Dateline : New Jersey ....Aug 30. 2006 At 6:45 pm this evening, our entrepid adventurer had an unexpected flight lesson.... After preflighting, he taxied on to runway 32, with instructor aboard, he took off into the grey skies over Monmouth. After completing three near perfect touch and goes..... all of a sudden..... The Instructor says "My Airplane", jams on the brakes, does a 180 degree turn in the middle of the active runway, calling Monmouth traffic, with " November Seven One Four Victor Juliet back-taxiing runway 32, Monmouth" and stops, just after passing the Hold short runway markings. opens the passenger door, and quickly jumps out. Our entrepid adventurer, Thinks....... Oh No! the aircraft is on fire?? He has to go to the toilet?? A wasp got into the cabin?? I scared him half to death??? WHAT!!!!!!! ?????? Then I remembered.... no wind..... no gusts.... it's soooo calm..... I'M GOING TO SOLO!!! He says "Ok do three touch and goes, and come on in..... I have my radio, but I won't be talking to you." I glance at my watch.... It is 6:45 pm local. "Go for it" he says as he shuts the door, and I am alone in the cockpit, engine idling at 1000 RPM. I watch as he walks around to the rear of the aircraft.... (I don't want him to be my first prop slash victim, as he has yet to endorse my logbook....) advancing the throttle, I start to move ahead, veering to the right of the taxiway we're on, and execute a full turn and head back to the runway. I make a radio call. "7-1-4 Victor Juliet crossing runway 32, opposite terminal side, Monmouth" cross the runway and taxi to the hold short markings at the runway's end... "7-1-4 Victor Juliet, Student Pilot First Solo, departing, runway 32, Monmouth" Move to runway centerline, feeling confident, and in control, slowly but smoothly advance throttle. I begin moving down the runway. 10, 20, 30 knots. "Airspeed is alive" "Stay centered..." I think, and do. 40 knots, 50 knots "Rotate" I ease back on the yoke. 60 knots, and the aircraft leaves the ground! Amazingly. I am still here.... No, I'm not dreaming this IS happening!!! "OK now, just as before when he was there ..... (in case....) get to best angle of climb. thats 65 knots, Ok scan the instruments. attitude Indicator in a wings level climb... the altimeter rising steadily.. Look out the window scan for traffic... (None there) enjoy the view! I look down on my place of employment, and remember the day's on end when I would watch other aircraft in this very spot, from the ground, saying "boy! I wish that was me right now!" Now it really is!! Ok now! Enough of that! Don't become distracted.. fly the aircraft. You can day dream later... Scan Instr, again, .... coming up on our turning altitude, 700 ft............ radio in,(position and intent), and maintaining the climb, turn CROSSWIND. Continue climbing till one half mile from runway, the radio in (position and intent), again, and turn "DOWNWIND" , level off at 1000 ft and maintain. Set RPM, to 2350, now look around ... Still no traffic, radio is silent, except for some white noise. It's like I'm the only one flying near here! *( Hey! Did I scare them all away??) a Helicopter clears thru, behind me, for the FSS. Ok ! ! The radio is working... Coming up on the numbers soon, go over the landing procedure. Carb Heat>ON RPM 1600>. Don't go too far downwind before your turn, OK here we are making the turn, Radio in.... x-x-4 Victor Juliet, turning base rwy32 . Ratz!! Distracted by the turn, and finding the landmark, I'm a bit low...add 200 RPM.. OK !! (Proud of the recovery) radio in, and turn final. Not too wide..... not too narrow.... Oops overshot it by a few feet, bank left, and L rudder, to correct... not too much... OK... maintain Centerline now..... correct as soon as you feel any drift begin. You're almost there... throttle all the way out. Runway made. Maintain center line, down, down, easy, don't dive for it.! Over the numbers now, let her settle scan instr. Whoa! airspeed 80 knots.... that's why I'm floating... Oh damn! I just made it in flapless!.... Ok no harm, I'm down....next time.........! I do a rolling cleanup, (this is a touch and go,) and power up again. Second time around, is a bit better, landing with 20 degrees of flap. But in cleanup. when resetting flaps, I accidentally nudged the throttle a bit.and before I knew it I was airborn again. Instinctively, I levelled off.... throttled all up, and waited for airspeed to build. Upon reaching 70 knots, I eased back on the yoke, and started to climb. Hey! That was my first Emergency as PIC! Feeling kinda proud of myself for such a wonderfully miraculous recovery, I patted myself on the back (Just once mind you) and continued to climb. On the third go round, I announced Victor Juliet, Turning Final to a full stop, Monmouth." whereas the Instr says "You can make one more if you want..." I reply "Affirmative! Victor Juliet will make one more touch and go. This time everything went well, even though it was getting dark and the runway difficult to see, till the runway lights went on... when (incidentally), I felt like a pro! I am a pilot! I made three touch and go's and a full stop all by myself! The plane suffered no adverse affects ............it's reusable too! All and all it was quite un dramatic, and left no impression on me. I tried calling some pilot friends, but no one was around to celebrate with. No one except my room-mate, who was unimpressed... An ex Exterminator, He just trapped (caught) two mice, in the kitchen.................... Woo Woo!! the day's accomplishment......
