From: scojam@auto-trol.com (Scott James.)
Subject: First Solo...first mixup
Organization: Auto-trol Technology Corporation -- Denver, Colorado
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 17:46:52 GMT


After reading other peoples' experiences on the net, it helped the idea of soloing
sink in.  After all, I new it would happen, but not the way it did.

It was raining and windy (5-10 kts) in Boulder, Colorado.  These aren't extremely
adverse conditions, but not very ideal for a first solo either.  We flew over to
Longmont, about a five minute flight to their municipal airport with a single runway.
After doing several T-n-G's (or as my instructor calls them: hit-n-runs) he ask me
to taxi off the runway and let him off.  He made the appropriate endorsements in my
logbook and told me to do one touch and go; the weather over Boulder was picking up
and slowly moving into Longmont.  Just as I was taxiing up to the runway, I hear
traffic from nowhere.  I call for other traffic to advise.  I find out there is
a helicopter doing tight pattern work off the side of the runway and another Cessna
on downwind-- I'm clear to take off.  As I'm climbing, everything is going smooth.
Walmart is having their tent sale, there's a little (visible) moisture and the
winds are calm. I climb to pattern altitude and turn downwind.  There's another plane,
but it's too low and way outside the pattern.  In fact, he's over flying the houses
near the airport--something I was clearly told not to do.  I watch as the Cessna is
on final and lands, everything is fine.  I remember the visible moisture and reach to
turn on carb. heat, but grab the mixture instead!  Before I pull it too far, I push it
in.  It's richer than when I had started, but that's okay.  I listen to the engine
and it sounds fine.  I pull CARB HEAT this time and notice a slight RPM drop (good).
By this time, my heart is skipping beats, but my head is clear.  Then I notice that
low airplane turning base, at about 300 feet and after that extremely extended
downwind leg.  I call to "airplane on base, are you really on base", afterall, he
wasn't really in the pattern...but I wanted to be sure.  I listen to no response.  I'm
abeem the numbers 11, my runway.  I've done my landing check to I start to slow the
aircraft down to 65 MPH (C150, y'know).  I watch this very low airplane turn final and
shake my head.  I extend my downwind a little to create some space between us.  By the
time I turn final, he has landed.  I land the plane a little hard, but I only have 14
hours.  As I taxi off the runway to pick up my instructor, he was walking slowly with
is head held low.  Oh great, I think.  His extra plane-sense has told him about the
mixture mixup.  I wasn't watching something, I just know it.  That landing was too
hard...what did I do wrong?  As he opens the door and I brace myself to hear of another
mistake I made, he extends is hand.  Smiling he says, "Congratulations Mr. James,
you've just soloed. Good job."

I told him about the mixup and he smiled, "Did the engine die?"  I repond shocked "NO."
but I know he knew I would be able to handle it.  He has "simulated engin falure" on
downwind before, and with our pattern altitude and best glide speed we landed the
plane fine.  In all, I was shaking a little...but my head was clear.  I know what I
was supposed to do and when.

This November I will turn twenty four.  I'm planning on the best gift being from
the FAA!

Fly on!

--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--
Scott James				scojam@Auto-Trol.COM
Ham (N0LHX) -:- Guitarist               Auto-Trol Technology
HomeBrewer - Student Pilot		Denver, Colorado USA
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-- 
--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--
Scott James				scojam@Auto-Trol.COM
Ham (N0LHX) -:- Guitarist               Auto-Trol Technology
HomeBrewer - Student Pilot		Denver, Colorado USA
Newsgroups: rec.aviation