FIRST SOLO FLIGHT by Student Pilot in a Cessna 172 

Tell us your first solo story!

Homer traffic, Runway 4 temporarily closed...excessive BUTTER left on the runway. Nice job, Lief!

What a beautiful place to solo. Great job by this capable student. He has been well trained.

I don't have much of a first solo story. Pretty non-eventful, just another day except for that I FLEW A PLANE AND DIDN'T CRASH! I don't know about you guys, but I felt pretty awesome after my first solo and pretty much every time I fly. Congrats to Leif! Your first solo cross country trip will be another amazing day. Keep it up!

He buttered that first landing like a pro! Excellent job to him and his instructor.

One thing I’ll point out! You always know it’s a passion when a student goes Ahead and buys a Bose A20! I did that, and never looked back.

His solo landings were better than the previous landings when instructor was still in the cockpit! Great job. Will never forget my first solo.....

That was fun :). Mine was 42 years ago at Hayward CA. I was flying a 150. For some reason I asked my dad to come with me for the first time. I guess I kinda knew I may solo. But when my Instructor got out I was happy and terrified. I was struck by the massive power I had without him in the right seat. As I climbed out I felt like something was missing so I let out a big scream of joy. Thank you Leif for sharing this huge milestone

Was a busy day in the pattern and some incoming traffic...Checklist and Procedures by the book...first downwind tower asks me to do a 360 for spacing (never did that in training!), first landing not bad, touch n go and next downwind tower asks me to extend my downwind because of a King Air on a 5 mile final!...ok after abeam of the King Air I turn base, landing was ok after a long final!...kept the runway perspective all the way in.... next downwind I make my calls, turn final, everything ok with the tower approval (finally no traffic) and make a very smooth landing, with the nose up all the way...Tower tells me it was the best landing he'd seen today, I don't believe him but I thank him (he knew it was a first solo, my instructor told him over the radio before he exited)....on cloud 9 taxing slowly back to the flying club... My first thoughts when the aircraft took off..."Holy..,,,,.now I have to get this thing back on the ground" that's when full reality kicked in, but so did training and procedure, I just kept hearing my instructors commands in my head, "watch airspeed", "go to the numbers", "keep the nose down", "watch airspeed". So "Watch Airspeed" I think is the most important command for a GA pilot.

12:30 Beautiful landing. I was a bit more animated on my first -- bunch of yelling, wahoo's and various expletives - on my own intercom! SelfTalk is the way to go - I continued that later with passengers. Glad he lowered the gear on the C172 (GUMP check). Probably advise to not put checklist behind him. Best of success - an awesome pilot in the making. At 13:52 I can see that he really has a good command of the sight picture out of the cockpit, as he is turning and descending, and also really good on climbout. I'm really impressed with his AOA and altitude management -- I remember having difficulties "coming down". 15:30 that one looked really smooth as well. 18:06 - squeaker #3 landing -- this is sickening... He's really a great pilot. Kudos to him and his CFI. 19:45 - yeah, baby!!!!

Soooo envious. Congratulations. Satisfying day for the instructor as well. Props.

Congratulations, Leif! Well done!!!

Really enjoyed sharing his moment. Fantastic

That was absolutely great. He was definitely ready. That says alot about him as a student and you as a teacher. Well done to you both. Fly safe and have fun.

A young friend, CFI, asked us to attend her first solo student flight because she needed moral support. The student was fully competent. When she released the student to make his three go-around-the-pattern landings, she got more and more nervous even though the student appeared to be flying perfectly. She worked herself up to such a nervous state that she passed out on the tarmac. We had to call an ambulance. The student pulled up to the tiedown spot, jumped out, and thought he was witnessing a major problem that he had caused. Not so, of course.

this makes me smile ear to ear! big congrats and GREAT job dude!!

Niiiice job on the solo!! Your student showed he has what it takes. congrats to him and you as the instructor

I remember that day it was awesome! He did a great job! Had a great teacher as well.