Congratulations, Skyraider ! Now you are one ! Great feeling, isn't it, to take the airplane off the ground on your own. Now go forth with care because you have just touched a small bit of what you must know to be a safe and competent pilot.
Congratulations Charlie! A fine moment and accomplishment. I actually had some vivid dreams of doing the exact same thing a few months ago, except in a Super Cub from a cow pasture in the valley near my home in Arlington. It was a great feeling, even in the dream. I hope you can get some serious hours in this fall while the weather is still good.
Thanks guy's.... All of you, for the continued support thru the SI, and months of waiting..... Yes Switches, Now I are one. So little time, so much to learn... The difficult part is over, and now comes the hard part... I will take care, and learn as much as I possibly can from anyone willing to give me the time. It's my plan to go on to CFI one day soon. Which, is not what I had originally intended. All I wanted then, was to get high...... Altitude that is, and look down and marvel at the view, similar to what I had seen, when I was in my early 20's. With the help and guidance of many people from the ladies that own the school, to the many fleeting CFI's, six in all....( One, I had for only a day, and his call came in for a regional....) to my piloting buddy Paul, who got me started with schooling once again, saying Come one day and fly with me...I did, and you know the rest. Ive met some wonderful new friends, both real and virtual, and hope to make many more. Roy, Thank you too! You've added to my aero knowlege, humor, and sense of importance in this accomplishment. I'm now a member of three minority groups.... 1) MENSA tested and passed 2nd percentile, and 2) an aeronautically inclined and licensed to learn 7th percentile. finally 3) the still alive, wise cracking old duffer, on a web forum. (Percentile: low, but unknown for sure.) Spasso Thank you too, for being my **Only** friend! [a Private joke]... Keep dreaming and all you'll need is the dollar! (NY lottery advertising statement: "All you need is a dollar and a dream.") As for myself, I was too overwhelmed by the almost out of body experience, [it was kind of like watching Spasso go thru it....] to really enjoy it. I think that, will come in these next few weeks, when the reality of what I have accomplished settles in my head. But I must say I was ready for it. totally in control. No jitters, no butterflies. I'd done it all just a few moments before, with no assistance, so.... why not, all alone? The one thing I'll never forget, is that single moment, just after lining up for take off, and before throttling up, the realization, that I, Charlie, (AKA Skyraider,) was finally living up to my call sign and actually out there, raiding the evening sky. So now it'll be some pattern work, for a few days, then out to the beach for some real pilot stuff.... Looking for the Bikini's!! Oh wait..... Summer is over.... RATZ! well, there's always next year..... or the once in a blue moon rooftop nudist..... anyone got a buck to spare?? Cheers!
Yep! It's the same place. The name Allaire, is from the State Park, nearby. The airport's official name is "Monmouth Executive Airport" Identifier: KBLM It's been known by many names since it's founder Ed Brown, (Who, passed on last year) first cleared the land and built the first hangar and runway (32) back in 1947. It is privately owned, and is the 3rd largest airport in the state, with Newark, and Atlantic City being the largest. Some of it's standout features were the *"Fly-in, Drive-in" A drive-in style movie theatre, *an amusement park with a Merry go round, *a small gauge railroad ride that travelled the grounds. It had a diesel style locomotive and passenger cars, and also an 1860's style steam locomotive painted red, with all Brass trim. Charlie
