My first solo feels almost like a lifetime ago, back in 1979 just before I tuned 19, and it was in a 1960s Cessna-150. I remember it *very vividly,* not just because it was my first solo, but because it was also close to being my last, and even worse - I would have been taking someone else with me. I knew I was doing good in my training, and my instructor confirmed it, but I was still very reluctant to solo, even -somewhat- fearful. For weeks my instructor was telling me I needed to get my medical done, but I kept putting it off. I liked having him beside me when I flew. *lol* Finally, I came in with my medical having been done, and he immediately asked for my logbook and signed me off for solo touch-and-goes. We went out and I did one takeoff and he then had me drop him off. It was all me then. Everything went fine, even perfect......until it didn't. Just before my full-stop landing I had heard, _"Four Tango Alpha, cleared to land,"_ but somehow, nothing else. I (of course) knew they were also using the parallel grass runway, which was fairly common, but it was like all I could think about was, in just seconds, having my feared first solo behind me. I was excited and felt like a real pilot! I even remember thinking that I hoped there'd be some people around to see me get out of the airplane......alone. Yes, I had heard the _"cleared to land,"_ but somehow the, _"rollout to a complete stop on the runway"_ part hadn't registered. I very quickly realized that was kind of important, too. After landing, I slowed down on the runway a bit, and then started off through the grass. Yes, the grass runway that *WAS IN USE.* Very quickly, and seemingly simultaneously, I heard a very loud roar, and it seemed almost like night had very briefly fallen on that bright, sunny day. It was the beautiful old Stearman biplane's shadow on me and the sound of that big radial engine above that was using the grass runway, and that had taken off and managed to get just feet above me. I don't know exactly how close we were, but I remember looking out the side window after he had cleared me, and it was a scary sight. Obviously, just the fact that I had done that was bad, very bad, but the fact that it was dangerously close made it even worse. So, on my first solo flight I went from (3) greased landings and euphoria, to hearing the dreaded, _"Four Tango Alpha, gimme me a call when you get back."_ No one was angry at all, and the controller knew it was my first solo. I don't remember exactly what was said, as I was pretty rattled, but I do remember both the controller and my instructor asked if I had learned anything. I had...... I had learned that in an instant you can go from enjoying a beautiful Spring Day to no longer being here, and maybe not even having time to know it happened. I also learned that if your head ever isn't in it 110 percent, you need to give up flying, and maybe opt for a big, fat, slow houseboat. *lol*
The tower should have added “traffic landing on the parallel runway”, or “remain on runway till cleared” in his instructions to you. Lots of controllers are not pilots and don’t see the world from the left seat. Couple years ago flying into Eugene, OR the tower cleared me to land with another plane already on final. But that plane was a 737 still quite a way further out than I was. Looked like I was going to T-bone it if I proceeded. So I broke to the right and left the pattern.
Never ever at all this Stearman airplane should have gotten its takeoff clearance when a first solo student pilot is approaching. Not your fault at all!
I can't say enough about how fantastic ATC was in this case. No judgement, just doing what needed to be done to get the situation resolved as safely as possible. This pilot was already extremely shaken and the last thing this situation needed was more stress. His calm and encouraging demeanor was just what was called for.
@@Flight_Follower The instructor did very little. Didnt try to reassure the student, gave only minimal instructions that sounded like they were read off a note sheet "Be at 1000ft over the blue buildings at 70kt and 20 deg flaps". She obsessed over the blue buildings even asking ATC "Does she see the blue buildings?".
As a professional pilot, both corporate world and general Aviation, the greatness of this traffic controller, chilled my body and brought tears on my eyes. Thanks to this phenomenal and fantastic tower controller. I wish I could’ve kiss his hand. Thank you sir.
ATC was golden. What a great person. Possibly saved a life right there. Well done sir. Ultimate professional and made a difference. Thanks for being a hero.
Perfect example of a student who was technically ready, but emotionally not ready to solo. Kudos to ATC and the instructor for jumping in. She let her emotions get to her and totally lost control of the situation.
The instructor knows when you're technically capable, but it's a mental battle once you've taken off and realise you're all alone. If things don't go exactly to plan I can see how panic can set in.
I remember my solo, once those wheels came off the ground I thought to myself “ damn, I have to land this thing”. Been flying for over 21 yrs and there have been many times I went to the airport to fly, got there, realized my head wasn’t in the right place and went home. There are days we shouldn’t fly, this may have been one of hers. But she made it 👍👍👍
Absolutely sir! There are days we shouldn’t fly, FY also mentioned at the very first when she faced the same. Thank you so much for sharing the incredible experience here. Which aircraft are you flying now?
@@Flight_Follower I have owned my Archer for 21 years. Last year flying sucked with a torn rotator cuff, a broken back and then detached retina. Wouldn’t fly with the first two with concern for safety and enjoyed being the copilot while my IA flew . With a detached retina I was grounded for 9 weeks but my other pilot Buddie’s made sure OSHkosh happened so I got my flying fix that way until I healed. Pilots can be the best friends a guy has.
My biggest fear is that I'll not be able to recognize those days. Still working on my PPL, coming up on the check ride, but end of last year I had a flight with my head in the wrong place and nothing worked. CFI said it happens to anyone, but I'd rather get ahead of that and not fly rather than having to deal with it up there :)
We've all been there, the shock of the instructor getting out after 5 or so good approach and landings. ( Where you going? I asked him.😂) But for me the work load of just flying that first circuit solo kept me entirely focused on the job in hand. Best feeling ever.
The pain in the students voice was really hard to listen to. She sounded like she was fearing the worst. Congratulations to the controller, CFI and the student for a great team effort and keeping it all together for a great outcome. I really hope the student doesn't allow this experience to stop her flying.
I'm going to disagree with you. This is expeience should 100% cause the student to take a step back to determine flying is really for her. It isn't for everyone.
@Flight_Follower agreed. I hope she stays on the ground because freaking out every time something doesn't go exactly right is going to get her and her passengers some forever sleep
@@derrickcalcote3808Considering this was her first solo and she managed to land the plane despite freaking out like that, I'd say she definitely has it in her to be a good pilot. Negative experiences are a part and parcel of learning any activity after all.
Mental disorientation caused by the stress of a missed landing. Some people can easily reconfigure their minds to get the ducks back in a row but others need help and a kind calm voice to guide them. Kudos to the controller.
She is not cut for this.And it has nothing to do with skil level .I garrentee you she could have 1000 hrs and this could happen again and again. I have seen it before .
Interesting how some people react. I just did my solo a couple months ago. I remember telling myself. Well, your airborne now. There's only 2 ways this ends. It's either a controlled landing or it's not.
Excellent communication by Tower and instructor and keeping calm and not stressing the student pilot anymore than she already was. Worst thing about panic/anxiety attacks is your body goes into survival mode and you become capable of basic functions only(i suffer from severe anxiety attacks not fun at all) so for the student pilot to land the plane in that state all the more kudos to her.
Yeah, I've watched as my wife has had several of these. Suddenly, I'm listening to her and then I realise "oh sheet, she's not making any sense... She's having a panic attack!" And there's some calming methods I know to help in this situation. Neither the ATC or the instructor used them, although the instructor did ask her to focus on some very specific details, which can help. I feel that they could have handled this even better with the techniques I know, but the ATC didn't do a bad job either, and definitely didn't escalate them.
Totally cool that we let people fly who have obvious serious and un-managed anxiety issues, but if you take adderall to help you focus you can never get a license. Super cool.
My first solo flight was terrifying. I didn't have the guts to say that over the air though. I thought I was going to crash on landing. After a few touch-and-gos (and several bounces), I gained confidence. I thought I was absolutely terrible and that I should quit, but after I landed, my instructor told me I wasn't bad for a first solo. She gave me a few things I should practice next time, and everything started to settle down for me.
I wonder , are ATC personnel actually trained for these specific type incidents because this guy was simply brilliant. Kept her , at least , marginally focused. Calmly repeated his requests AND still complimented her quite naturally in situ. HE should be a commercial airline pilot 👌🥇.
Each student pilot is different, and she obviously wasn't quite ready for solo flight. Hopefully she can gather the courage to continue with a good instructor who will give her the skills and confidence to enjoy aviation! Good luck kiddo, don't give up!
Some real professionals at work here. Inspiring to see how calm they stayed, and great job to the student for seeing it through even when feeling defeated.
You will never forget your first solo flight and I don't think anyone will ever be fully prepared. Well done all involved... I bet this student goes on to be a very competent pilot...
What I remember from my first solo flight is getting super soaked form them dumping buckets of water on my after my 3 takeoff's and landings. My landings where good, so I guess they decide to pour two large buckets. I was glad the manager of the flight school had a towel.
@@GaboH-h7sfully prepared and fully ready are different things. You don’t go unless you are ready to go. However, I wasn’t prepared for the fact that I had a line up and wait behind a landing 787. Then at the end of downwind having to orbit due to an ATC error that meant they couldn’t clear the aircraft in the runway for departure. So yes I was ready.. but nothing could have prepared me for that event. Happy flying.
