spoiling my first solo landing…

On final, fully configured for landing (Airspeed 70 Knots; Carburator heat ON; Landing lights ON; 10º of Flaps), ATC called me saying that the next pattern would have to be flown via the right downwind of runway 35, then they gave me the latest wind information and cleared me to touch and go on runway 35.

Now on short final, with the runway approaching rapidly (again, not an Eurofighter so “rapidly” is quite subjective, specially with 20 knots of headwind) I began sweating a bit and found myself grabbing the yoke with a stupid amount of strength. I did my best to remain focused but my mind kept drifting away to the same simple thought: “I’M FLYING ALONE!”.

Eventually I reached the runway, throttled back, flared and performed my first solo landing. I smiled… nothing else, just smiled. It was simply a perfect moment. Then it was time to get back to the air. I placed the carburetor heat back to cold and applied full power. In just a few seconds the airplane’s speed was at 55 knots and I, once again, rotated the airplane and started flying a new circuit for a full stop landing.

During the 2nd traffic pattern I was feeling more confident and less nervous, but this time ATC wasn’t going to allow me to fly a continuous approach. There was a Falcon 7X on short final, so ATC asked me to hold East of the field to give way to the jet. About five minutes later I was cleared for the approach. The wind had changed a bit and was now blowing at 020/20G25KT, which was enough to make me work a bit harder. In front of me there was a Robinson R22 also performing touch and go’s. I gave the traffic as much space as I could, but he kept flying slower then me. While I was overflying the threshold of runway 35, the R22 was still on the ground, so I decided to make a Go Around. As soon as I had established a positive climb and was flying parallel to the runway to keep an eye on the traffic, I advised ATC who told me to proceed immediately to the left downwind of runway 35 for a new approach. As I did so, I looked down to OMNI’s apron and could see a bunch of people already waiting for my arrival… with a hose and a bucket. :S

My second landing wasn’t as smooth as the first one, but the airplane survived.

Vacating the runway, ATC congratulated me and instructed me to continue taxiing to the apron ECHO. A quick look at the checklist and all was ready for the taxi back to the apron. I stopped the airplane, applied the Shut Down procedures and that was it. Forty minutes of pure pleasure, nervousness and excitement had come to an end. A day I will treasure to the rest of my life.

P.S.: Off course those people waiting for me with the hose and bucket were planning something with it. I will try to get permission to post some photos here.

Thanks for reading.