A Perfect Day of Flying

Sunday, June 18th was about as blissful of a day an aviator can have, and I was the lucky guy.

I went for a lesson in N211LS in the morning. Had to get up at 6:30 to make it to GPM by 8am, but it was worth it. We had thunderstorms roll through the night before, and the weather was light winds, scattered clouds at 3500 AGL, and some early overcast to keep the temperature and thermals down. We did some landings at Midway and then went back to GPM for some more landings. My instructor then suggested we take a break.

I knew the Big Day was here when she asked me to bring my logbook. She wrote out the endorsement and then, with a smile, asked "Well, are you ready?" Sure, I replied. "Ok, give me three stop-and-goes and come back."

Wow. This is it. The First Solo.

I felt ready, comfortable but not overly confident. I headed to the aircraft and started the preflight checklist, then the before engine start, engine start and before taxi checklists. I began to get nervous and actually started taxing before calling ground control - oops. At least I only made it 10 feet.

Called ground, taxied to and did the run-up, then off to the hold short line and called the tower.

"Grand Prarie Tower, November 2 1 1 lima sierra ready at three-five, closed traffic, student pilot."

"November 2-1-1 lima sierra, cleared for takeoff, runway 35, make right traffic, report bases"

"Cleared for takeoff, one lima sierra"

I gather my self up for about three seconds, release the brake, swing the airplane onto the centerline and hit the throttle. Lots of right rudder and - 40 knots already here comes 47 time to rotate and WHEEEEEE! For the first time in my life, I am flying an airplane by myself.

My instructor warned me that the airplane would perform better without her in it (although she weighs all of 110 lb) and man, did it ever. It LEPT off the ground and I was quickly at pattern altitude on the crosswind leg.

I perform the pre-landing checklist, maintain altitude, get the wind right, maintain that crab into the wind, ok here we are abeam the threshold, time for carb heat and reduce the throttle, look for 70 knots, start decending, looking for where to turn base

"One lima sierra, cleared to land, runway three-five" - the controller has anticipated my turning base and, knowing that I'm a student, is helping me out.

"Cleared to land, one lima sierra."

Ok, start turning to base, hold 70 knots, roll out level, not so much rudder, first notch of flaps, looks about right, maybe a little high, time to turn to final over the new condos (who the f*** builds condos under an airport approach path?), second notch of flaps, add power, I'm high, that's ok just make a good landing, even if it's long, lined up right, over the threshold, power to idle, flare and ...

My first landing. Not perfect, but good enough. I've landed long, so I exit the runway and tell the tower I'd like to taxi back and do more patterns. I manage to do one so-so landing and one really good one, taxi back to the FBO and park the airplane.

"How long were you gone" asks my instructor. 15 minutes? "30 minutes" she says. I have been so totally focused that I have lost track of time.

But goddamn, I flew it by myself.

So what could make the day better? How about a ride in a B-17?

The Liberty Foundation has restored a WWII-era B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber. It was in town, so I invited my stepfather, who remembers them being built when he was a kid, for a ride. They restored the airplane beautifully and turn the country, giving 30 minute rides to subsidize the restoration. We did a flight from ADS north around Frisco and Lake Lewisville. The weather was great - clear, only a few clouds at about 8000 AGL, almost no wind.

I can't tell you how much fun this was. I was grinning like the kid in a candy store all during the flight and the rest of the day. How amazing it is to connect with a piece of history on such a perfect day.

If you get a chance to take a ride in this or the other flying B-17, do it. It'll make your entire day. But be warned - your face will hurt from grinning too much.