Any student can have a bad day, especially on early solo flights. A pilot doing his night cross country flying into Nashville, TN got freaked out and called Mayday to the tower. He said he was lost and could not get his bearings. He was over the lake less than 2 miles from the airport. When I was taking lessons at Collegedale, TN, we had a pilot who came in on the first solo and got picked up by a crosswind and tried a failed approach go around. They gave it full power but left in 30degrees of flaps so they just flew along over the grass beside the runway until a wingtip touched the ground and they did a slow roll over. The student climbed out with only a very bruised ego. Unfortunately, the almost New Cessna 152 died that day.
I freaked out the most on my second solo when the door popped open and all the instruments went crazy. Flying school Cessnas are basically flying sheds.
@@dr_jaymz The Cessna 152s I flew when working on my PPL were rock solid compared to the Piper Tomahawks I flew. But I enjoyed flying the Piper Cherokee much more than the Cessna 172.
i'll never forget my first solo flight... i was scared out my mind... i dont think there is a thing like being 100% ready for your first solo.. sometimes you have to settle for "ready enough" just bite the bullet and do it... im glad everything turned out ok, very solid work by atc here and i hope the student is still flying
Absolutely NOT! If you’re scared, you are a danger to yourself, and a danger to everyone in the vicinity. If you’re not 100% confident in your ability to fly an aircraft, DON’T!!!! You’re not meant for aviation. There are so many people flying today who should not be for this very reason. You’re scared of the normal phases of flight, so how are you gonna respond to an emergency that will require to think and act quickly. No way, absolutely not.
My solo flight was a massive positive experience. SO happy to be alone in the airplane, screaming of pure joy ! But I had a student of mine freak out on first solo. Not as bad as this one, but we can never know 100% how a person will react to being alone in the airplane.
Just soloed yesterday at 11 hours! It helped that my instructor has let me land with no input from him since 4 hours. He crosses his arms and legs and says he trusts me. It was scary at first but when I realized how much it trusts me it really boosted my confidence.
@@tannerstafford16 You should be confident in your ability, or don’t even try. Sounds like you were confident. Nervous is one thing, scared is another. Fright can only lead to bad outcomes.
As a former flight instructor I am so proud of the FI and the tower controller. That is exhibit A of team work and helping a fellow pilot get through a tough moment to maintain her composure because she really can fly just needed some reassurance.
Flying is such an incredible experience. I hope the student regroups and continues her training. ATC was absolutely awesome with his kindness, patience, calmness, and encouragement. Free donuts for for a year!
she has no business in an aircraft, panicky and unsure, that will always be there in some form, she should find another pursuit. Just freakin stop before someone gets hurt.
@@nickm764This was her first solo. A bit too soon but she still managed to land. Some people aren't built like you to just quit after the first negative experience. Some of us understand that these are part and parcel of learning an activity that has risks. And we don't let these stop us from being able to pursue our goals. If I had quit every time I had a stressful experience, I wouldn't have learned anything. It's experience that makes you better.
The Oshawa controllers deserve huge respect as this is a very popular airport for training. And if the young lady may ever hear this; so many very experienced pilots have gone through terrifying moments just like this while gaining experience, times when they thought they were living their last minutes, but it just took some more experience and practice. Take a breath, don't give up, and try harder.
I’m an old pilot. After I got my commercial certificate, I realized that if I didn’t fly every few days I was losing my touch. That is not good …the main thing you want to do is continue reviewing emergency procedures, and different scenarios that can go wrong in the cockpit. If you don’t do that when those things happen may be difficult to fix things. So I flew for a couple more years in my own Cessna 140 and eventually in Cherokee 180. I realized that flying airplanes is not for the lazy person. They don’t know what they don’t know and that is dangerous when their skills have deteriorated to the point where they’re dangerous to themselves and they don’t know it. Jimmy Doolittle was honest with himself. He just quit flying abruptly when he realized his skills were deteriorating because he was getting into politics too much and not flying. If you’re a golfer and your skills deteriorated, you hit the ball in the pond or sand trap slice or hook shots. But when you’re a pilot it’s different…. big time. Just so many things that can happen when you’re flying. I lost two instructors before I even got a pilot license. One was in a midair collision and another was running into a mountain. Poor visibility. I lost another owner of the flight school I was in, when he crashed testing a refurbished World War II plane. His name was Bill Barnes, Barnes Aviation in Lancaster California l….ook him up. His mother was Poncho Barnes, infamous owner of a recreational establishment for test pilots at Edwards Air Force Base in the early days. So, by the time I got my commercial, there were three people that I knew that died in airplanes. And I got myself into a lot of situations because of not being focused while flying. We all make mistakes, but the mistakes of pilots can kill them. My recommendation is that if you’re getting a pilot license that you have to be disciplined, and not lazy in your approach to fly. This girl was not prepared to solo. Her instructor should have noticed that. She should’ve had some experience on a simulator and gotten to the point where she was confident with that simulator before she tried to solo.
The problem I had as a student pilot was before my first solo my instructor kept assisting with the rudder pedals, so every time he did that I didn’t have the real feel for what it’s like landing. When I finally flew solo, I came very close to veering off the runway at two different airports. After that I told him we needed to practice some landings together and for him to let me have complete control of the pedals.
Every pilot in the history of flying remembers their first solo like it happened 15 minutes ago. I hope she continues her training after recovering from ptsd. During my solo I was instructed by atc to execute a in-pattern 360. 😮I felt like they wanted me to fly to the moon and back! I’m so glad her training kicked in and she returned home safely.
My first solo was anti-climatic. A few lessons before the CFI said you get 3 in a row, I'll hop out and you will solo. I got 3 in a row and he did just that and it was interesting for as it felt like nothing had changed. Everything looked and felt the same. I could hear him coaching me in my mind.
This was the same for me. I had been low-level freaking out for days and weeks about my first solo. When it came time, I did my three circuits without any problems and was actually angry with myself for being so worried about it!
This young lady will never forget her first solo, however she should take strength from making it back home. One really needs to be calm under pressure when flying - you can't just park on the side of the road when things get a bit anxious. My first solo was a wonderful experience and I loved every bit of it. A few flights later, I over-banked doing solo tight turns and stalled the little 152. Thankfully, I was calm through the whole event and got back OK and am ever grateful to my instructor for drilling recoveries into me. (I did sweat a bit on the drive home afterwards though!). Glad she made it and thanks for sharing.
Wow great team effort and very proud of the pilot overcoming her fear and adversity to a stressful situation. She relied on her support and training. Good job.
The coldness of that femal instructor is staggering. She should have called this student pilot by her name and encourage her from the very start of her transmission, then build up from there.
I’ve been thinking about that. Personally, I would have used the students name. However, keeping the instructions formal can help some people to process information during a panic attack. This was a text book panic attack, with the lizard brain overriding the monkey brain. Getting the monkey brain back in charge is the key, and formal, practiced language might have helped. The instructor knew the student and we don’t, so it’s speculation on my part.
I was really nervous on my firt solo flight in a Cessna 172, but I just concentrated on the procedures of the circuit and got through it. Every landing after that was not nerve-racking at all because I knew that I could do it. It's just a matter of concentration, focus, and not letting the fact of being alone make you lose your nerve.
I still don't like flying alone. I don't think thats too unusual. Around where I fly its busy as hell and another pair of eyes isn't an irrational desire at all.
How sad that she was so scared. I can understand that it gets a little overwhelming sometimes. GREAT team effort in getting her safely on the ground. Well done everyone.
Maybe its a sign that she shouldn't be flying. Just because you want to do something doesn't mean you have what it takes to do it. I'd love to be able to live underwater, but.....
Well done and compassionate effective work on the part of ATC and the CFI. I hope the student went on to get her PPL. No better way to solve any excess money problems.
Why the Hell would this cfi sign off on her student soloing? She needs another 10-20 hours or maybe find something else to do because we really don’t need this type of mental weakness up in the sky with all the rest of us. Military training would have weeded her out before she ever set foot in an airplane. Terrible judgement by this instructor. Not everyone is cut out to be a pilot. You can’t just coddle her along and hope for the best. The People around her that know about this kind of weakness should’ve stopped her. Rant over.
100 percent, we do NOT need this kind of mental weakness up in the skies with the rest of us. That said I disagree with blaming it on the instructor. They work for 10s and 100s of students. They cannot baby sit everyone. The student pilot is responsible for making the choice to fly solo.
OMGsh,being a private pilot, my heart was going out to her. In spite of her fear, she really did do a good job. But the kudos go out to ATC. He was patient, kind and never showed any fear. I’m so proud of the entire “team.”
This is like the late TnFlyer that lost her life due to lack of training. It seems some of the so called flight instructors and turning these young pilots loose way too soon. This young lady was in a panic mode because she did not know what she was doing. This flight instructor should lose her license to teach. PERIOD
I have had zero experience flying a plane but hearing the fear in that’s students voice made my anxiety levels climb to alarming rates. I am just so glad she made it down safely but I would love to know if she ever went up in a plane by herself again after this.
Wow that felt stressful just listening to it on a computer screen. I am glad it all worked out excellently. The pilot has more guts then I do... I never had one thought of interest in learning how to fly an airplane.
