winsor68 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hello folks, A group of keen flyers from Palmyra consisting of one Skyfox piloted by Blueadventures and instructor, one Texan piloted by Egon and instructor and one Toyota piloted by Winsor68 and crewed by Hongie and Sam travelled by air and road to the historic former WW2 airfield at Bowen in North Qld today. Winsor68 completed his first solo (and his second solo which wasn't the first) and Hongie spent his second day of flying training, both in the Texan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 :thumb_up:Nice one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfGnome Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Two solos in one day - bet it was nice to know that the first one wasn't a fluke! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 It felt great! On my second solo as it was getting later in the day and the aircraft still needed to be flown back to Palmyra my instructor said to do a circuit of a small island just off the point at Bowen then come back and land... On my first two approaches I was high, and although on Bowen's beautiful long strip I had plenty of room and could have touched down very, very long I elected to go around... The guys gave me a ribbing for hogging the airplane but... I was Pilot in Command so preferred to make the decision to abort rather than set up a very long landing and getting into a situation where I had to abort later when less comfortable and with less room. The Texan truly is an amazing machine... solo she easily climbs at 1000 feet per minute. I commented to my instructor..."You weigh 300 feet per minute" lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerin Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Congrats Win!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JRMobile Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Thats bigger than "Ben Hurr"!! well done Win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 :thumb_up: Well done Don. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hey Windsor, I drove through Bowen this afternoon around 4pm and I saw the Texan on short final for runway 12 at Bowen !!!. Don't know if you noticed me in a white ute (you were no doubt busy) but I almost ran off the road looking up at the Texan on the curve.!!. I almost turned around and came back to the airport, but kept going and felt bad down the road, for being unsociable to another UL pilot. So close yet so far mate, we were probabily within 100 ft of each other, as I passed under you on your short final !!. Congrats on your solo, the texan looked quite stable on approach with a little wing rocking going on as I passed under you. Bowen is a great little airport isn't it, and I do know that little island off the point there also, as I have flown a lot of rides out of Bowen in the past, and it was on my senic route..............................................Cheers and congrats again... Maj !!.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 yay win!! well done! such a big achievement and great to hear that it went well!! congrats!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Dang Maj!!! And I meant to send you a message here that we would be there! Next time don't be a stranger. Judging by the time that was probably me doing my second solo flight... and i swear I looked down as I was on final and saw a white ute... and for some reason it caught my eye... was not doing the usual ute driving past the threshold thing... of course it was just a glimpse and my concentration went back on to the job at hand but you mentioning that just twigged the memory... Strange indeed. After I went solo I went for a walk and checked out the museum display... and was quite pleased to have done my first solo at Bowen. It has quite an aviation history. I left a visitors message to commemorate the day. The airstrip is great... the gravel cross strip is smoother than the tarmac. The conditions today were quite windy but the wind was straight down runway 12 so no problems. They even provide a bitumen runup area for the first 50 or so meters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest davidh10 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Congratulations from me also, Windsor68. Sounds like a great day, and especially memorable. Remember that nobody laughs at you for going around. That is your decision as PIC. What will gain you notoriety is if you don't when you should, and bend the aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Thanks guys... Hongie from this site has a video and he and Blueadventures I am hoping have some photos that they may share here from the days flying... Silly me forgot to take my camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Yes well done Windsor. The 12 strip at Bowen is my favorite also, and is I believe an old original wartime strip. Generally the wind is down that strip, and I can't ever remember using the other newer strip ever. Well we had an interesting if brief encounter today, and yes my apoligies for not stopping by this time......................Cheers Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudestcon Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Congratulations Win, I do love to hear about people doing their 1st solo. Pud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgmwa Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Congratulation Win. Piloting the old Toyota will never be quite the same again! That Texan is nice looking plane too (had to look it up on Google as I don't think I've seen one before). rgmwa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guernsey Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Big Congratulations Windsor I still vividly remember my first solo nearly 50 years ago whilst a lot of other events I can't remember. It just goes to show that you can always recall the best things in life. My second solo was even better. Isn't it a great feeling being Pilot in Command, this also means that you have been elevated to ' Aircraft Captain ' and when you are doing the piloting, that guy in the right hand seat ( instructor ) is merely your Second Officer I loved your expression that your instructor weighed 300 feet per minute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgwilson Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Congratulations from me too. Mine was many years ago now but still a vivid memory. My first and second solos were on the same flight as I didn't grease it so after the bounce in the old 152 I landed again, properly this time. The less than vivid memory was the fact that our Aero Club tradition was that you had to shout all those at the bar after your first solo. I got driven home that night. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relfy Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 good work mate! Be careful...you may be turning into a pilot! :big_grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guernsey Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 That's interesting KEVIN, when I did my first solo in Guernsey our club was in its infancy and so we had no bar at that stage however, on arriving in Australia around 40 yrs ago I was involved with Beachair at Parafield where on completing your first solo, the bottom half of your tie was cut off and pinned on the notice board with your name underneath, If you were not wearing a tie at the time, you would have to get one and return to the club with it. My eldest son didn't wear ties so guess who had to buy him one but who's complaining, I was home at the time and received the phone call with the exciting news so I telephoned his instructor and told him to send him up again a bit later and I would pay for it. I wonder what others on this forum did to celebrate their first solo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick55 Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Well done !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 Flew for just over an hour this morning out of Palmyra with an instructor... We went South of Mackay and stayed below 1000 feet as we flew along the coast and in and out of the many inlets... just generally enjoying the great flying conditions. This was the first time I had flown that direction and it was really good... As I commented to the instructor this is the direction you would most likely take a passenger for a nice scenic flight when I reach that stage. Upon return to Palmyra I was able to land the aircraft with no worries... which goes to show the psychological value of having that first solo out of the way as Palmyra is a fairly small strip with a fairly cluttered area surrounding the approach and as such is not suitable for first or early solo flight... I greased it on first try no worries and didn't even raise a sweat so... obviously all the training has paid off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightyknots Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 F@NT@$TIC, winsor68: Congratulations!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIMMYTWO Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Great feeling isn't it Don, your first solo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Well done Don, on Fridays Solo's and todays flights. Looking forward to the next excursion and the next visit to Bowen. (PS the pizzas at Matthews were a great way to finish of the long enjoyable day.) 0606 enjoyed the run up an back and the Rotax ran sweet as. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfGnome Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I wonder what others on this forum did to celebrate their first solo? I just went straight to work. Borrrrrring... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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