Did my first solo in a TMG today thanks to channels like yours. Keep the good work up 😁

I had a similar solo experience, perfect day to fly, calm conditions. However, on one of my patterns with my instructor another airplane totally cut us off by entering the pattern next to us on downwind which forced me to climb and go around to avoid a midair. I was proud that I made that decision without any input from my instructor. A couple of good patterns after with the instructor and then my 3 solo patterns tower came back and asked me to have my instructor call the tower to apologize about providing such bad service to us for allowing another airplane into the pattern next to us.

What a beautiful airport scenary for a solo.

i just did my first solo flight a month ago , and it was incredible , the feeling of achivement was unreal..!! i want to say your videos for landing really help me to improve my skills and the way to think during the pattern...!! i'm from Panama and i really enjoy your videos..!! keep doing it.!!

He's keeping his head on a swivel and eyes out for all traffic and Positions calls on his locations and one of my favorite landings

That brought back great memories! Mine was at KARB in 1992 in a Cessna 152 N757MP. My dad helped me financially finish my last little bit of flight training as a college graduation present so I could realize my dream. I was so proud of myself that day. Congrats Leif, may you have many years of safe and joyful flying! Great video. Subscribed.

Did my 1st one out of KAFW (Fort Worth, TX) Did 2 landings w instructor after the 2nd one we pulled into the ramp area he got out and then it was all business. I turned on my radio voice and called for taxi. After I took off I was told to do a right 360’ for spacing after that I was told to extend downwind and so on and so forth. Did my 3 landings taxied in, shut down. Got out and my good shirt was ruined because it was getting cut! Was very cool because it was only a couple of weeks after my grandfather passed away and I knew he was watching, boy would he have been proud!

Congrats! can't wait for mine later this fall.

Beautifully done, Leif! & Congratulations, Brother! I so wish I’d have been able to do my PPL up there 15 yrs ago, especially while working for John Osgood over at Tutka Bay. God Bless & enjoy yourself up there!

Congrats to the student!! I solo in a week( pending weather of course) can’t wait

Congratulations Lief, fantastic first solo ! It is a very BIG DEAL. As a low time student pilot, I haven't flown my solo yet. Hope I do as well as Lief did. He set the bar high. Calm, steady, applying what he's learned. Great video Chris. You taught him well !

Nice landings! Thanks for the video. My first solo was 9/7/2001. I was in a 1973 C172, 180 hp, with a constant speed prop. I remember it climbed like a rocket without my instructor sitting next to me.

This will be a day he will never forget and you taught your student well on his communication skills and great pattern flying skills

Perfect or not, he did awesome. Your lessons must be spot on. I am inspired and leaning toward getting started after simming since '83. I'm pretty sure it's about time. Just for PPL. I like to go for VFR as well as IFR. That's a long road but it's a dream that I feel I'm ready to go for. Great and inspirational video sir.

First solo was a C-150. One of the best things I have done in my life! Sure I was scared... until I pulled into the run-up area and started the checklists. Then it was all business, brain in “pilot” mode and the fear turned to excitement. Best part was realizing after climb to pattern altitude that hey, there’s no one here but me to get this thing back down in one piece! That was 20 years ago; seems like yesterday.

