2nd solo completed!

24th August,

                It was a very good day, and I flew 2 hours. One with an instructor, and a good one hour all alone up there. :)

                  Went to the hangar in a very relaxed mood, was to fly again in the morning with Capt. Mani. It was a half solo check ( a check flight before an instructor clears a student for a solo ) and a half revision flight. I thought it was just going to be a very normal flight. So I was just flying as per normal. Capt. Mani was satisfied with my landings, and when we were finally done at the end of the flight. He said :Okay done, you can go for your next solo. And  I was like : Really?? This was a check flight? And then he nod and gave the 'YOU-DIDN'T-KNOW?' face. I was so so happy. But when I got off the plane I was a bit lost . I didn't know what to do next. Thankfully the very helpful senior , Sut ( someone of Thai descent who's my senior ), and the Flight Operations Officers brief me on what to do next. I was to organize my own solo flight next, do all the necessary paper work and carry out checks on the aircraft all by myself. Its like finally you have a responsibility to carry on your shoulders. Its like you getting your very own first car. It felt like that.

                   Due to light traffic , I was given the green light to immediately depart for my solo by the flight ops guys. I was very excited but maintained a well relaxed manner, wouldn't want any mishaps to happen when one is over excited. I must say one of the reasons I got excited was because I was finally able to use my very own call sign on air, and be part of the traffic 1000 feet in the air! Starting from : Kota Bharu Ground, APAC 4757 , good morning , to , Taxi for dispersal , APAC 4757 . Oh! The joy of flying alone and be part of traffic on air was so delightful. It gave a bit of what the commercial airline pilots do up there, and especially landings. My landings significantly improve after my first solo, I was able to land the aircraft safely . Much thanks to the previous instructors who have flown with me and taught the necessary things I need to know to land.. :)

                  That marked the beginning of my adventures of flying solo on air, hopefully more will come soon my way!

                 

Patience , only for winners! My first solo!

     

Capt Nay : I told you many times! 
Capt Mani : Round out lower my friend !  

 These are the words that has been ringing inside my head for this whole month of August. After a number of recurrent flights with the 2 following instructors , as mentioned above , I finally got the green light to fly alone aka fly solo for the first time! The first solo flight of a new pilot comprises that pilot completing a take off, and usually a short flight and safe landing, by him or herself. Flying such a flight is a milestone for all pilots.. Its like when a baby first learn to walk by him/herself. Words can't hardly express how one feels after completing his/her first solo flight, but I can assure you I will cherish this once in a lifetime feeling for a very very long time! 

         To start off the day, I wasn't even suppose to fly today, I got my lucky break when one of our cadet was on MC, so I took the chance and took his spot to fly with a , 'never-flown-with-before' instructor, Captain Meor. Very nice person to fly with, he ensures a student will learn something each time they fly. Capt. Meor had very simple requirements for me to get his green light for solo : Perform 3 safe landings, you're good to go. 

          Thankfully , throughout my flight I was unusually calm and I felt like the aircraft belonged to me. So 3 landings done, all safe despite slight crosswinds from the right side of the runway, we got back to the Apron (Parking Bay) , turn the aircraft around, and he gave me a last brief before setting me free with my own wings to fly and off I went. 

          I actually recorded my flight in flight, but sadly there's some error uploading it to my blog, so I'm just going to 'print screen' some footage from my flight!

Holding at Holding Point Bravo. Had to wait 5 inbound traffic, I was sweating buckets in there!

To prove noone was beside me, and this is a REAL SOLO.

Before take off, one indicating 'Solo'.

Clear for Circuit and Landing, 1000 ft , right turn , Clear for Take off.

APAC 15 Sierra

And then, I took off.

Climbing to 1000 feet...

APAC 15 Sierra, downwind, to land.

APAC 15 Sierra, turning Final.

APAC 15 Sierra, on Final.

And then I landed. BY MYSELF! :)

Vacating the runway.

At Holding point Charlie, request for dispersal.

Friends waiting back there.

My senior, Yuen, opted to be my special personal Marshaller .

And so that ended the on the lucky date of August 23rd , 2012. And now, presenting my very own Call Sign, APAC 4757 .