The complete blame here has to be her instructor, why did she allow her to go solo when she was obviously not ready. Her instructor came close to killing her by allowing this.
Many years ago, I soloed at NAS Saufley Field. The day of solo, the Navy had you go up with an instructor new to you. He made you do routine maneuvers, stalls and spins, slow flight, and high and low altitude emergency procedures with engine power at idle. You then went to an auxiliary field where you did several touch and go maneuvers. Next, you were told to turn on your landing lights signifying you were making a full stop landing. The instructor got out, told you to make 3 touch and go, then a full stop. He got back in and told you to fly back to Saufley. Your solo flight, about 2 hrs later was simple.
Just had my first solo last week, i think one of the first things instructors need to get into students heads is always fly the plane no matter what happens. Right before he got out i bounced it and had to go around. It was a hot day, i had a slight crosswind, i was anxious, the pattern was extremely busy, and in my head i began to panic. But the best advice ive been given by my father is "you can worry about that shit when youre on the ground, put it behind you." So i put it behind me, refocused on what i needed to do, landed the plane, and went for my solo. I absolutely greased my first ever solo landing and ive never felt more pride in myself. You need to lean into discomfort because that is where ive found growth happens most. As much as i hate it i appreciate challenging situations while flying because i know if i can handle it i will come out a better pilot. I hope this girl didnt give up on herself and learns to have faith in her abilities.
Absolutely nothing to judge... She caught the "panic", did her best and coordinated with the team, landed alive with the plane intact..... exhale.... debrief.... reflect... Continue the journey, more experienced then before.
When I did my first solo in 1987, I and my instructor knew that I was ready. It is very unusual for a student to be sent solo before they’re ready. She must have demonstrated multiple landings to the instructor before she was sent. She just panicked, its as simple as that.
Great job by atc And her cfi, glad she made it safely home. I soloed at 6 hours into a thunder storm which hit just as I was climbing out on 25 with stall indicator on climb out. I came around pattern and landed full crosswind using crab and slip to land on center line. My instructor made me go back up with him. He was building hours to go-to air Canada, later he was flying south is to Montreal when a fire broke out behind bathroom wall due to a faulty repair. He made an emergency landing in Kentucky. Some died and some lived. My cfi was pulled from the plane unconscious and lived. He taught me well in those 6 hours of dual.
Incredible what a good job they have done to get her safely on the ground. Please proceed flying don't be afraid you have show you can do it very well. You only need more self-confidence and good feeling. Well well-done. Greetings from The Netherlands and promise me to continue. Also to Tower and instructor BIG THUMBS UP 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
No judgement for this young pilot from me. I remember how terrified I was during that crosswind turn on my first solo flight when I realized that I had to also land the plane on my own. I distinctly remember the shakiness of my breathing as I turned base trying to make my radio calls. Everything went well for me though, and it's amazing how fast you gain confidence in yourself after a little taste of success. I sincerely hope that she doesn't stop flying because of this, it gets so much better.
Looks like this was a mental breakdown/ panic attack when everything was going fine. If she doesn't give up, then I'd never want to be in a plane with her because there's no telling how she'd react if something went wrong, or if something broke on the plane. She may not have the demeanor to stay calm under real pressure, and there's no way of telling until she's in that situation. I'd rather be flown by a person with a calm demeanor, than a paniccker.
The only thing I remember from my first solo (1976] was the thrill I experienced at how the C150 leapt off the ground at the reduced weight. My belief is that any student that feels fearful at their first solo is not ready for it, whether due to lack of confidence or lack of skill, and should have more time with their instructor sitting mute in the right seat offering zero comments or advice until they reach a sufficient level of confidence.
Anybody can have an anxiety attack at any time. Well done young lady for informing ATC, getting help and working through the landing. Kudos to the ATC recognizing the situation, keeping the pilot calm and focused and maintaining the communication link with the instructor.
I remember my first solo I was so excited after my CFI got out of the plane and went to the tower. It was a Fort Worth Alliance Airport which has a huge runway. I had to do 3 take offs and landings with two of them being touch and goes. I was so excited when I made my first landing that I forgot to raise the flaps after I increased power to take off again. I noticed the plane was acting different and when I looked out the window I saw the flaps down and was able to get them back up in time. Other than that it was my second best experience flying behind when the FAA examiner said to me "congratulations, you are a pilot" after I passed my checkride.
I can empathize with her. Mid-field, on downwind, on my first solo, I momentarily blanked out. Managed to get my head back in the game fortunately. That was over 20 years ago.
I remember my 1st solo, scared excited and all thee above. 3 touch and gos and a full stop. Started left pattern then tower made cross mid field for a right pattern. Which I never did before with instructor. Crazy. The tower did not know I was on my 1st solo until after. Said I did a great job with switching like that. It was a busy day.
Tower did a fantastic job! I remember one of my first solos, i was to timid to leave the pattern afraid i would fly to far away on accident, winds were runway heading (240) when i took off, and after a few laps of touch and gos i entered the downwind and tower said we now had information kilo, winds were out of the north at 11 knots. Here i was full clench pulling the seat cover between my cheeks knowing im about to land a plane thats 200lbs lighter than im used to in an almost 11 knot direct crosswind. I wound up bouncing back and forth on the mains and watching my sight picture roll back and forth down the runway until i got the cross controls figured out in my mild panic. Tower gave me an 8/10 for the dance and a 2/10 for the landing. I learned more in that 30 seconds about what not to do landing with a crosswind than hours of practice with an instructor. Now a few months later i can finally land comfortably in a brisk crosswind due to that. I hope the student pilot kept on training and used this flight as a learning experience.
I remember my madness mantra when I did my first solo. I was basically just saying "I know what I'm doing I know what I'm doing I know what I'm doing" the entire time. It's easy when you're with an instructor but man the psychological hit when they jump out of that plane.
Congratulations, young lady. You did a fantastic job while you were frightened. That is the sign of a pro. This is coming from a pilot since 1979. Now you know that you can handle it.
This is all part of the learning process. What the student went through has prepared her for challenges that she will face later in her career. The ATC did a commendable job. I remember my first solo in '95, on a 152. The first thing I realized was that the aircraft was way lighter. I had more wiggle room, the aircraft accelerated faster and started begging for rotation way earlier, climbed faster and then I ended up doing a steep turn to align with the runway after the curcuit. There are many firsts that you encounter solo. And you learn to go through them. aAthough I got my first solo at 11hrs and 40 minutes , I had a somewhat hard time pre solo because I never ever ballooned and so learning to recover from ballooning was particularly hard. My instructor said: " You don't have a tendency to balloon but if later on if you ever do baloon, you need to know exactly what to do " So my instructed forced me to balloon and recover a number of times. No one's perfect. There are situations that will take time to get used to. That's what training is all about.
@Flight_Follower Thank you, sir! Glad to be here! There are a lot of pilots like me who didn't pursue flying even after getting a CPL but one thing that we have in common with airline pilots is that we all started the same way, facing the same hurdles, and often having flown the same or similar small aircraft that have always made an aviators spirits soar!
Heart pounding indeed. That first solo is one of the scariest things I ever did and based on the other comments it's not unusual. Of course I was in a R-22 with the doors off flying a traffic pattern to a taxiway... just the way we practiced it :) Good on Tower and good on the instructor for getting her and a/c down and safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There were several reasons that pushed my solo up toward 50 hours including poor weather where I simply would not want to solo in that weather. I was starting to get a bit irritated at not soloing yet, but kept putting in the hours with my CFI. I am so glad that I did, I was nervous at first but then checklists and muscle memory kicked in and all went really well. I can't imagine if I had soloed a bit soon and freaked out... (Using the student's word here, I do not mean to be harsh.) Glad it all ended well! Kudos to ATC, donuts well earned!
My first solo was definitely an intense experience as well. You have to shove all of the emotional stuff aside and just fly the plane like you've been trained to do. After I finished my third landing and taxied back, my instructor told me to be careful driving home because all the adrenaline was going to mess with me. He was absolutely right. Got home and took a very long nap.
Sounds like a future United Airlines pilot! Her problem is, conditions were too NICE--no challenge! You give her low ceilings, gusty freezing rain, and a complex twin turboprop with 18 passengers on board, and her confidence with shine through!
On my first solo, I've forgotten to put flaps back up and lifted off at 50mph since tower wanted a stop and go. My hours come in the rescue though, I realized the mistake as soon as I detected the float. Pop those flaps back up when the plane gained enough altitude and airspeed. All things considered, you can land the plane without flaps if you want. Vs,Vx and Vy are the most important things. If you're short final at 1.3 Vso, it's impossible to mess up.
First solo is something you never forget. After take off and climbing out, running checks and suddenly you’re flying downwind with nothing to do. At that moment you are very aware that there’s no one to take over if you screw up your approach. Then it’s all busy again, call up the tower, turn base, descend into approach and line ‘er up. And any landing you walk away from is a good landing.
I just love a good short story. I wonder what hour she was at for the instructor to grant her solo. I hope she didn't let this ruin her confidence because landing, is so much funnerrr then take-off. Much respect for those who sit in the Control Tower.