Oh man Lol... I remember that feeling. He's really smooth on the controls. Nice job both of you! First solo was at KSLR (didn't have to look up) on 8/14/1986 in N65546, a 1978 C152 (had to look that up), CFII was Richard Caldwell (did not have to look that up). I remember being very surprised (no prior warning) and excited but confident. I started my takeoff roll and right before, maybe right as, I rotated, POOF, a big white Cattle Egret flew into the prop from the right side. Bird parts and feathers went everywhere. Richard had a handheld radio and I remember hearing him say, fly the plane, then he asked if there was any vibration (there wasn't), so he said to come back around and land. On downwind I could see him removing bird parts. I landed and taxied over to where he was standing. He looked it all over, we cleaned the windshield, and I went back up for 2 more landings. BTW, when I hit the bird I continued the climb out. He had me keep going because, and I'm speculating here, as a first solo student pilot there was probably some concern about me being able to transition to landing and roll out before I hit the trees that were at the end of the runway. I think it was a good call. Second first solo was Wednesday of this week, 23 years, 6 months I've been on a year long quest to find and instructor to do an extended BFR after a 23 year, 1 month, and 16 day hiatus. It took over a year to accomplish 10 hours, but not for lack of trying, instructors and aircraft have been difficult to find. I put in 3 hours at KPKV (sea level in a N model C172) and the rest here at KFMN in a 1960 C model C172. I finally took 3 mornings off from work and flew 3 days in a row and that was the final kick I needed to finish. KPKV is at 5,500 feet. Density altitude here can get over 9,000'. The wind can do interesting things here, like switch 180 degrees from one end of the runway to another (seriously weird seeing a wind sock standing straight out from the left on takeoff and straight out from the right on climb out on the other end). ATIS frequently has wind shear alerts. There are sinkers at the approach and departure ends (airport is on a mesa) as well as updrafts. This has been the most challenging and rewarding place I've ever flown, including Colorado. The old Cessna (N7688X) with manual flaps, a 145hp engine, non standard instrument layout. and it's owner/instructor taught me more about flying than any prior experience (except for the 35-ish hours of instrument training I had, I will get back on that because it's a lifesaver and fun). If work ever sends me to Alaska (we have stuff on the slope, Kenai Peninsula (both sides), and a lot of other places) I'm going to look you up.

Awesome video. Congratulations

From MAC to CLZ (Panama City, Central America) with my instructor, and then at CLZ did 3 patterns. One of the best feelings in aviation. Adn of course the celebration at the end with buckets of water and airplane oil. Hope I return to flying someday.

Watching this brought my first solo flight back in VIVID detail. One go-around and I was SWELLING with accomplishment. CG-DIB - two-toned brown-striped Skyhawk. This was back in 1983. This guy's face was MY face - just so focused and attentive. Amazing!

Never forget my first solo! Thought i was bouncing landings so I kept doing patterns to get my good 3. Turns out my instructor said they were all great once I came in on the 8th!

Looks very similar to my solo. On mine we had to wait out clouds at traffic pattern to burn off. Nice job Leif!!

Great job! His 3 solo where way better without you onboard Chris! Exactly what you’re hoping for. Proud moment for both of you!

I first soloed at an urban airport where pattern altitude is 500 ft AGL. Things happen fast for a student in that setting but it made going to the bigger airports a snap. It was a super emotional experience for me to solo. My instructor was a crusty old teacher who was very tough and a little hyper. He is gone now but I think of him often - I sometimes hear his voice when I fly. I like your more sedate approach.

Awesome job! He did awesome! He was on top of everything in that airplane! That is a testament to the CFI. You are an amazing instructor! I have watched so many of your videos of you in the cockpit with your students instructing. I flew my first solo on 7-22-98 in a Cessna 150. 2700’ grass strip. A day I will never forget! Never got my license, which I regret. I am 61 years of age now. But I want so bad to start again, and get my PPL. I so want to accomplish this before it’s too late. It is such a huge challenge for me! I want to do it so bad!

I start my aviation program Tuesday!! Super excited I know I can get at least half way through, little discouraging that I don’t have co signers for student loans but hopefully I can make it happen! I’ve saved for a long time to get a start can’t believe it’s actually happening!

Beautiful scenery!

Congrats Leif, not many understand this incredible feeling of accomplishment! I did my 1st solo in a C172 g1000 at KHPN at 12hrs, probably needed a couple of more hrs lol. On the first approach for some reason i didn't like it when about to flare so went around, one landing i had a little porpoise then went around, and once i landed kinda forgot about the wind to stay on center(too excited about what i was doing-landing a plane by myself haha). 2 things i always repeat constantly since the first flight, don't stall and no matter what i always have to bring the bird back down, cannot panic. Just like any other flight it was a great learning experience and fast forward a couple of years I'm making my way to finish my commercial. Safe skies and enjoy the ride, it's awesome!!!

That’s a beautiful place for flight training. Happy landing! Greetings from Malaysian Flying Academy.

Great instructor

Awesome! Congratulations!

Congrats!

