Am I ready? Yes. Am I scared? Yes. Am I nervous? Yes. Did I know all my co-workers were watching me? Yes.
I am talking about the day of my first solo flight, March 28, 2024. It was a beautiful day for flying and my instructor and I had been training for months now to sharpen my skills to one day be a Private pilot. But my first mission was to solo the airplane. We had battled the unpredictable Ohio weather, stage checks, and business travel to finally get to this point. Leading up to this lesson, I knew that this day would be the day. We had carefully planned and practiced up to the anticipated first solo day, so I knew we would be going up together for a few practice laps in the pattern and then he would kick me out to be on my own.
FIRST SOLO! I could not help but smile and be proud of myself.
My lesson was scheduled for 8am. I was ready and determined to knock this out of the park. Everything was in order: I had my Flight Gear iPad Bag stocked up with my David Clark headset, logbook, student pilot’s license, driver’s license, medical certificate, and my first solo endorsement. It was clear I was ready. Besides that, my instructor said I was ready and I trusted him implicitly. I arrived at the airport (I69) ready to get this over with before the work day started at Sporty’s when I got the text from my instructor, “Our plane has frost. Hoping it clears off.” This can’t be happening. I am ready and I am supposed to do this today when nobody is here so nobody can make a big deal out of the event.
An hour and a half later, during the middle of the work day, it was go time. I jumped up from my desk and walked out to my airplane, the Cessna 172S Skyhawk. I knocked out a few practice laps with my instructor as I imagined, and then it was time to get the GoPros and audio cables connected to capture this defining moment. Okay, now we are ready…almost.
It’s time to start the airplane which I have done dozens of times by now, but every start up until this point had been a cold start. Well, now it was hot after my instructor and I took a few practice laps. The airplane just kept turning over and never would catch. “Great,” I thought to myself, “everyone at Sporty’s is inside eating this up.” Finally, with a little advice from my instructor, I got the airplane to turn over and it was ready to go.
“Clermont County Traffic, Skyhawk 2135 Sierra is departing runway 22, Clermont.” Well, here goes nothing. Full throttle, airspeed is alive, rotation at 55 knots and climb out at 74 knots. I turn crosswind, then downwind, and base. My turn to final is a little wide so I corrected back onto the extended centerline for runway 22 for a descent, but safe landing. I did it! FIRST SOLO! I could not help but smile and be proud of myself. What a rush! The feeling is incredible.
After another lap in the pattern, it was time to celebrate. Working at Sporty’s, I know what that entails. We have all of our office employees come out to our atrium to celebrate with the student pilot for a round of applause and to shake hands with the newest member of the solo club. Something that happened to be one of the best, and most exhilarating experiences of my life, was actually something I was dreading (I did not want the attention). These people who came to celebrate, whom I know, recognize, work beside, and consider friends, have all come out to celebrate me and to show me recognition of my dedication and commitment to flight training. They made me feel like an all-star and a million bucks.
My custom shirttail to commemorate my first solo.
The celebration was not over. Unbeknownst to me there was a little ceremony after the great recognition. Our flight school executive team presented me with multiple tokens of accomplishment and a little history lesson. I was given a challenge coin to mark the occasion, first solo t-shirt, and certificate for my first solo flight. Also, my flight instructor performed the ceremonial shirttail cutting, which I was informed was to pay homage to early aviation before there were intercoms, when the only way for the instructor to communicate with the student was to pull on the student’s shirttail. So, being the student in this case, I demonstrated to my CFI that I was able to operate an aircraft solo, and I no longer “needed” my shirttail.
After my shirttail was cut off, my instructor decorated it and we have since hung it up in our flight school for all of the customers and fellow pilots to see. After that, it will get professionally framed for me to keep, and to pay me a reminder of that very special spring day.
My advice for all student pilots who are just starting, or who are going to solo soon: embrace it. Have fun, be prepared, and do not stress—your CFI would not have issued you an endorsement if they thought you could not do it. Lastly, celebrate! Invite your friends, family, and co-workers. They will all be excited to make a trip out to the airport to share your big day. It is a huge accomplishment that most people never get to experience. Take pictures! Record it! Simply put, make it a big deal because it is a big deal!
