March 28, 1991
Very Long First Solo
This has to be a record. I stepped out of the plane and said “do at least three patterns, then taxi back here and pick me up.” 26 laps later I needed a place to sit down and my Sporty’s Hand Held Radio battery was dying.
My Student Jim
Jim was a car dealer and not like most, he had his own ideas and own rules. He was a quick study and a pretty good pilot, as a result he soloed pretty early on in his training, after only 11 lessons. Most of my students took 15 to 20 lessons to get there.
Jim and I were flying N75885 that day. It seems so many of my adventures were in that plane …
“I want to solo today,” he told me, “I’m ready.”
“OK. Take me three times around the pattern without me touching the controls or the radio and I will get out.”
He did it. I said nothing, touched nothing and all three landings were excellent. He taxied me down to the run up area of runway 7. I informed Ground that I was going to solo a student, getting out with my handheld and got out of the plane. “Do at least three patterns and then come back and get me.” “At least three? Can I do more?” I should have reconsidered what I said then: “Do as many as you want.”
I Got Tired
After 15 or so Ground sent Harry out in the 419 vehicle (it was a Chevy S-10 Blazer, but it’s call sign was “Exec 419”) and picked me up. He brought me to the tower. I sat in the tower and talked to the controllers for a while. “How long is this guy going to go?”
“I don’t know” I said, “This is his first solo.”
“Wow that’s a new record. Nobody’s gone more than 5 or 6 or so.”
He’s Having Fun
I asked permission to talk to him. They gave me a headset. “Hey 885, how many more are you going to do?”
“I’m having fun!” he said, “Can I do a few more?”
“Sure, why not.” Traffic was pretty light that day.
After what I counted to be 26 laps around the pattern he finally asked for a full stop. Ground instructed him to taxi to the base of the tower to pick up his instructor.
I was so tired I forgot to “clip his wings” (The ceremony where you but the tail out of a t-shirt and write on it.) We did it next time.
That had to be a record. When I asked him about it, he said, “I could have kept going!”
He’d probably still be out there today …