This atc and instructor did a great job in getting this student on the ground safe and sound. As a Canadian pilot I'd say this student might have been a bit premature on going solo. A bit more instruction to raise her confidence and ability and hopefully she'll be okay.
That ATC guy needs to be played to the A-hole ATC guys we hear so often. Thank you Sir, thank you. The instructor was as much use as mudflaps on a tortoise. Maybe that is why the student was having issues!
Outstanding work on the part of the ATC Is it normal for the ATC to have to communicate with both the freaked out new pilot & the instructor? Also, it doesn’t seem like this pilot was anywhere ready for a solo flight!
During my first solo, some idiot pulled in front of me on the runway when I was on short final. It was so close a call that by the time I firewalled the throttle and leveled off, he and I were flying side by side. It was going to be my third landing, and needless to say it threw me off so bad I had to go around three times. I just completely lost my confidence and rhythm. After the third blown landing, I got concerned about what would happen if I could never land again. My training took over as I calculated my remaining fuel time in my head, which got my head back in the right place, and I finally stuck the next landing. I was a 40 hour SEL and pretty good (for a student). I was glad it happened early, because after that I never got shook up in a plane again. Panic is a mindset and you can squeeze it out with the mindset of focusing on what you know and what you control, as opposed to what you are afraid you don't know and what you can't control. Been there. Done that. I feel for this pilot.
Nice work, obviously students may scare them selfs. Too much excitement in one go. She did a good job and getting beter with the ATC and the instructor at the coms. Well done all .
I felt so scared listening to that. Glad she had a champion on the end of the line, coaxing her in. He was so calm and reassuring, although it had to have been a tense time for him too.
I agree with a lot of messages here, that everyone can have a bad day. However, someone that when panic attack hit, try to solve problem by "getting out" ... To me, I feel like when you take solo, you have to "know" you are on your own, and confident in your ability to "solve" the problem, because it's only you now. You have to have that mind set, when taking solo flight. To try to solve the problem by "getting out", that's not someone that "know" you are on your own, and have to get yourself out of trouble.
Not everyone is cut out to be a pilot. If you are prone to panic attacks flying probably isn't for you. How will she react if she is ever in a real may day situation?
I was soloed after 7 hours of flight instruction. I remember thinking what the hell am I doing up here alone on downwind. Made the landing and breathed a sigh of relief. You gotta keep your cool.
I would be interested to know how many hours of dual instruction this student had prior to this solo attempt. Of course the quantity of instruction is irrelevant if the quality isn’t there. Personally I would not endorse this student ever after this incident. Not solely because she panicked, but if you listen to and read her comments she does not possess the ability to analyze and react. Additionally, and more importantly, I question the judgement of this CFI. I’m sure some student’s shortcomings do not surface until they are solo, but as panicked as this student is I would wager the CFI is one of these “let me show you” types and is reluctant to let the student work out problems themselves in the air. She is at least “tone deaf” to her student. 0:17 “I should not have went today.” That should have been discussed before the CFI exited the aircraft. 0:37 “This was not a good idea.” Again, too late now. :47 “I don’t know what happened.” 4:16 She was so paralyzed with fear she could not reply her altitude. “Um…..I’m just like freaking out right now okay.” 4:50 After ATC telling her to maintain 1800 RPM “It’s not like it’s not staying at…..I don’t know….I think I don’t know what’s happening right now…..” She was wanting to give up. The airplane is screwing her over and she is done! So how will she react when she is flying an IFR departure in a Baron or the like in a year or two and one engine eats a couple of valves. Probably not going to end well for all involved. There isn’t room in aviation for “no one left behind” like the .gov school system. Too many lives at stake, including this unfortunate student. Mega Kudos to ATC in this situation. Well Done!
Before my first solo flight, I had 3 or 4 touch and goes in the circuit with my instructor where he said to me "OK, I have had a heart attack and am dead - Unless I think you are really going to kill both of us, I am not going to come alive again - just do your thing". And he literally lay back in his chair and closed his eyes (or appeared to, I am sure there was a bit of squinting and internal tut-tutting). I felt to all intents and purposes on my own. I made a few minor mistakes like not nailing speeds exactly perfectly but identified and self corrected, talking out loud to myself the whole time. Eventually we landed and as we were taxiing back he said "Oh, just stop here a moment so we can shut down a few systems"... Came to a stop, I put the park brake on and he suddenly opened the door and climbed out with a big grin saying cheerfully "just go do what you just did when I died on you back there - I'll put the kettle on for when you get back" and waltzed off. I was too shocked to not comply and went out and did it.... they are not going to send you out if you are not ready! She was ready but just needed that confidence.
My solo flight came after a successful landing with an instructor, he said are you going alone now? my head nodded yes but my brain said no!!! After take-off the tension suddenly disappeared!!! and enjoyed my first solo flight and a perfect landing!! you'll never forget something like that
on one of my first solo landings i crabbed into a good wind and upon touching down didn't really straighten the plane parallel to the runway, all i remember was, skidding sideways watching the runway out my side window, wing down and screeching tires, training and instinct are wonderful things, two quick moves straightened and leveled the plane and gained control - tower told me to exit runway, park, then called in a few minutes to ask if i wanted another go, which i did,,, same windy landings the next few times were easy, best thing to do was get back up there
My first solo feels almost like a lifetime ago, back in 1979 just before I tuned 19, and it was in a 1960s Cessna-150. I remember it *very vividly,* not just because it was my first solo, but because it was also close to being my last, and even worse - I would have been taking someone else with me.
I knew I was doing good in my training, and my instructor confirmed it, but I was still very reluctant to solo, even -somewhat- fearful. For weeks my instructor was telling me I needed to get my medical done, but I kept putting it off. I liked having him beside me when I flew. *lol* Finally, I came in with my medical having been done, and he immediately asked for my logbook and signed me off for solo touch-and-goes. We went out and I did one takeoff and he then had me drop him off. It was all me then. Everything went fine, even perfect......until it didn't. Just before my full-stop landing I had heard, _"Four Tango Alpha, cleared to land,"_ but somehow, nothing else.
I (of course) knew they were also using the parallel grass runway, which was fairly common, but it was like all I could think about was, in just seconds, having my feared first solo behind me. I was excited and felt like a real pilot! I even remember thinking that I hoped there'd be some people around to see me get out of the airplane......alone.
Yes, I had heard the _"cleared to land,"_ but somehow the, _"rollout to a complete stop on the runway"_ part hadn't registered. I very quickly realized that was kind of important, too.
After landing, I slowed down on the runway a bit, and then started off through the grass. Yes, the grass runway that *WAS IN USE.* Very quickly, and seemingly simultaneously, I heard a very loud roar, and it seemed almost like night had very briefly fallen on that bright, sunny day. It was the beautiful old Stearman biplane's shadow on me and the sound of that big radial engine above that was using the grass runway, and that had taken off and managed to get just feet above me. I don't know exactly how close we were, but I remember looking out the side window after he had cleared me, and it was a scary sight. Obviously, just the fact that I had done that was bad, very bad, but the fact that it was dangerously close made it even worse.
So, on my first solo flight I went from (3) greased landings and euphoria, to hearing the dreaded, _"Four Tango Alpha, gimme me a call when you get back."_
No one was angry at all, and the controller knew it was my first solo. I don't remember exactly what was said, as I was pretty rattled, but I do remember both the controller and my instructor asked if I had learned anything.
I had...... I had learned that in an instant you can go from enjoying a beautiful Spring Day to no longer being here, and maybe not even having time to know it happened. I also learned that if your head ever isn't in it 110 percent, you need to give up flying, and maybe opt for a big, fat, slow houseboat. *lol*
Thank you sir for sharing this incredible story!🙏
The tower should have added “traffic landing on the parallel runway”, or “remain on runway till cleared” in his instructions to you. Lots of controllers are not pilots and don’t see the world from the left seat. Couple years ago flying into Eugene, OR the tower cleared me to land with another plane already on final. But that plane was a 737 still quite a way further out than I was. Looked like I was going to T-bone it if I proceeded. So I broke to the right and left the pattern.
Never ever at all this Stearman airplane should have gotten its takeoff clearance when a first solo student pilot is approaching. Not your fault at all!
@@Flight_Follower You're welcome.
I remember mine well because I wore a brand new Izod shirt that day.
I can't say enough about how fantastic ATC was in this case. No judgement, just doing what needed to be done to get the situation resolved as safely as possible. This pilot was already extremely shaken and the last thing this situation needed was more stress. His calm and encouraging demeanor was just what was called for.
Yeah honestly i thought he did a better job than the instructor there
@@Flight_Follower The instructor did very little. Didnt try to reassure the student, gave only minimal instructions that sounded like they were read off a note sheet "Be at 1000ft over the blue buildings at 70kt and 20 deg flaps". She obsessed over the blue buildings even asking ATC "Does she see the blue buildings?".
Are you saying most of them aren't this professional?
Agree 100%
I really liked at 0:46 she's doubting herself and he calmly tells she's doing great.
As a professional pilot, both corporate world and general Aviation, the greatness of this traffic controller, chilled my body and brought tears on my eyes. Thanks to this phenomenal and fantastic tower controller. I wish I could’ve kiss his hand. Thank you sir.