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/29121756/hartley-solo.jpg468624Russell Hartleyhttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17092615/FTC_Redesign_2025_WhiteRed_WEB.pngRussell Hartley2024-05-12 08:55:542024-04-29 12:24:16My first solo flight
All airports rely on a traffic pattern to allow for the efficient sequencing of both departing and arriving airplanes. Test your knowledge of these arrival and departure flows in our latest interactive scenario, by reading the traffic pattern direction and runway assignment and dragging the airplane to the correct colored path.
This is one of 18 new interactive exercises included in Sporty’s 2024 Learn to Fly Course, which includes over 15 hours of HD and 4K video training.
is an adaptive flight training system that offers a fresh alternative and replacement to a traditional syllabus. AFTA automatically generates individualized lessons based on student performance so each lesson is unique to your training needs. And the system can be accessed online or via a dedicated iPad/iPhone app.
While the importance of utilizing a training syllabus is well-documented, the promise of AFTA is to make the flight training process more effective for the student, the instructor, and the flight school. Instead of the prescribed lesson content in a traditional flight training syllabus, AFTA individually customizes lesson plans based upon the student’s progress and FAA training requirements. Students can also see how they’ve performed with a full detailed lesson history and can check their training progress through detailed progress reports. Students will also appreciate anytime access to lesson prep materials including article, videos and helpful tips.
CFIs and flight schools can also benefit from AFTA as it offers lesson prep, access to student records, and grading to airmen certification standards to help deliver a quality flight training experience. While AFTA automatically assigns lesson elements based on student performance, CFIs and schools maintain the flexibility to modify lessons on demand.
AFTA is free for flight schools and CFIs and free for students with an AOPA membership. Learn more at aopa.org/AFTA.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/05141421/sm-Students_mock-up_MacBook-Silver-Dash.png484800Flight Training Central Staffhttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17092615/FTC_Redesign_2025_WhiteRed_WEB.pngFlight Training Central Staff2024-05-10 08:55:522024-04-22 11:24:57AOPA Flight Training Advantage offers a unique, modern approach to flight training
Why does my flight instructor want me to keep flying circles around water towers and fields?
In this episode, Spencer demonstrates how to fly several of the common ground reference maneuvers, including turns around a point and the rectangular course. Not only will these help you learn to better control the airplane while compensating for the effects of the wind, but they’ll help you fly a better traffic pattern when returning to land after each flight.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/08091058/Episode2-Learn-to-Fly-RELEASE_CANDIDATE-v2-copy.jpg10801920Flight Training Central Staffhttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17092615/FTC_Redesign_2025_WhiteRed_WEB.pngFlight Training Central Staff2024-05-09 08:55:052024-04-29 09:45:10Ground reference maneuvers with Spencer Suderman (episode 2)
There’s nothing like your first takeoff in an airplane to show you the fun and freedom of flying.
Getting into the air and taking your first flight is the most important—and most enjoyable—step you can take in your journey. There’s nothing like your first takeoff in an airplane to show you the fun and freedom of flying. If you’re on the fence about learning to fly, go take a first lesson!
For your first flight, you and your instructor will probably spend about an hour together. You’ll do a pre-flight inspection of the airplane, talk about some basic concepts and then go flying. You’ll most likely sit in the left seat, with your hands on the controls—you are flying!
The instructor will show you a normal takeoff, basic maneuvers (straight and level flight, turns, descents, etc.) and a normal landing. When you land, your instructor will make your first logbook entry. You’re now on your way to becoming a pilot.
https://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/05182552/Charlie-Chris-flight.png11392047Flight Training Central Staffhttps://media.flighttrainingcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17092615/FTC_Redesign_2025_WhiteRed_WEB.pngFlight Training Central Staff2024-05-08 08:55:372024-05-08 09:12:40Your first flight lesson – a video preview
As much as it seems sometimes that airplanes fly by magic, it’s important for every pilot to understand at least the basic fundamentals of aerodynamics. These principles dictate not only how the aircraft stays aloft, but what makes it either stable or unstable.
Understanding these concepts will create a smoother and safer pilot. Take this quiz to test your aerodynamics knowledge.
1. Select the four flight fundamentals involved in maneuvering an aircraft.
Correct!Wrong!
