If you are a student pilot, you will eventually need to do a “cross country” solo away from the familiar surroundings of your home airport. This first solo into unfamiliar territory can be intimidating at first but it will also prove to be a major confidence booster.
Hence, a recent post by Jason Schappert containing a couple of tips for your first cross country solo is well worth reading. Jason’s main point is that you should start with a great plan. In other words, you need to:
– Pick checkpoints you know you can find or have found in the past.
– Start planning early, use the night before to knockout non-weather related items and do the weather stuff the day of the flight.
– Work on your organization, where will you put everything in the cockpit? Remember you have an extra seat.
In addition, Jason has also created a short aviation radio segment where he talked to a reader who was about to do his first solo. In the half-hour segment, Jason gives plenty of additional tips for students who are preparing for their very first solo and hence, the segment is well worth listening to.