My first solo was in 1999. Three touch and goes and stuck them like lawn darts. My instructor used to tell me we are not doing carrier landings, you need to flare a little more. Thank God for Cessna 172 spring steel landing gear legs. I stopped flying after 9/11 hit due to unavailability of rental planes and access. Fast forward a couple of decades and I just started flying again. I picked up a nice used Cessna almost identical to N2324U and love it. Chris your videos, especially with Josh on short field high performance techniques were the best. I have studied them over and over. The 0-300 is a little challenged on power and now I practice your techniques on almost all my take offs. I live in the SoCal area and we have plenty of higher altitude airports and mountains to fly over. Energy management like you teach is always a good thing and a little extra in the bank doesn't hurt either. Chris if you are so inclined and have an e-mail I can reach you at I would like to find out more about who did 24U's interior, where the plastics were sourced from and expense to do it. Also I would be interested in finding out more about your take on the 0-300. You can send me a PM me if you have the time. P.S. My pilot friends don't get it when I use the Chris' Primal "Clear." No sense of humor. Thanks for the great videos.

Nice video. I like the instructor's style. Good job to the new pilot.

welcome to the skies!!! awsome landings,...specially the first one.....smooth like silk! I remember my first solo as well....wasnt that much thrill when i took off....but the moment i realize i am in the air now i have to land that peace of carbon-fiber...THAT was a thrill :-)

My first solo was before I had a driver's license. I felt so free and happy, I broke out singing a carol king song while in the air!!! Lol It was the best... Flying is a fever, all pilots know the feeling!!!!!! It's not hard to learn, I soloed after 9 hrs. Of instructions time. It's just that easy, one of my most proudest moments! Try it, take a lesson and see if ya like it. You will!

Unforgatable moment. I remember that day at Piper J3.

Great job like a pro. Congrats 😎

Awesome! Working towards my first solo.

That first Lansing was so perfect

Just did my first solo today absolutely awesome didn’t even know she was going to let me go she said alright your doing your solo today have fun I was like well damn but it all went perfectly

My first solo was in a PA-28-140 N576FL in northern IN, about 49 years ago when I was 17. PPL about 2 months later (42 hours). After about 300 hours, I never did get my instrument or commercial - life, the universe and everything got in the way. Still have my logbook. Looking at getting back into it after 57 yrs. Avionics sure have changed, but the basics haven't.

Great view and what a great country side. I suppose somewhere in Alaska. Great job. Bless you.

Great video...congrats!!!! becoming a pilot is one of my greatest achievements I soloed in 2001 at KFAT and ATC told me after I turned downwind that they needed me to do a right 360 ... I responded "negative, student pilot on first solo" they had me extend my downwind instead and I greased it.. will never forget that day... btw that is a beautiful airport were is it?

love that he is calling his attentions. lots of solo flights they don't so I have noticed. although he didn't call out his downwind on the 1st solo. i remember my 1st solo as i was taking off i kept saying to myself this is what you trained for over and over it is what kept me calm. so i say job well done congrats dude

My first solo is imminent. It will be in a C-152. Been flying for aeons, but I’ve only recently conquered my fear of crashing into the runway just before the round-out. So, my nerves are playing up, and I’m putting all my affairs in order, just in case! 😃 It’ s not easy to teach an old dog new tricks, so, this solo is encouraging to an ‘old guy’ like me, I hopefully will grease mine like this. Well done!

Great solo well done student & instructor 👍🏽

Thanks for posting. Student pilot here. Use videos like this for "lessons between the lessons." My take away from this video was first how well the student did by visually flying the plane. I tend to spend to much time focussed on gauges. Second, although this was a big day, he left all the emotions at the door. No talking to himself (other than the checklist), or "Hey look, I'm flying a plane!." He had a job to do. He did it, then celebrated. Again, thanks for posting. You got my "like" and "Subscribe."

I did my first solo last week, on 7KCAB Citabria. Best experience ever!!

Gotdang, that was a sexy touchdown. Nice work, Leif

My first solo was yesterday. I just put up that video as well, it's boring but it was awesome. I had no idea I was even soloing. My instructor just surprised me after I did a bunch of Textbook landings , his words.

