Kyle Kruger: February 2013

So it finally happened. I have been thinking about this day for close to a year now, and on Friday the 8th of February 2013, a day I will never forget, it happened! Best part was, my instructor never told me I was going solo (thanks Jason).

I arrived just before 6am at FALA (Lanseria International Airport) as we had scheduled an early morning lesson in the circuit, because any pilot will tell you how nice and smooth it is to fly early in the morning! We flew a couple of dual circuits, and after about my 4th landing we rolled off the runway ready to request taxi clearance back to the hangars. Just before I contacted ground control, Jason asked me if I was keen to give one a "whack" by myself. Well I had the engine running , I was sitting there strapped into the left seat, and I was 'in the zone' so to speak after our dual practice, so I was not about to say no! Besides, any pilot will also tell you (while you are asking him about early morning flight conditions) that his first solo is probably the single most special and important day in his career. Many will even say you are considered a 'real' pilot only after your first solo!

I finally got to taxi like a big boy onto Lanseria's main apron and had a lesson on how to park like a 'real' pilot on the apron from Jason, and I did so in parking bay Charlie 8 behind a nice big Boeing 737-800 (sorry but all the details are important to me). I then dropped Jason off, who as an instructor proceeded to the control tower to observe. I got taxi clearance back to the active runway run up bays, and commenced my pre-takeoff vital actions. Done! Taxi clearance up to the runway holding point, contact tower control. Done! Line up and wait. Done! Final checks. Done! Clear for takeoff runway 06L. Takeoff! What an amazing experience. The next 10 minutes were a bit blurry but great fun and great experience too! I flew my circuit, making calls to tower where requested, doing my checks where necessary and slotted in behind another student who was in turn behind a Kulula Boeing 737-800 (told you the details were important to me) and landed smoothly, which was fantastic. Taxi back to the apron Charlie 8, and wait for my instructor...

You just don't have enough time to sit there and take it all in! We taxied back to our hangar, and lo and behold I noticed the traditional water buckets! You see, pilots also have weird traditions and initiations, the main one being getting doused with water after you first solo by all your instructors and friends etc. Oh well! Jason told me to leave my phone and other electronics in the plane... hahaha!

The rest is history and I will let the pics speak for themselves. By the way, that is ice in the buckets!

First solo, 8 February 2013, Lanseria International Airport (FALA).

Cessna C172 ZS-PXH.

Sent by Jason Everard from Skyhawk Aviation.