Displayed enormous professionalism and empathy!
Baby.
インストラクターが出てくる必要あるか？
ATC was golden. What a great person. Possibly saved a life right there. Well done sir. Ultimate professional and made a difference. Thanks for being a hero.
The controller is an example of professional
Great job indeed!
Somebody needs to deal with her CFI immediately. This woman wasn't anywhere close to being ready to solo .
Perfect example of a student who was technically ready, but emotionally not ready to solo. Kudos to ATC and the instructor for jumping in. She let her emotions get to her and totally lost control of the situation.
Atleast she landed safely!
She probably was doing fine for several flights, got up by herself, realized it was just her and just panicked.
The instructor knows when you're technically capable, but it's a mental battle once you've taken off and realise you're all alone. If things don't go exactly to plan I can see how panic can set in.
Mental strength and confidence lacking here.
ditto ,instructors fault totally.
I remember my solo, once those wheels came off the ground I thought to myself “ damn, I have to land this thing”. Been flying for over 21 yrs and there have been many times I went to the airport to fly, got there, realized my head wasn’t in the right place and went home. There are days we shouldn’t fly, this may have been one of hers. But she made it 👍👍👍
Absolutely sir! There are days we shouldn’t fly, FY also mentioned at the very first when she faced the same.
Thank you so much for sharing the incredible experience here.
Which aircraft are you flying now?
@@Flight_Follower I have owned my Archer for 21 years. Last year flying sucked with a torn rotator cuff, a broken back and then detached retina. Wouldn’t fly with the first two with concern for safety and enjoyed being the copilot while my IA flew . With a detached retina I was grounded for 9 weeks but my other pilot Buddie’s made sure OSHkosh happened so I got my flying fix that way until I healed. Pilots can be the best friends a guy has.
My biggest fear is that I'll not be able to recognize those days. Still working on my PPL, coming up on the check ride, but end of last year I had a flight with my head in the wrong place and nothing worked. CFI said it happens to anyone, but I'd rather get ahead of that and not fly rather than having to deal with it up there :)
We've all been there, the shock of the instructor getting out after 5 or so good approach and landings. ( Where you going? I asked him.😂)
But for me the work load of just flying that first circuit solo kept me entirely focused on the job in hand. Best feeling ever.
Yep, If I do not feel 100 percent, I do not fly.
ATC tower, one of the best I have ever heard repeating over and over what you need done and keeping calm and getting that student down, great job!
Very impressive indeed! He was professional and empathetic
The pain in the students voice was really hard to listen to. She sounded like she was fearing the worst. Congratulations to the controller, CFI and the student for a great team effort and keeping it all together for a great outcome. I really hope the student doesn't allow this experience to stop her flying.
She shouldn’t!
I'm going to disagree with you. This is expeience should 100% cause the student to take a step back to determine flying is really for her. It isn't for everyone.
@Flight_Follower agreed. I hope she stays on the ground because freaking out every time something doesn't go exactly right is going to get her and her passengers some forever sleep
My. Thoughts. EXACTLY.
@@derrickcalcote3808Considering this was her first solo and she managed to land the plane despite freaking out like that, I'd say she definitely has it in her to be a good pilot. Negative experiences are a part and parcel of learning any activity after all.
Mental disorientation caused by the stress of a missed landing. Some people can easily reconfigure their minds to get the ducks back in a row but others need help and a kind calm voice to guide them. Kudos to the controller.
Yeah great job indeed!
She was having a panic attack
She is not cut for this.And it has nothing to do with skil level .I garrentee you she could have 1000 hrs and this could happen again and again. I have seen it before .
Interesting how some people react. I just did my solo a couple months ago. I remember telling myself. Well, your airborne now. There's only 2 ways this ends. It's either a controlled landing or it's not.
Quite a story! I even know an airforce cadet who was cleared for solo but never went for it because she was “too afraid to fly alone”
No hedging once you’re in the air alone. You gotta put your fear in a vault because it won’t help
Easier said than done brother… atleast for some ppl
Excellent communication by Tower and instructor and keeping calm and not stressing the student pilot anymore than she already was. Worst thing about panic/anxiety attacks is your body goes into survival mode and you become capable of basic functions only(i suffer from severe anxiety attacks not fun at all) so for the student pilot to land the plane in that state all the more kudos to her.
Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, I've watched as my wife has had several of these. Suddenly, I'm listening to her and then I realise "oh sheet, she's not making any sense...
She's having a panic attack!"
And there's some calming methods I know to help in this situation. Neither the ATC or the instructor used them, although the instructor did ask her to focus on some very specific details, which can help.
I feel that they could have handled this even better with the techniques I know, but the ATC didn't do a bad job either, and definitely didn't escalate them.
Totally cool that we let people fly who have obvious serious and un-managed anxiety issues, but if you take adderall to help you focus you can never get a license. Super cool.
Wow, taking Adderall is a dealbreaker for getting a pilot's license? That's insane.@@X85283
My first solo flight was terrifying. I didn't have the guts to say that over the air though. I thought I was going to crash on landing. After a few touch-and-gos (and several bounces), I gained confidence. I thought I was absolutely terrible and that I should quit, but after I landed, my instructor told me I wasn't bad for a first solo. She gave me a few things I should practice next time, and everything started to settle down for me.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
I wonder , are ATC personnel actually trained for these specific type incidents because this guy was simply brilliant. Kept her , at least , marginally focused. Calmly repeated his requests AND still complimented her quite naturally in situ. HE should be a commercial airline pilot 👌🥇.
Just hearing her voice, so scared. As a mom this hits hard. I hope she gets right back up in the sky and never looks back ❤
I believe she will get better with experience
as a dad too yes
Each student pilot is different, and she obviously wasn't quite ready for solo flight. Hopefully she can gather the courage to continue with a good instructor who will give her the skills and confidence to enjoy aviation! Good luck kiddo, don't give up!
I am sure she will make an efficient commercial pilot one day!
@@Flight_Followernow that’s funny! 😂
@@Flight_FollowerI detect a Hint of tongue in cheek.
@@Flight_Follower Every bit as risky as flying WITH her might be walking around UNDER her. Carry on.
@@Flight_FollowerLOL.
Some real professionals at work here. Inspiring to see how calm they stayed, and great job to the student for seeing it through even when feeling defeated.
Thank you very much!
You will never forget your first solo flight and I don't think anyone will ever be fully prepared. Well done all involved... I bet this student goes on to be a very competent pilot...
What I remember from my first solo flight is getting super soaked form them dumping buckets of water on my after my 3 takeoff's and landings. My landings where good, so I guess they decide to pour two large buckets. I was glad the manager of the flight school had a towel.
The one thing that really startled me was that my CFI never warned me how a Cessna 150 would climb without his extra 225 pounds in the right seat 🙃
@@GaboH-h7sfully prepared and fully ready are different things. You don’t go unless you are ready to go. However, I wasn’t prepared for the fact that I had a line up and wait behind a landing 787. Then at the end of downwind having to orbit due to an ATC error that meant they couldn’t clear the aircraft in the runway for departure. So yes I was ready.. but nothing could have prepared me for that event. Happy flying.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
Thank you all !
Any student can have a bad day, especially on early solo flights. A pilot doing his night cross country flying into Nashville, TN got freaked out and called Mayday to the tower. He said he was lost and could not get his bearings. He was over the lake less than 2 miles from the airport. When I was taking lessons at Collegedale, TN, we had a pilot who came in on the first solo and got picked up by a crosswind and tried a failed approach go around. They gave it full power but left in 30degrees of flaps so they just flew along over the grass beside the runway until a wingtip touched the ground and they did a slow roll over. The student climbed out with only a very bruised ego. Unfortunately, the almost New Cessna 152 died that day.
Quite a story! I even know an airforce cadet who was cleared for solo but never went for it because she was “too afraid to fly alone”
I freaked out the most on my second solo when the door popped open and all the instruments went crazy. Flying school Cessnas are basically flying sheds.
@@dr_jaymz The Cessna 152s I flew when working on my PPL were rock solid compared to the Piper Tomahawks I flew. But I enjoyed flying the Piper Cherokee much more than the Cessna 172.
i'll never forget my first solo flight... i was scared out my mind... i dont think there is a thing like being 100% ready for your first solo.. sometimes you have to settle for "ready enough" just bite the bullet and do it... im glad everything turned out ok, very solid work by atc here and i hope the student is still flying
Absolutely NOT! If you’re scared, you are a danger to yourself, and a danger to everyone in the vicinity. If you’re not 100% confident in your ability to fly an aircraft, DON’T!!!! You’re not meant for aviation. There are so many people flying today who should not be for this very reason. You’re scared of the normal phases of flight, so how are you gonna respond to an emergency that will require to think and act quickly. No way, absolutely not.
My solo flight was a massive positive experience. SO happy to be alone in the airplane, screaming of pure joy !
But I had a student of mine freak out on first solo. Not as bad as this one, but we can never know 100% how a person will react to being alone in the airplane.