Way to go Lief. Congrats!

Nicely done! That first solo is a BIG DEAL.

Nice job. My first solo was summertime south Louisiana. I normally sweat in the planes anyway. Late afternoon, wanted to solo earlier hours, disappointed. Flew the pattern fine, surprised how well the plane took off without CFI. (Was tempted to fly away as a joke.) Got back and my shirt was soaked due to nerves and humidity.

Glassy smooth flying, he's got an impressive game face.

Very good man.

Your a awesome instructor wish I could get my license but at 400 lbs just to big for them training planes. Good job love watching your videos .,

I dream of the day when I can land like that dude. Butter!

I remember mine like it was yesterday. I was in Cessna 94186 and took off from 20R at PDK in ATL. 8-)

Good Job!!

Well done & congratulations..

That first solo landing was slathered in grease good job it's all about flying the plane to the hangar proper energy management will ensure smooth landings every time and seems he knows that as most people come in high and chop it

nice landing

Where is this Beautiful Airport location at and your student is doing a terrific job and I love the checklist professional pilot read out because that's what I do at every flight

Great film! I'm not a pilot (just a wannabee), but enjoyed it anyway. 😊👍Been interested in aviation for quite some time. I took those Angel of Attack flight sim tutorials a while back. 😉

Man that last landing was a greaser! My solo was somewhat expected but unannounced ahead of time. Around 8hrs of flight I started wearing two white shirts… lol. I soloed at 9.4 hrs. The cfi said for me to back taxi to do some short field take offs. When we got back at the beginning, he said okay, let me out here. I was like… so no short field take offs? Lol. It was fun. I have had a 7 year break since getting my PPC and when I flew a few days ago, I still cringe and think, I was better on my first solo than this last flight. It’s clear I need practice. No rentable planes nearby so I have to drive 45 minutes to rent one. But I feel I need to have an instructor with me also just to be sure I’m remembering everything. Been re taking a groundschool class locally to get the regs and procedures back in the memory. It’s been good while I save money for actual flight.

Awesome congrats to your student.... my solo was a bit more stressful... lol on my 2nd pass I had an aircraft issue that we weren’t aware of because we had never flown it that lite. When I adjusted the trim full forward, the slot for the horizontal bar was not cutout properly, which caused the trim to get stuck full forward. I fought the aircraft but continued to fly it... saying over and over in my head... aviate, navigate, communicate. I got the aircraft on the ground and pulled into the taxi way. My instructor says, “that was only 2, you need one more.” I told him about the mechanical issue and he was “oh!!! That makes sense” 20 minutes later after my mechanic fixed the issue, I finished my 3rd and joined the club of solo pilots!!!! Aviation is great!!! I love it!!!!

Why would anyone dislike this video? Awesome job! I'm working on my first solo.

Mine was in 1969. With an old Piper Tri-Pacer. Washington County Indiana Airport. About the only clear recognition I have was that it was a cold and misty day. I guess I got more nervous because my Dad wanted to come and watch, and he had never ever come with my for any of my previous flight lessons! All went well, carried on and flew for several years till Kids/Wife and life in general moved on , and it was just too expensive of a hobby. I think about it all of the time, that's why I watch videos like yours. Well done BTW.

I sure miss flying, nothing beats it. No longer have my medical, but grateful for having had the privilege

Landed the plane on Monday during my first lesson. After a week of training I did my first solo on Sunday, June 16. I was nervous cause it happend so quickly. ATC knew this was my first solo and were very nice to me which helped me relax. The air was a little turbulent, but I was sorta used to it. I don't remember much else about that flight, but the instructor asked me right after if I wanted to do another hour of circuits which I did. On my second solo landing I had a flat tire on landing. It was empty before touchdown cause I felt it immediately on touchdown and used appropriate rudder to keep the plane on the runway. Felt very exposed sitting on the runway and the runway being shutdown because of me. Luckily there was still another runway for other aircraft to use although it didn't take long till ground crew came and pulled me back to the apron. I was surprised how smooth that landing with the flat was. Instructor asked me if I was ready to go up right away. I said sure hiding my nervousness and jumped in the next plane. Completed the rest of the circuits uneventfully. So whenever I think about my first solo the second solo is what I remember best. The aircraft I trained in consisted mostly of Piper Warriors. Skipped a lot of details here, but safe to say my first day of solos was very exciting. I got my PPLs about a month after which is about two weeks ago. Currently studying for IFR rating.