2. The term 'angle of attack' is defined as the angle between the
Correct!Wrong!
3. When does P-factor cause the airplane to yaw to the left?
Correct!Wrong!
4. Which statement relates to Bernoulli's principle?
Correct!Wrong!
5. What force makes an airplane turn?
Correct!Wrong!
6. The acute angle A is the angle of
Correct!Wrong!
7. Which basic flight maneuver increases the load factor on an airplane as compared to straight-and-level flight?
Correct!Wrong!
8. The four forces acting on an airplane in flight are
Correct!Wrong!
9. The angle of attack at which an airplane wing stalls will
My first solo flight
/in Personal stories/by Russell HartleyAm I ready? Yes. Am I scared? Yes. Am I nervous? Yes. Did I know all my co-workers were watching me? Yes.
I am talking about the day of my first solo flight, March 28, 2024. It was a beautiful day for flying and my instructor and I had been training for months now to sharpen my skills to one day be a Private pilot. But my first mission was to solo the airplane. We had battled the unpredictable Ohio weather, stage checks, and business travel to finally get to this point. Leading up to this lesson, I knew that this day would be the day. We had carefully planned and practiced up to the anticipated first solo day, so I knew we would be going up together for a few practice laps in the pattern and then he would kick me out to be on my own.
FIRST SOLO! I could not help but smile and be proud of myself.
My lesson was scheduled for 8am. I was ready and determined to knock this out of the park. Everything was in order: I had my Flight Gear iPad Bag stocked up with my David Clark headset, logbook, student pilot’s license, driver’s license, medical certificate, and my first solo endorsement. It was clear I was ready. Besides that, my instructor said I was ready and I trusted him implicitly. I arrived at the airport (I69) ready to get this over with before the work day started at Sporty’s when I got the text from my instructor, “Our plane has frost. Hoping it clears off.” This can’t be happening. I am ready and I am supposed to do this today when nobody is here so nobody can make a big deal out of the event.
An hour and a half later, during the middle of the work day, it was go time. I jumped up from my desk and walked out to my airplane, the Cessna 172S Skyhawk. I knocked out a few practice laps with my instructor as I imagined, and then it was time to get the GoPros and audio cables connected to capture this defining moment. Okay, now we are ready…almost.
It’s time to start the airplane which I have done dozens of times by now, but every start up until this point had been a cold start. Well, now it was hot after my instructor and I took a few practice laps. The airplane just kept turning over and never would catch. “Great,” I thought to myself, “everyone at Sporty’s is inside eating this up.” Finally, with a little advice from my instructor, I got the airplane to turn over and it was ready to go.
“Clermont County Traffic, Skyhawk 2135 Sierra is departing runway 22, Clermont.” Well, here goes nothing. Full throttle, airspeed is alive, rotation at 55 knots and climb out at 74 knots. I turn crosswind, then downwind, and base. My turn to final is a little wide so I corrected back onto the extended centerline for runway 22 for a descent, but safe landing. I did it! FIRST SOLO! I could not help but smile and be proud of myself. What a rush! The feeling is incredible.
After another lap in the pattern, it was time to celebrate. Working at Sporty’s, I know what that entails. We have all of our office employees come out to our atrium to celebrate with the student pilot for a round of applause and to shake hands with the newest member of the solo club. Something that happened to be one of the best, and most exhilarating experiences of my life, was actually something I was dreading (I did not want the attention). These people who came to celebrate, whom I know, recognize, work beside, and consider friends, have all come out to celebrate me and to show me recognition of my dedication and commitment to flight training. They made me feel like an all-star and a million bucks.
My custom shirttail to commemorate my first solo.
The celebration was not over. Unbeknownst to me there was a little ceremony after the great recognition. Our flight school executive team presented me with multiple tokens of accomplishment and a little history lesson. I was given a challenge coin to mark the occasion, first solo t-shirt, and certificate for my first solo flight. Also, my flight instructor performed the ceremonial shirttail cutting, which I was informed was to pay homage to early aviation before there were intercoms, when the only way for the instructor to communicate with the student was to pull on the student’s shirttail. So, being the student in this case, I demonstrated to my CFI that I was able to operate an aircraft solo, and I no longer “needed” my shirttail.
