First Solo Cross Country

WOW! My first solo cross country flight! 2.4 hours of Pilot-in-Command (PIC) time -- that's right -- me, alone in the airplane, going places. Terrifying and thrilling all at the same time.

My plan was to fly from HPN to Pittsfield, Massachusetts (KPSF), land, then fly to Waterbury, Connecticut (KOXC), land, then return to White Plains -- all by pilotage. It was a cold, gray day without too much wind and a clear forecast. My CFI gave me clearance to go and asked that I call his cell phone from each stop.

I took off and climbed to 3,500ft MSL. My first few checkpoints were coming right on schedule which gave me confidence and helped me calm down. About 25 miles from PSF, I began to experience some mild turbulence. Amazing how much worse this feels when you're alone in the airplane. As I ponder the isolation of my situation, BAM, there is this huge jolt of turbulence and I hit my head on the canopy. I had recently read an aviation story about a single pilot who had just set his autopilot for level flight to his next waypoint and the next thing he remembers is waking up 60 miles past the waypoint! He'd hit his head so hard on the airplane's canopy he'd be knocked unconscious -- it was just dumb luck the jolt had come just after the engagement of the autopilot -- a few seconds earlier and the outcome would have most likely been lethal. With this story in mind, I cinch my seatbeat down hard across my lap and quietly ask myself what am doing here?!?

The turbulence continues but remains mild, no more huge jolts, and I make a one-small-bounce landing into PSF with a 8kt 40 degree crosswind. OK, time for a phone call to my CFI and few minutes to collect my thoughts and prepare for my next leg. The trip to OXC goes a little slower than my flight log predicted as the headwinds are getting stronger. I am able to adjust the flight plan as I go and OXC comes into view about the time it should based on the adjusted figures. The landing goes well, another phone call and a little more time to prepare for the leg home. The last leg is the easiest as I recognize most of the landscape between OXC and HPN. I am relieved when HPN comes into sight. A left downwind for runway 34, a turn to base, then final and a smooth landing. As I taxi back to Panorama, I am overwhelmed by an enormous sense of accomplishment. I have just flown an airplane -- by myself -- to 3 separate airports, without using Navaids (strictly by pilotage) and returned home safely!

I am elated and exhausted. WOW.