Practicing landings & takeoffs, my instructor told me to stop mid taxi. Opened the canopy, hopped off the plane and told me "You're flying solo now, congratulations.". Flight hour number 23, my first ever solo flight:

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holdmychorizo@reddit

Well done! Best day in any aviators' life. More will come but this one beats any. Good luck for the rest 👍🏻

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TexasBrett@reddit

That’s how mine did. Told me to taxi over to the hard stand and take it around. The most nervous I’ve ever been in my life.

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I was doing touch and go training: my instructor made me stop on the runway, he hopped out and told me that he didn't have do anything and that i was ready. He shoved me out of the nest. 3 T&G later I had my first solo under my belt. I was so full of myself at 17 lol.

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

I'm glad it was a surprise because otherwise the nerves would have eaten me up. Thankfully I'm so slow at emotionally processing stuff that my brain went " 'aight, guess we flying solo now🗿" lol

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toromio@reddit

He probably did that knowing you and how you needed to be coached. Great landing, btw. You handled that first bounce like a pro. I wish phones and cameras were as common when I had my first solo.

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TexasBrett@reddit

Similar…I was only 18 then…think I would’ve freaked out now.

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G-III-@reddit

Good to have the ability to isolate your mindset like that. Not letting nerves you know would affect you intervene is good.

Trust your training. You know what to do, and you know how to follow your training in a stressful situation.

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horst-graben@reddit

Nice, that was my experience too. My mind works the same... "guess we're gonna find out if I'm ready or not" lol

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Evening_Run8419@reddit

For my first heli solo my instructor got out and said do one circuit then back here and try not to land on me. lol 😜

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Adventurous_Coast600@reddit

Not my experience at all. I had a different instructor, someone I had never met before, check me out and then I flew a single solo circuit. Was very exciting, also very intentional.

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gromm93@reddit

It seems to be tradition, really. Probably to help with the nerves you feel as a student. Can you imagine how this would go down if they told you 3 days ago "you'll be soloing on Thursday"?

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DeltaBelter@reddit

Same here

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Beneficial_Type_8810@reddit

I was great on mine until I looked to my right and didn't see anybody sitting there and the realization that I had to get this sucker back down by myself hit.

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neucoas@reddit

GEZ? Felicitaciones!!

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Sí señor, es mí nido. Mil gracias!

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neucoas@reddit

Zarpado ! Yo vuelo el 074/086 ahi tambien !

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NotCook59@reddit

Congratulations! You’ll never forget this day. Did he cut off your shirt tail?

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Mole-NLD@reddit

Congrats man! We all remember our first and your instructor had an especially cool way of telling you it was your time! Enjoy the moment and all hours to come.

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Desert-Democrat-602@reddit

Congrats! Did he cut off the tail of your shirt and sign it? Old tradition.

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Fat bucket of Ice cold water to the face, given the heat, it was extremely welcome. Thank you!!

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Bergasms@reddit

Hooray! I did my solo in a harmony as well, lovely little plane!

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Simple yet well equipped, and with good, forgiving handling to boot. Yeah the Harmony's great, thank you!

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sidali44@reddit

Congratulations! Awesome feeling

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arjunnath@reddit

Congrats!... how many hours of training till your solo ?

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

It's on a case by case basis, on average around the 20 hour mark. But there are a lot of factors that go into the first solo flight. The instructor is waiting for the right weather, low traffic, and you to be flying confidently.

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Infinite_Love_23@reddit

Good for you! If I ever win a lot of money. This is the first thing I'm doing after quitting my job.

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

it ain't cheap but it's doable. The entire course (40 hours flight time + Simulator + Theory classes) costed me a little over $4.200 usd.

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Infinite_Love_23@reddit

The expensive part is to keep flying after that. My dad had an Cessna-172 when I grew up but he couldn't afford to keep up the repairs and the required hours. I'm in the Netherlands though, so I think flying might be a bit more expensive here. Definitely changed from an upper middle class hobby to something only the very wealthy can afford unfortunately.