After my shirttail was cut off, my instructor decorated it and we have since hung it up in our flight school for all of the customers and fellow pilots to see. After that, it will get professionally framed for me to keep, and to pay me a reminder of that very special spring day.
My advice for all student pilots who are just starting, or who are going to solo soon: embrace it. Have fun, be prepared, and do not stress—your CFI would not have issued you an endorsement if they thought you could not do it. Lastly, celebrate! Invite your friends, family, and co-workers. They will all be excited to make a trip out to the airport to share your big day. It is a huge accomplishment that most people never get to experience. Take pictures! Record it! Simply put, make it a big deal because it is a big deal!
Flying the Airport Traffic Pattern (Interactive Scenario)
/in Tips and technique/by Bret KoebbeAll airports rely on a traffic pattern to allow for the efficient sequencing of both departing and arriving airplanes. Test your knowledge of these arrival and departure flows in our latest interactive scenario, by reading the traffic pattern direction and runway assignment and dragging the airplane to the correct colored path.
This is one of 18 new interactive exercises included in Sporty’s 2024 Learn to Fly Course, which includes over 15 hours of HD and 4K video training.
AOPA Flight Training Advantage offers a unique, modern approach to flight training
/in News/by Flight Training Central Staffis an adaptive flight training system that offers a fresh alternative and replacement to a traditional syllabus. AFTA automatically generates individualized lessons based on student performance so each lesson is unique to your training needs. And the system can be accessed online or via a dedicated iPad/iPhone app.
While the importance of utilizing a training syllabus is well-documented, the promise of AFTA is to make the flight training process more effective for the student, the instructor, and the flight school. Instead of the prescribed lesson content in a traditional flight training syllabus, AFTA individually customizes lesson plans based upon the student’s progress and FAA training requirements. Students can also see how they’ve performed with a full detailed lesson history and can check their training progress through detailed progress reports. Students will also appreciate anytime access to lesson prep materials including article, videos and helpful tips.
CFIs and flight schools can also benefit from AFTA as it offers lesson prep, access to student records, and grading to airmen certification standards to help deliver a quality flight training experience. While AFTA automatically assigns lesson elements based on student performance, CFIs and schools maintain the flexibility to modify lessons on demand.
AFTA is free for flight schools and CFIs and free for students with an AOPA membership. Learn more at aopa.org/AFTA.
Ground reference maneuvers with Spencer Suderman (episode 2)
/in Video Tips/by Flight Training Central StaffWhy does my flight instructor want me to keep flying circles around water towers and fields?
In this episode, Spencer demonstrates how to fly several of the common ground reference maneuvers, including turns around a point and the rectangular course. Not only will these help you learn to better control the airplane while compensating for the effects of the wind, but they’ll help you fly a better traffic pattern when returning to land after each flight.
Your first flight lesson – a video preview
/in Getting Started/by Flight Training Central StaffThere’s nothing like your first takeoff in an airplane to show you the fun and freedom of flying.
Getting into the air and taking your first flight is the most important—and most enjoyable—step you can take in your journey. There’s nothing like your first takeoff in an airplane to show you the fun and freedom of flying. If you’re on the fence about learning to fly, go take a first lesson!
For your first flight, you and your instructor will probably spend about an hour together. You’ll do a pre-flight inspection of the airplane, talk about some basic concepts and then go flying. You’ll most likely sit in the left seat, with your hands on the controls—you are flying!
The instructor will show you a normal takeoff, basic maneuvers (straight and level flight, turns, descents, etc.) and a normal landing. When you land, your instructor will make your first logbook entry. You’re now on your way to becoming a pilot.
Quiz: Basic Aircraft Aerodynamics
/in Quiz/by Chris ClarkeAs much as it seems sometimes that airplanes fly by magic, it’s important for every pilot to understand at least the basic fundamentals of aerodynamics. These principles dictate not only how the aircraft stays aloft, but what makes it either stable or unstable.
Understanding these concepts will create a smoother and safer pilot. Take this quiz to test your aerodynamics knowledge.
Share the quiz to show your results !
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Want to learn more about airplane aerodynamics? Check out Sporty’s Learn To Fly Course for more in-depth training on this subject.