Although if your CFI says you're ready, you are and you don't need luck ;-)

I'm flying a C-150A (1961) - I was 2 when they built this thing <:-O
out of C-62 (Kendallville, Indiana).

Got my first X-country next Friday. I made 3 landings on the first solo. My instructor took me up and we made one landing, I was about to turn around and he says, "Well, why don't you just pull over here and I'll go back in. Take her up and make 2 or 3 landings, don't do any more than 3, and quit if you get tired. You feel okay about that?" I said, "Absolutely." (I was lying of course, feeling adrenaline starting to pump). So, I back-taxi and take off. I stayed in the pattern and I actually landed before I even knew he wasn't in the plane with me. After I stopped I was ecstatic! I remember saying to myself, "Okay, okay. You did it. Now calm down or your gonna forget something!" I opened up my window as I was back-taxing again, pulled over, quickly scanned everything and I was taxing back on to 28 for take-off. I was so damned excited - I knew I'd forget something and I did. I left the damned window open until I'd started my roll-out. Got it closed before I got any speed up, I still felt a little red-faced.

So, off I go again, turn cross, turn downwind, look out the right side and then for some reason I looked down at the empty seat next to me. That's when it hit me, "Woe baby. I really am up here 800 AGL alone. Okay, settle down, fly the plane, fly the plane." It was awful, I turned so damned early on base that I almost had to go around, but I didn't. Landed a little further down the runway, but all in all not a bad landing. I got irritated with myself though, enough that I did much better on my last trip.

I'll never forget that experience. Yesterday I made my 3rd lonesome trip and finally, finally, finally got to leave the damned pattern ;-) Now that was *very* cool. I had an hour by myself, nobody to tell me how high to go, nor in which direction - you can't buy freedom like that.

Growing up 2 blocks from McDonnell-Douglas in Long Beach, I've wanted to do this since I was 8 years old. I still feel like I need to wake up - this is truly a dream come true for me. Every newbie pilot, I imagine, feels the same way.

bcnu,
Mikem

There's a guy just ahead of me where I'm learning. He just finished his dual XC and I asked my instructor if he was going to solo XC next. He said that he likes to dual XC, then dual to an aiport w/tower next. So, I guess next week I'll be talking to a tower ;-)

My CFI owns a 182 and he took my daughters and me up one day a couple weeks ago (EAA Young Eagles flight). He let me fly it a bit on one of the flights and I could not believe the difference. With the 150, you barely put any pressure on the wheel, I felt like I was doing a bench press on the 182 by comparison. And ground speed, I couldn't believe it!

I've never flown a 172, have you flown a 150 or 152? I've gotta believe there's a non-trivial difference. Some of the pilots at our place that regularly fly Pipers say they don't like to fly the 150 - they feel like it gets away from them too easily. I almost took lessons in a 172 (I hope to buy one in Summer '03). But, I talked to my wife's uncle (runs Bill's AeroService in southern Indiana) and he recommended the 150. He and his son both said, "The 172 kind of wants to help you. If you learn in the 150, you'll be a better pilot for it." Not knowing anything about flying when I started, that was enough for me to decide on training in the 150, which, btw, is not approved for spins :-)

I haven't tried a power-on stall by myself yet. I imagine that'll scare hell out of me. Thought I'd do it one more time dual since I haven't been doing anything but take-offs and landings of late. Crosswind landings were pretty exciting. With stalls, thinking about it for me is worse than doing it. When I'm doing it, it doesn't seem that big a deal, but knowing that I could enter a spin if I don't keep those wings level, <shudder>.

I haven't practiced ground-reference maneuvers in a while, I pretty much sucked at that the first time or two. Steep turns I did okay, (except the last time). On my last turn to the right, I started out pointing 180 and finished at 270. Smooth.

I just finished ground school and will probably take the exam next week some time (assuming I can get some time between now and then to commit all those FAR's to memory).

bcnu,
Mikem

How many hours do you have? (PIC and DUAL).

Do you own the 172 you're flying? If so, and if you don't mind my asking, what's insurance running you/year?

I'm going to be doing my XC planning tonight (and tomorrow probably ;-)

Thanks for the pointers.

bcnu,
Mikem

I got renter's insurance for $330 ($500,000 liability and only $10,000 for the plane I'm flying - a 61 C150A won't be worth much more than that ;-)

I'll bump it later, of course.

Right now, it doesn't look as though we'll even be flying tomorrow (warm front is hanging around - 40% chance of thunderstorms along route tomorrow morning - when I'm supposed to fly).

I was gonna hit www.duats.com today, but at this point I'm less than hopeful.

Thanks for the tips, I suspect my CFI will be asking me about every 30 seconds where we are, how long until we get to X, etc. as well.

bcnu,
Mikem