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Oh yeah, personal planes are a money pit. Especially in Europe where land is at a premium, I'd imagine the hangar space cost alone would bring me to tears.

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Aggravating_Grass_67@reddit

Congrats 👏

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LogExpert5281@reddit

Congrats. And you greased the landing for good measure.

I can’t wait to start on my own Pylote course and for this exact moment in particular.

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8treasurez@reddit

Felicidades! Mi primer vuelo solo fue tb algo así... totalmente sorpresivo

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bambooshoes@reddit

You buttered that landing! Congrats!

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clemgr@reddit

Congrats!

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Thank you! Next milestone is the navigational flight with VFR😁😁😁😁

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Kain_713@reddit

I'd be so excited and simultaneously shitting myself at the same time

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OoohjeezRick@reddit

Oh cool! Im flying alone!......Oh god im flying alone!!

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AreWeThereYetNo@reddit

By the time you get there, you’re ready. It’s exhilarating.

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Kain_713@reddit

I'm still in the saving up money for stuff phase but I'm equal parts terrified and excited lol

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LabInternational448@reddit

Same here! First solo after 8h and the instructor told me to watch out for the climb performance - it's a rocket now :)

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Prince_Joash@reddit

This is awesome

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mogrim@reddit

Enhorabuena 🎉

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Velquix@reddit

That's some nextalevel adrenaline rush right there!

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Velquix@reddit

That's some nextalevel motivational landing right there!

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SnooFoxes3615@reddit

Smooth

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Technical-Patient28@reddit

Enhorabuena

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Correct_Security_742@reddit

Well done!

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ilikeithot360@reddit

Greased that one right in!

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ClassicBrother5981@reddit

Congratulettion !!

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ClassicBrother5981@reddit

Cheers!!!

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ClassicBrother5981@reddit

Cheers!!!!!

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Nigel_melish01@reddit

Woohoo!

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Better-Weird-5949@reddit

I’m so happy for you. Truly one of the best goals to have been achieved.

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Mediocre_Gur9159@reddit

Congratulations

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last_one_on_Earth@reddit

Smooth!

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ukulelebug@reddit

Congratulations

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TheUknownPoster@reddit

Not gonna lie, my first thought was: "fuck this, you're on your own. Good luck..."

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Roger_Freedman_Phys@reddit

¡Felicidades! 🇦🇷

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un_commoncents_@reddit

Congrats 🎉

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bobveltman@reddit

that is a shark, right?

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InnerBreath2884@reddit

Congrats!

Also, nice Evektor

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maccad001@reddit

Best feeling ever mate. Congratulations

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Latter-Examination42@reddit

That’s exactly how I got it. My Dad was my instructor.

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Adventurous-Nose-31@reddit

And the landing looked perfect! Well done all around.

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Vestat1@reddit

Congratulations!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

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WardogBlaze14@reddit

Always a good feeling when that happens.

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QuikWitt@reddit

That’s awesome. I remember my solo like it was yesterday - at 18 hours - my CFI did the same thing - jumped out, “see ya when you get back!” I about crapped my pants.

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meelsport55@reddit

I don't know much about flying planes but I know that was a smooth ass landing

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armored-dinnerjacket@reddit

can't do that in a 737

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eagleace21@reddit

Thats what my CFI did also! Was at 9 hours and we were doing pattern work. Our field we did stop and go's so on the taxi back he starts saying "brakes brakes brakes" I stop he asked for my logbook, I give it to him he signs off my solo cert pops it I'm my lap and says "have fun" before getting out. Was a surreal experience!

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RJizzyJizzle@reddit

Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Mine was similar and I loved it!

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Maelstrom_Witch@reddit

Same! We were doing stop & gos, she got out, I said WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING and she said go do a circuit and come pick me up.

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AlexVlahos@reddit

Smooth landing! I remember noticing being 175 lbs lighter without my instructor (or maybe that was just my excuse for a landing far less beautiful than yours)

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jamgar@reddit

Congrats!

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rkmvca@reddit

Congratulations! Nice little plane, what is it?