what cameras and mounts are you using. i've watched a lot flying videos but for some reason the quality of this film is really good.

need to get you some better scissors :) maybe the flight outfitters bush pilot survival knife next time!! great job guys!!!!!

nice job

I never heard you explanation of cutting the shirt being becasue of the tail feather situation. It makes sense. However, I was always told that back in the day if a part of the wing material got ripped, pilots would cut out a piece of their shirt to patch it up. I wonder which is correct or maybe they both are right.

My first solo was on my 18th birthday, 49 years ago. While doing the pattern with my instructor there was a C-130 doing touch and goes ahead of me. I managed to get a little low behind him and hit his wake air turbulence. My instructor was sitting on his side leaning back against the door with his arms crossed like he was taking a nap or something and just said, " Your plane, you got us here, you get us out." He then got on the radio to ask the tower how long the C-130 would be doing pattern work. That was his last touch and go and he was heading back to England AFB. My instructor then told me to head to the apron. I thought for sure I was in trouble after being dumb enough to get to low behind a heavy. When we got to the apron he had me shut it down. He reached over and spun the altimeter setting knob and flipped a bunch of the switches to make me really go through the checklist. As I taxied out to hold short of the runway for a Cessna twin to land the twin started having black smoke out of one of his engines. He ended up declaring an emergency and had a fire truck waiting for him as he taxied off of the runway. What a thing to see right before my first solo. I ended up doing three of the best landings I ever did. When I got back to my instructor he congratulated me and said it was time to cut my shirttail. All I could think of was, what would my mom say if I came home with one of my best shirts minus the tail. I still regret not letting them cut it off. Fear of mom outweighed getting that memento.

my 1st solo was 4 days ago in a Sportcruiser. Did 3 good laps and he got out and goes "how many laps are you going to do so I know you didn't crash" LOL. I did 3 laps.. it was all a blur. No time to really think of it.. just had to think about flying! the downwind leg is when I could actually enjoy it for about 2 mins. Runup traffic was heavy on my departure and then the pattern was pretty busy but my last lap everyone disappeared. It was excellent.

Well done. Question: it was intentional to report on every leg on a circle? It's only downwind and final/long final required.

Interesting! Two nit picks: assuming the airport is uncontrolled, I'd use "Homer traffic Yada, yada, yada. Homer". I'd also go with "Homer Traffic 23U on final for touch and go runway 4 Homer". I can see where someone might misunderstand what looked like a landing and roll-out will be a land-roll-out-depart or long touch and go. But that's just me. :)

Awesome 😎

Excellent work congratulations. The scissors didn’t work quite well though 😂

Leif did better landings alone than with Chris in the right seat! My solo was in Piper Cherokee 28-161 at Arlington Flight Services - KAWO- after 13 hours of training when I finally could land a lot better AND make radio calls without mistakes and breaks. So, my instructor got out and I did the best three landings of all those hours of practice. Had I practiced the radio at home, aka chair fly, I would have been able to concentrate more on my final touchdowns and not have the nerves of noodles. I started flight training at 66 y/o after a near death experience from cancer. 7 years later I have 450 hours, Complex, High Performance & High Altitude endorsements, and am an Advanced Ground & Instrument Ground Instructor, plus a Part 107 Drone Pilot. I have many hours in AATD’s for Instrument time & training, have completed all manouvers for a commercial ticket and passed written tests for CLP and CFI. I also have been to ATOP three times and flown the 737-800 & A-320 full level sims at American & Jet Blue. I had to make up for all those years I could have flown! JUST DO IT! 🛫😎

13:16 is that a car on the runway??? Awesome video ❤