Flight Date: September 9, 2014
Flight School: Winnipeg Lyncrest Airport
Flight Instructor: Dana Chepil
Message: My solo had been pushed back a few days already due to poor conditions so I didn’t have my expectations too high for this night either, but weather through the day showed improving trends and my instructor and I thought it would be worth heading to the airport anyway. My family drove out for support despite me saying that I might not even be soloing that night, so when I saw them parked on the road beside the end of 27 I was surprised but glad they showed up! On my fourth dual circuit Dana asked me to call a full stop so she could jump out – by then the sun was on its way down for the evening. In what seemed like a very short time, I landed, she told me to have fun, patted my shoulder and slammed the door. The fact that I was alone didn’t really come to my mind until I had begun climbing out and noticed the huge difference in the aircraft’s performance! By now the sun was low enough to cast a beautiful colour of light to the west of the airport and across the instruments. When turning final I acknowledged the field to my left which my Dad always said would be ideal for landing in case of engine failure, and found myself reciting emergency procedures and being very focused on glide slope. The single circuit that I did went by extremely fast, and despite being unhappy with my landing I couldn’t stop smiling once I shut down and Dana opened the door to congratulate me. Despite recently turning 21, I still had the “first solo smile” as everyone does.
I think the most rewarding thing about learning to fly at Lyncrest is the support I have from Springfield Flying Club members. Everyone I’ve met is a passionate aviator excited to see me progress through the stages of learning to fly, and excited to see another student complete their first solo at CJL5!