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Practical_Tomato_680@reddit

Congrats..

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rygelicus@reddit

Congrats! That's a great moment when suddenly everything is in your hands with no safety net sitting next to you.

That's how mine happened. We flew to a small (very small narrow runway at an uncontrolled field) and he hopped out and told me to do 3 landings and pick him up after the third. We chose that field because the controlled fields in the area were all IFR, but only barely. That was a good day.

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TheRogueWolf_YT@reddit

Hey, at least you were still on the ground when he did it.

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No_Volume_9616@reddit

Welcome to the club!

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Solid_Vermicelli_510@reddit

Congratulations 🎉

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mjdau@reddit

With a landing like that, you will never get a job at Ryanair.

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FirmOwl7086@reddit

That's awesome Congrats.

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SailTango@reddit

One of the best days of your life. Enjoy!

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DotComCTO@reddit

Congrats! It’s the best and scariest feeling at the same time! All of a sudden you realize, “Ummm…there’s no one next to me to tell me what to do?!?! Uhhhhh…oh boy!”. 😃😎

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Island_Smudger@reddit

Congrats, greased it

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ShaneTheBilby@reddit

For a moment I thought you were taking off from your backyard

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scroopynoopers07@reddit

You sure he just didn’t have to go to the bathroom super bad?

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pornborn@reddit

Congrats!

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rekiirek@reddit

Well done, they had faith in you and you proved it.

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Eriash@reddit

That is awesome, good for you - congratsn!

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cienfuegones@reddit

Such a great moment. I remember the little C162 I trained in floating 3 feet above the runway forever without the instructor’s weight in it.

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Dannylectro55@reddit

One of the best days of my life! Hope it is for you too!

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cheetuzz@reddit

nice! what model airplane is that?

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Thank you! Yes the other guy is right, it's an Evektor Harmony.

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SpaceDetective@reddit

Looks^* like an Evektor Harmony LSA.

^(as in I looked up the tail num)

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diroladna@reddit

That's awesome! Congrats on the move and the wings—sky's the limit!

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blurrrsky@reddit

Greased in your first landing, pretty!

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BondMath2025@reddit

My first solo was in 1967, and I remember the butterflies and talking to myself (aloud) as if it was yesterday.

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

I imagined my instructor chewing me out every time I was about to make a mistake throughout the entire circuit. He's my mental "Bitchin Betty".

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Roelmen@reddit

Can see you smiling all the way. Congrats

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Magnet2025@reddit

Congratulations!

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

thank you!!

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LunchPeak@reddit

Congrats! Great landing for a first solo!

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Thanks, yeah I'm quite proud of it ngl (buddy almost stalled twice on final).

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TheChiefDVD@reddit

Congrats! My instructor did a similar thing when I soloed in 1970. We were on the taxi way and he yelled, “Stop! Stop!” I did. He hopped out and said, “Go fly alone. You scare me! Do three T&Gs and come back. And don’t f-up my airplane!”

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

HAHAH that's great, old school instructors were a different breed. Thank you!

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Weekly_Injury_9211@reddit

Still remember that day for me, only difference was he said “Don’t fuck up your aeroplane”.

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BonsaiHI60@reddit

Wow!!! Congratulations on a successful solo flight!!!

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rickmaz@reddit

Congrats!

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dcl415@reddit

Felicitaciones!

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

Muchas gracias!

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dcl415@reddit

Se puede. Yo deje Argentina y me convertí en piloto en canada. Mucha suerte!

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

ufff tremendo, allá vuelan en serio, si llegas a volver a volar acá te vas a querer matar jajajaja. Mil gracias!

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dcl415@reddit

Jajaja. Algún día volveré

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ANC13NT_AP3@reddit

Congratulations friend! Was always my dream to fly, was sidelined because of sight and colorblindness issues. Soar high !

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Fat_Argentina@reddit (OP)

I'm sorry to hear that, I almost didn't make the cut due to having difficulties with certain colours. Thank you friend, I'd take you as a co pilot at least.

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