I had a great day today.   I will go ahead and say the obligatory “I soloed the Mighty Tweet”, which I guess does sound better than “I Soloed an ancient, 55 year old bucket of bolts, that scared the hell out of me”.  Hehehe, actually it was pretty cool, I didn’t get any touch and go’s, but I did get 3 breakouts and 2 go-arounds.  I double-turned, from an Instrument-sim at the buckcrack-of-dawn-thirty, into my “Pogo-Ride” (Solo).

            The flight preceding my solo was pretty good, or at least that’s what I thought.  I had the fun experience of seeing another solo student do some bone-head stuff.  A plane that was coming back into the pattern from VFR entry (where you go if there is some kind of space needed) either didn’t see me or just flat buggered it up.  Either way, it was kinda cool.   Anyway, I digress.  It was a very cool feeling to have the IP get out of the jet and then reach back into the cockpit and put his fist out.  Since I have a mask and visor on, he can’t see or hear anything, but he stuck his fist out like “Go kick some ass dude”.  Cool in my book. 

            Now for those of you who have no feelings or are too “macho” to admit it, you can just skip this section.  Flying a plane by yourself is really not too big of a deal, I mean, if you weren’t ready, no IP would send you out there to go get yourself or others killed.  But the cool things are the little things.   Like I said above, much props to the IP.  Another example of something you don’t expect to be a big deal.  When you are normally flying the Crew Chiefs (Maintenance guys that handle all the ground stuff) just give you a “thumbs up” to let you go, but when you solo, the IP salutes you.  Oh man, I knew it was coming (Didn’t even think twice about it), but there is just something tremendously bitchin’ about being saluted as you (and only you) take a United States Air Force jet out.   Little kids dream about that shit.  Yeah, yeah, sure, all you F-16’s out there, whatever, I kicked ass in my tiny little underpowered Tweet.  Another thing that is cool, is when all your buds pick your tail up and throw you into a bucket of freezing cold water.  Yeah, okay, that part sucks, but the handshakes and “congrats” you get afterwards is something I will never forget (Yes, that’s right Capt. N, you win). – see picture

            As for the dunk-tank, I almost made it back into the flight-room (Which would require a case of beer delivered to me from the flight) but I got caught less than 20 feet away!  My buddy “Hot Karl” asked me how it was and then tripped me up, so the others could help.  Sucka!  Foo! DOH!   Well, I, like my flight-mates was dragged down the hall, and heaved into the tank (Approx. 45 degree water).  I got it all on tape, thanks to one of the wives who especially came down to see.  Thanks again.  As for the other wives, ppfffttt, they are on my shit-list.  JUST KIDDING! 

            That’s it, that’s all, yeah I made some mistakes (Minor ones) but we won’t get into those because, frankly, it doesn’t matter.   It’s time to turn the focus back on to the rest of the course. Cripes, I have Mid-phase Checkride in 6 more flights.  Yeah baby.