Just soloed yesterday at 11 hours! It helped that my instructor has let me land with no input from him since 4 hours. He crosses his arms and legs and says he trusts me. It was scary at first but when I realized how much it trusts me it really boosted my confidence.
@@daggad02 very good. You’re the type meant to be a pilot.
@@tannerstafford16 You should be confident in your ability, or don’t even try. Sounds like you were confident. Nervous is one thing, scared is another. Fright can only lead to bad outcomes.
As a former flight instructor I am so proud of the FI and the tower controller. That is exhibit A of team work and helping a fellow pilot get through a tough moment to maintain her composure because she really can fly just needed some reassurance.
Absolutely! The atc controller did fantastic
Flight instructor shouldn’t have signed her off.
This is like a baby Bird need a push to fly
it wasnt the flying that scared her, it was the landing
I got pretty nervous on my solo, I began singing Jingle Bells to distract from the anxiety, it worked. I still fly today, 300 hrs, Skyhawk.
Flying is such an incredible experience. I hope the student regroups and continues her training. ATC was absolutely awesome with his kindness, patience, calmness, and encouragement. Free donuts for for a year!
Couldn't agree more!
She has no business flying at all.
she has no business in an aircraft, panicky and unsure, that will always be there in some form, she should find another pursuit. Just freakin stop before someone gets hurt.
she should quit
@@nickm764This was her first solo. A bit too soon but she still managed to land. Some people aren't built like you to just quit after the first negative experience. Some of us understand that these are part and parcel of learning an activity that has risks. And we don't let these stop us from being able to pursue our goals. If I had quit every time I had a stressful experience, I wouldn't have learned anything. It's experience that makes you better.
The Oshawa controllers deserve huge respect as this is a very popular airport for training.
And if the young lady may ever hear this; so many very experienced pilots have gone through terrifying moments just like this while gaining experience, times when they thought they were living their last minutes, but it just took some more experience and practice. Take a breath, don't give up, and try harder.
I’m an old pilot. After I got my commercial certificate, I realized that if I didn’t fly every few days I was losing my touch. That is not good …the main thing you want to do is continue reviewing emergency procedures, and different scenarios that can go wrong in the cockpit. If you don’t do that when those things happen may be difficult to fix things. So I flew for a couple more years in my own Cessna 140 and eventually in Cherokee 180. I realized that flying airplanes is not for the lazy person. They don’t know what they don’t know and that is dangerous when their skills have deteriorated to the point where they’re dangerous to themselves and they don’t know it.
Jimmy Doolittle was honest with himself. He just quit flying abruptly when he realized his skills were deteriorating because he was getting into politics too much and not flying.
If you’re a golfer and your skills deteriorated, you hit the ball in the pond or sand trap slice or hook shots. But when you’re a pilot it’s different…. big time. Just so many things that can happen when you’re flying.
I lost two instructors before I even got a pilot license. One was in a midair collision and another was running into a mountain. Poor visibility. I lost another owner of the flight school I was in, when he crashed testing a refurbished World War II plane. His name was Bill Barnes, Barnes Aviation in Lancaster California l….ook him up. His mother was Poncho Barnes, infamous owner of a recreational establishment for test pilots at Edwards Air Force Base in the early days.
So, by the time I got my commercial, there were three people that I knew that died in airplanes. And I got myself into a lot of situations because of not being focused while flying. We all make mistakes, but the mistakes of pilots can kill them.
My recommendation is that if you’re getting a pilot license that you have to be disciplined, and not lazy in your approach to fly.
This girl was not prepared to solo. Her instructor should have noticed that. She should’ve had some experience on a simulator and gotten to the point where she was confident with that simulator before she tried to solo.
Thanks for your insights and wise words,sir
Invaluable!
The problem I had as a student pilot was before my first solo my instructor kept assisting with the rudder pedals, so every time he did that I didn’t have the real feel for what it’s like landing. When I finally flew solo, I came very close to veering off the runway at two different airports. After that I told him we needed to practice some landings together and for him to let me have complete control of the pedals.
Which aircraft r u flying now
@@Flight_Follower f-22
Airforce? thats awesome man
@@Flight_Follower I got my private certificate in high school.
@@Flight_Follower I just edited my original comment because I realize I made a mistake.
Every pilot in the history of flying remembers their first solo like it happened 15 minutes ago. I hope she continues her training after recovering from ptsd. During my solo I was instructed by atc to execute a in-pattern 360. 😮I felt like they wanted me to fly to the moon and back! I’m so glad her training kicked in and she returned home safely.
My first solo was anti-climatic. A few lessons before the CFI said you get 3 in a row, I'll hop out and you will solo. I got 3 in a row and he did just that and it was interesting for as it felt like nothing had changed. Everything looked and felt the same. I could hear him coaching me in my mind.
This was the same for me. I had been low-level freaking out for days and weeks about my first solo. When it came time, I did my three circuits without any problems and was actually angry with myself for being so worried about it!
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
cfi?
Same here. It was like he was still in the seat next to me.
This young lady will never forget her first solo, however she should take strength from making it back home. One really needs to be calm under pressure when flying - you can't just park on the side of the road when things get a bit anxious. My first solo was a wonderful experience and I loved every bit of it. A few flights later, I over-banked doing solo tight turns and stalled the little 152. Thankfully, I was calm through the whole event and got back OK and am ever grateful to my instructor for drilling recoveries into me. (I did sweat a bit on the drive home afterwards though!). Glad she made it and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your experience,sir!
And yeah keeping calm and confident is the key..
Not only in aviation but also in life in general
Wow great team effort and very proud of the pilot overcoming her fear and adversity to a stressful situation. She relied on her support and training. Good job.
Indeed 👏
The coldness of that femal instructor is staggering. She should have called this student pilot by her name and encourage her from the very start of her transmission, then build up from there.
Yeah she wasn't even on the frequency initially
Agreed!
Absolutely
I’ve been thinking about that. Personally, I would have used the students name. However, keeping the instructions formal can help some people to process information during a panic attack. This was a text book panic attack, with the lizard brain overriding the monkey brain. Getting the monkey brain back in charge is the key, and formal, practiced language might have helped. The instructor knew the student and we don’t, so it’s speculation on my part.
Totally agree that instructor was not good at all.
I was waiting for him to say, leaving now is not a good idea. Unless she put on a parachute like Trevor Jacob
Just a bad day for a solo student pilot
I was really nervous on my firt solo flight in a Cessna 172, but I just concentrated on the procedures of the circuit and got through it. Every landing after that was not nerve-racking at all because I knew that I could do it. It's just a matter of concentration, focus, and not letting the fact of being alone make you lose your nerve.
Exactly! Thanks for sharing.. so which aircraft are you flying now?
I still don't like flying alone. I don't think thats too unusual. Around where I fly its busy as hell and another pair of eyes isn't an irrational desire at all.
W ATC he was so calm😀
Tbh i thought he did a better job than the instructor there
@@Flight_Followeragreed
How sad that she was so scared. I can understand that it gets a little overwhelming sometimes. GREAT team effort in getting her safely on the ground. Well done everyone.
After all,we're only human!Excellent work everybody!
Absolutely! It was a great team work! Good job done by controller
She sounded so disheartened i hope this incident never stopped her from flying again. Glad it all worked out.
Maybe its a sign that she shouldn't be flying. Just because you want to do something doesn't mean you have what it takes to do it. I'd love to be able to live underwater, but.....
Possibly wasn't ready to be solo. Maybe some more time with their CFI and try again @@CaesarInVa
@@CaesarInVa i’m sure but practice makes perfect. Perhaps with more time she will learn. We must remain optimistic otherwise we fail to grow.
Well done and compassionate effective work on the part of ATC and the CFI. I hope the student went on to get her PPL. No better way to solve any excess money problems.
👍👊
Why the Hell would this cfi sign off on her student soloing? She needs another 10-20 hours or maybe find something else to do because we really don’t need this type of mental weakness up in the sky with all the rest of us. Military training would have weeded her out before she ever set foot in an airplane. Terrible judgement by this instructor. Not everyone is cut out to be a pilot. You can’t just coddle her along and hope for the best. The People around her that know about this kind of weakness should’ve stopped her. Rant over.
Agreed 100%.
100 percent, we do NOT need this kind of mental weakness up in the skies with the rest of us. That said I disagree with blaming it on the instructor. They work for 10s and 100s of students. They cannot baby sit everyone. The student pilot is responsible for making the choice to fly solo.
totally...what will her reaction be if the fan suddenly stops
OMGsh,being a private pilot, my heart was going out to her. In spite of her fear, she really did do a good job. But the kudos go out to ATC. He was patient, kind and never showed any fear. I’m so proud of the entire “team.”
Atc did fantastic sir. Which aircraft do u fly sir??
@@Flight_Follower you might want to notice the person's name
Spectacular work by all! Beautiful outcome. 30 year pilot here.
Thank you sir and welcome to my channel
Well done Tower, and well done student. Anyone who can successfully land during that much stress is good for the future.
Here is someone who thinks positive!
Really ? Would you go up with her ?
She has to pass yet.
This is like the late TnFlyer that lost her life due to lack of training. It seems some of the so called flight instructors and turning these young pilots loose way too soon. This young lady was in a panic mode because she did not know what she was doing. This flight instructor should lose her license to teach. PERIOD
I remember my first circuit solo and landing, a life highlight.
