Great week!!!!

I soloed in the T-6 and I got a 100% on my EPQ (test)!!!

I had my solo flight on Wednesday.

The plan is that your IP (instructor pilot) takes you up for a few laps around the patern.  Then yall land.  You IP gets out, switches name tags for good luck (so your IP is still in the plane with you), then you go off by yourself.  It's freekin sweet!

I flew with Major Gregg this day.  He is real chill.  He was a good IP to solo with because he has done this alot before.  He said that I was an easy person to solo..... so I take that as a compliment.

While taxiing out there I said a few prayers to the man upstairs and to Lt. Col. Collins.  I wasn't nervous or scared at all actually.   I felt prepared and ready.  The T-6 is a great aircraft.  And this particular plane that I was in was delivered to us in 2008.  It only had 124hrs on it!  It still had that new plane smell in it.  So maintenance gave me a great plane for my solo.

I was supposed to do at least one landing, and up to three.  I ended doing five landings....  Uhmm..... That was because I messed up my last landing twice.

I didn't really mess it up.   It was a great landing.  Smooth and all.  But I landed to close behind another plane and the tower told me to "go around".  Oh well.  I was freekin Chuck Yeager mixed with Chuck Norris up there.

After you solo it is a tradition to get dunked in the solo tank.  I was the first person in my class to solo (out of 34) so they were all pumped up to see one of us go up there by ourselves.  And I just happened to be the lucky one.  So everyone was there.

Also, they say that if you can get back to your flight room without being "captured" then you get a case of beer and you don't have to be dunked.  Haha.  That's a joke.  The tower parked me right in front of everyone and the dunk booth.  I didn't have a chance. Although the maintenance people told me that for a case of beer they would give me a blue jumpsuit to sneak off in.  Haha.  I kinda wanted to go though so....... I went.

On the short walk towards everyone I took off all of my patches and emptied my pockets.  I keep my wedding ring in my flight suit while flying because we are not allowed to wear rings while flying.  I kept my ring in my pocket and the coin that Lt. Col. Collins gave me.  So I got thrown in with Kristen and Lt. Col. Collins.  That was awesome for me. By the way... it was about 45 degrees.

Kristen came out there to support me.  It was awesome.  Every time that I "broke" in the pattern I would give a quick look down at everyone watching me.  It was cold that day and Kristen had a white jacket on so I could see her every time.  That was pretty cool.  Usually I look at our house when I am in the pattern on a normal day and see if our cars are home (Kristen is home or not).  That's kinda fun to me.  But this day I could look down and actually see Kristen! Haha.

Ha.  Also..., Kristen said that she was so nervous for me.  I guess that should be expected.  But later that night she told me that she was just realizing what I do everyday.... Haha.  I had to laugh.  It was her first time watching me fly though.  She was like.." You're a real pilot".  Haha.  Priceless.

Later that day in my flight room my flight commander gave me my flight patch.  You can't wear it until you solo.  he put it on me and everyone in my flight got to punch me in the shoulder.  Ouch!  Who cares though.  It was worth it!

On Thursday I did "baby acro" (Acrobatics).  It was crazy.  I have a new appreciation for positive G's and level flight.  I did loops and rolls.  It was fun but my body and mind have to get used to it.  When you are upside down with a few G's pushing you down (but really up) in your seat it's just a little weird.

I think that I done with flying till after Christmas break.  They are going to leave me off the schedule for a while and let others catch up to me.  Which is OK for me.

Kristen and I can't wait to come back to the N.O. on Christmas Eve!!!!