I hope she regroups and carries on.
ATC was amazing, and the instructor was brilliant.
Well done ATC and CFI - no soloing for this student for some time!
Right!
Nah
Idk about that . I think she
needs to get back up as soon as possible
she needs to do more touch n goes
cfi?
I have had zero experience flying a plane but hearing the fear in that’s students voice made my anxiety levels climb to alarming rates. I am just so glad she made it down safely but I would love to know if she ever went up in a plane by herself again after this.
I felt the same way
So proud of you young lady, you are on your way in becoming a great pilot
My first solo got my heart going, feel for this young lady
Thank you for sharing the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different for each one of us 🙏
WELCOME to my channel sir!
having been there but not freaked out it is a different feeling first time for sure. I hope she regrouped and stayed with it for a better day.
Feel terrible for how terrified the student was. Controller did amazing! I hope she worked through this experience
Wow that felt stressful just listening to it on a computer screen. I am glad it all worked out excellently. The pilot has more guts then I do... I never had one thought of interest in learning how to fly an airplane.
The complete blame here has to be her instructor, why did she allow her to go solo when she was obviously not ready. Her instructor came close to killing her by allowing this.
True! ATC did fantastic
Many years ago, I soloed at NAS Saufley Field. The day of solo, the Navy had you go up with an instructor new to you. He made you do routine maneuvers, stalls and spins, slow flight, and high and low altitude emergency procedures with engine power at idle. You then went to an auxiliary field where you did several touch and go maneuvers. Next, you were told to turn on your landing lights signifying you were making a full stop landing. The instructor got out, told you to make 3 touch and go, then a full stop. He got back in and told you to fly back to Saufley. Your solo flight, about 2 hrs later was simple.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
Just had my first solo last week, i think one of the first things instructors need to get into students heads is always fly the plane no matter what happens. Right before he got out i bounced it and had to go around. It was a hot day, i had a slight crosswind, i was anxious, the pattern was extremely busy, and in my head i began to panic. But the best advice ive been given by my father is "you can worry about that shit when youre on the ground, put it behind you." So i put it behind me, refocused on what i needed to do, landed the plane, and went for my solo. I absolutely greased my first ever solo landing and ive never felt more pride in myself. You need to lean into discomfort because that is where ive found growth happens most. As much as i hate it i appreciate challenging situations while flying because i know if i can handle it i will come out a better pilot. I hope this girl didnt give up on herself and learns to have faith in her abilities.
Feel like the instructor should have recognized this student was not ready to fly solo.
Agreed!
Nice job by the ATC, and by the student pilot for being able to calm and land safely after having a fright like that.
Absolutely nothing to judge... She caught the "panic", did her best and coordinated with the team, landed alive with the plane intact..... exhale.... debrief.... reflect... Continue the journey, more experienced then before.
Exactly! That should be the right way.
When I did my first solo in 1987, I and my instructor knew that I was ready. It is very unusual for a student to be sent solo before they’re ready. She must have demonstrated multiple landings to the instructor before she was sent. She just panicked, its as simple as that.
Yup.. doesn’t mean she should stop flying though
@@Flight_Follower I agree.
Nice to see there was a good outcome but I'm not sure that she would have liked to have her distress broadcast over the internet?
Great job by atc And her cfi, glad she made it safely home. I soloed at 6 hours into a thunder storm which hit just as I was climbing out on 25 with stall indicator on climb out. I came around pattern and landed full crosswind using crab and slip to land on center line. My instructor made me go back up with him. He was building hours to go-to air Canada, later he was flying south is to Montreal when a fire broke out behind bathroom wall due to a faulty repair. He made an emergency landing in Kentucky. Some died and some lived. My cfi was pulled from the plane unconscious and lived. He taught me well in those 6 hours of dual.
It's required as u suggested
cfi?
@@Capecodham instructor
@@Flight_Follower acronyms should not be used on a beginners channel
Incredible what a good job they have done to get her safely on the ground. Please proceed flying don't be afraid you have show you can do it very well. You only need more self-confidence and good feeling. Well well-done. Greetings from The Netherlands and promise me to continue. Also to Tower and instructor BIG THUMBS UP 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Absolutely! Just a little bit confidence will improve her weakness.
No judgement for this young pilot from me. I remember how terrified I was during that crosswind turn on my first solo flight when I realized that I had to also land the plane on my own. I distinctly remember the shakiness of my breathing as I turned base trying to make my radio calls. Everything went well for me though, and it's amazing how fast you gain confidence in yourself after a little taste of success. I sincerely hope that she doesn't stop flying because of this, it gets so much better.
Everyone’s first solo is a different experience!
Thank you for sharing
I hope she doesn't give up, and that this only makes her stronger!
Absolutely! This is the attitude we need
Looks like this was a mental breakdown/ panic attack when everything was going fine. If she doesn't give up, then I'd never want to be in a plane with her because there's no telling how she'd react if something went wrong, or if something broke on the plane. She may not have the demeanor to stay calm under real pressure, and there's no way of telling until she's in that situation. I'd rather be flown by a person with a calm demeanor, than a paniccker.
The only thing I remember from my first solo (1976] was the thrill I experienced at how the C150 leapt off the ground at the reduced weight. My belief is that any student that feels fearful at their first solo is not ready for it, whether due to lack of confidence or lack of skill, and should have more time with their instructor sitting mute in the right seat offering zero comments or advice until they reach a sufficient level of confidence.
Absolutely sir! She need some additional hour with proper guidance from CFI
Anybody can have an anxiety attack at any time. Well done young lady for informing ATC, getting help and working through the landing. Kudos to the ATC recognizing the situation, keeping the pilot calm and focused and maintaining the communication link with the instructor.
Thanks i started to feel the little girl didn't get enough credit for landing safely
@@Flight_Followeragreed. The woman in pilot’s seat was the one who landed the plane safely and we mustn’t lose sight of that.
if someone is prone to panic attacks then they should not be piloting an aircraft
I remember my first solo I was so excited after my CFI got out of the plane and went to the tower. It was a Fort Worth Alliance Airport which has a huge runway. I had to do 3 take offs and landings with two of them being touch and goes. I was so excited when I made my first landing that I forgot to raise the flaps after I increased power to take off again. I noticed the plane was acting different and when I looked out the window I saw the flaps down and was able to get them back up in time. Other than that it was my second best experience flying behind when the FAA examiner said to me "congratulations, you are a pilot" after I passed my checkride.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
I was there at the airport when it happened. Some of us students along with dispatchers were listening on ground radio when it happened.
Did she continue flg? Any updates on that?
I can empathize with her. Mid-field, on downwind, on my first solo, I momentarily blanked out. Managed to get my head back in the game fortunately. That was over 20 years ago.
20 years ago?! Wow
Did u make a career out of it,sir?
I mean flying
I remember my 1st solo, scared excited and all thee above. 3 touch and gos and a full stop. Started left pattern then tower made cross mid field for a right pattern. Which I never did before with instructor. Crazy. The tower did not know I was on my 1st solo until after. Said I did a great job with switching like that. It was a busy day.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
As soon as she said “I’m sorry” I knew this had to be in Canada 😅😅
Lol
Kudos to the controller on this one!
Yeah commendable job indeed!
The instructor needs to do a hard self elevation on how she thought this student was ready to solo.
Agreed
Panic attacks are real. They always come at the wrong time, but she overcame and succeeded with the help of that wonderful ATC.
Exactly 👍
Great job you guys...all 3 of you !!
Indeed! 👍👍
Tower did a fantastic job! I remember one of my first solos, i was to timid to leave the pattern afraid i would fly to far away on accident, winds were runway heading (240) when i took off, and after a few laps of touch and gos i entered the downwind and tower said we now had information kilo, winds were out of the north at 11 knots. Here i was full clench pulling the seat cover between my cheeks knowing im about to land a plane thats 200lbs lighter than im used to in an almost 11 knot direct crosswind. I wound up bouncing back and forth on the mains and watching my sight picture roll back and forth down the runway until i got the cross controls figured out in my mild panic. Tower gave me an 8/10 for the dance and a 2/10 for the landing. I learned more in that 30 seconds about what not to do landing with a crosswind than hours of practice with an instructor. Now a few months later i can finally land comfortably in a brisk crosswind due to that. I hope the student pilot kept on training and used this flight as a learning experience.
I remember my madness mantra when I did my first solo. I was basically just saying "I know what I'm doing I know what I'm doing I know what I'm doing" the entire time. It's easy when you're with an instructor but man the psychological hit when they jump out of that plane.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
Congratulations, young lady. You did a fantastic job while you were frightened. That is the sign of a pro. This is coming from a pilot since 1979. Now you know that you can handle it.
Kind words!
I am sure she needs it
This is all part of the learning process. What the student went through has prepared her for challenges that she will face later in her career. The ATC did a commendable job.
I remember my first solo in '95, on a 152. The first thing I realized was that the aircraft was way lighter. I had more wiggle room, the aircraft accelerated faster and started begging for rotation way earlier, climbed faster and then I ended up doing a steep turn to align with the runway after the curcuit. There are many firsts that you encounter solo. And you learn to go through them.
aAthough I got my first solo at 11hrs and 40 minutes , I had a somewhat hard time pre solo because I never ever ballooned and so learning to recover from ballooning was particularly hard. My instructor said: " You don't have a tendency to balloon but if later on if you ever do baloon, you need to know exactly what to do " So my instructed forced me to balloon and recover a number of times. No one's perfect. There are situations that will take time to get used to. That's what training is all about.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
Welcome to my channel
@Flight_Follower Thank you, sir! Glad to be here! There are a lot of pilots like me who didn't pursue flying even after getting a CPL but one thing that we have in common with airline pilots is that we all started the same way, facing the same hurdles, and often having flown the same or similar small aircraft that have always made an aviators spirits soar!
Heart pounding indeed. That first solo is one of the scariest things I ever did and based on the other comments it's not unusual. Of course I was in a R-22 with the doors off flying a traffic pattern to a taxiway... just the way we practiced it :) Good on Tower and good on the instructor for getting her and a/c down and safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Atc did fantastic job here
There were several reasons that pushed my solo up toward 50 hours including poor weather where I simply would not want to solo in that weather. I was starting to get a bit irritated at not soloing yet, but kept putting in the hours with my CFI. I am so glad that I did, I was nervous at first but then checklists and muscle memory kicked in and all went really well. I can't imagine if I had soloed a bit soon and freaked out... (Using the student's word here, I do not mean to be harsh.) Glad it all ended well! Kudos to ATC, donuts well earned!
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
My first solo was definitely an intense experience as well. You have to shove all of the emotional stuff aside and just fly the plane like you've been trained to do. After I finished my third landing and taxied back, my instructor told me to be careful driving home because all the adrenaline was going to mess with me. He was absolutely right. Got home and took a very long nap.
Sounds like a future United Airlines pilot! Her problem is, conditions were too NICE--no challenge! You give her low ceilings, gusty freezing rain, and a complex twin turboprop with 18 passengers on board, and her confidence with shine through!
Are you crazy? Or just kidding? ;-)
@@Skyking929 Definitely kidding.
On my first solo, I've forgotten to put flaps back up and lifted off at 50mph since tower wanted a stop and go. My hours come in the rescue though, I realized the mistake as soon as I detected the float. Pop those flaps back up when the plane gained enough altitude and airspeed. All things considered, you can land the plane without flaps if you want. Vs,Vx and Vy are the most important things. If you're short final at 1.3 Vso, it's impossible to mess up.
Good to know u realized it quickly 🙏
First solo is something you never forget. After take off and climbing out, running checks and suddenly you’re flying downwind with nothing to do. At that moment you are very aware that there’s no one to take over if you screw up your approach. Then it’s all busy again, call up the tower, turn base, descend into approach and line ‘er up. And any landing you walk away from is a good landing.
I just love a good short story. I wonder what hour she was at for the instructor to grant her solo. I hope she didn't let this ruin her confidence because landing, is so much funnerrr then take-off.
Much respect for those who sit in the Control Tower.
Hats off !
This atc and instructor did a great job in getting this student on the ground safe and sound. As a Canadian pilot I'd say this student might have been a bit premature on going solo. A bit more instruction to raise her confidence and ability and hopefully she'll be okay.
Exactly!
That ATC guy needs to be played to the A-hole ATC guys we hear so often. Thank you Sir, thank you.
The instructor was as much use as mudflaps on a tortoise. Maybe that is why the student was having issues!
The ATC guy is the best 👍
Outstanding work on the part of the ATC Is it normal for the ATC to have to communicate with both the freaked out new pilot & the instructor? Also, it doesn’t seem like this pilot was anywhere ready for a solo flight!
During my first solo, some idiot pulled in front of me on the runway when I was on short final. It was so close a call that by the time I firewalled the throttle and leveled off, he and I were flying side by side.
It was going to be my third landing, and needless to say it threw me off so bad I had to go around three times. I just completely lost my confidence and rhythm. After the third blown landing, I got concerned about what would happen if I could never land again. My training took over as I calculated my remaining fuel time in my head, which got my head back in the right place, and I finally stuck the next landing.
I was a 40 hour SEL and pretty good (for a student). I was glad it happened early, because after that I never got shook up in a plane again. Panic is a mindset and you can squeeze it out with the mindset of focusing on what you know and what you control, as opposed to what you are afraid you don't know and what you can't control.
Been there. Done that. I feel for this pilot.
Thank you for sharing! That's very exciting
Nice work, obviously students may scare them selfs. Too much excitement in one go.
She did a good job and getting beter with the ATC and the instructor at the coms. Well done all .
Well said
ATC save lives every day. Thank you to those professionals!
Poor student... I hope she keeps flying. We all have bad days as pilots on landings. I really hope this doesn't discourage from flying.
Me too!
I felt so scared listening to that. Glad she had a champion on the end of the line, coaxing her in. He was so calm and reassuring, although it had to have been a tense time for him too.
Yeah! Of course. Good part she landed safely without any harm
I agree with a lot of messages here, that everyone can have a bad day. However, someone that when panic attack hit, try to solve problem by "getting out" ... To me, I feel like when you take solo, you have to "know" you are on your own, and confident in your ability to "solve" the problem, because it's only you now. You have to have that mind set, when taking solo flight. To try to solve the problem by "getting out", that's not someone that "know" you are on your own, and have to get yourself out of trouble.
Not everyone is cut out to be a pilot. If you are prone to panic attacks flying probably isn't for you. How will she react if she is ever in a real may day situation?
@@LivingOnCash yeah, that’s my concern is that her way out is not to figure things out. But to “get out”.
Totally agree...there are certain times that there's no benefit to panic. She needs to really consider if she's got the chops for this piloting thing.
This is a repost. She should never fly again.
I love how he said it was a team effort at the end there.
I was soloed after 7 hours of flight instruction. I remember thinking what the hell am I doing up here alone on downwind. Made the landing and breathed a sigh of relief.
You gotta keep your cool.
I would be interested to know how many hours of dual instruction this student had prior to this solo attempt. Of course the quantity of instruction is irrelevant if the quality isn’t there.
Personally I would not endorse this student ever after this incident. Not solely because she panicked, but if you listen to and read her comments she does not possess the ability to analyze and react.
Additionally, and more importantly, I question the judgement of this CFI. I’m sure some student’s shortcomings do not surface until they are solo, but as panicked as this student is I would wager the CFI is one of these “let me show you” types and is reluctant to let the student work out problems themselves in the air. She is at least “tone deaf” to her student.
0:17 “I should not have went today.” That should have been discussed before the CFI exited the aircraft.
0:37 “This was not a good idea.” Again, too late now.
:47 “I don’t know what happened.”
4:16 She was so paralyzed with fear she could not reply her altitude. “Um…..I’m just like freaking out right now okay.”
4:50 After ATC telling her to maintain 1800 RPM “It’s not like it’s not staying at…..I don’t know….I think I don’t know what’s happening right now…..” She was wanting to give up. The airplane is screwing her over and she is done!
So how will she react when she is flying an IFR departure in a Baron or the like in a year or two and one engine eats a couple of valves. Probably not going to end well for all involved.
There isn’t room in aviation for “no one left behind” like the .gov school system.
Too many lives at stake, including this unfortunate student.
Mega Kudos to ATC in this situation. Well Done!
Not impressed with the instructor.
Before my first solo flight, I had 3 or 4 touch and goes in the circuit with my instructor where he said to me "OK, I have had a heart attack and am dead - Unless I think you are really going to kill both of us, I am not going to come alive again - just do your thing". And he literally lay back in his chair and closed his eyes (or appeared to, I am sure there was a bit of squinting and internal tut-tutting). I felt to all intents and purposes on my own. I made a few minor mistakes like not nailing speeds exactly perfectly but identified and self corrected, talking out loud to myself the whole time. Eventually we landed and as we were taxiing back he said "Oh, just stop here a moment so we can shut down a few systems"... Came to a stop, I put the park brake on and he suddenly opened the door and climbed out with a big grin saying cheerfully "just go do what you just did when I died on you back there - I'll put the kettle on for when you get back" and waltzed off. I was too shocked to not comply and went out and did it.... they are not going to send you out if you are not ready!
She was ready but just needed that confidence.
Thank you for the incredible story! The story of the first solo is different 🙏
My solo flight came after a successful landing with an instructor, he said are you going alone now? my head nodded yes but my brain said no!!! After take-off the tension suddenly disappeared!!! and enjoyed my first solo flight and a perfect landing!! you'll never forget something like that
I just wanted to give her a big hug. Would
Love an update.
Surely
on one of my first solo landings i crabbed into a good wind and upon touching down didn't really straighten the plane parallel to the runway, all i remember was, skidding sideways watching the runway out my side window, wing down and screeching tires,
training and instinct are wonderful things, two quick moves straightened and leveled the plane and gained control - tower told me to exit runway, park, then called in a few minutes to ask if i wanted another go, which i did,,, same windy landings the next few times were easy, best thing to do was get back up there