6. Solo Cross Country
Once I tasted solo, I couldn’t wait to launch off solo cross-country. Pouring over maps, routes, frequencies, airport diagrams, weather, fuel, NOTAMS, all the fire TFRs, and “all available information” was so overwhelming. But, when everything came together and I pulled up to the hanger in the dark early morning hours to go over my flight plan and go through the filing process with Richard over coffee and donuts, I was so ready. For my long cross country I went to GPI. The flight was incredible. Flathead Lake was sparkling and the sun was shining over blue skies. When I reached my checkpoint before GPI, I started going through my planned decent and reciting what I was going to say on the radio in my head. My mouth got dry as I prepared to press the com button. It was like trying to convince myself to jump into an ice cold river.
Press the button!
I think I ended every single transmission with the words “student pilot” and also accidentally started to report my position like I was at an un-towered airport. Fortunately for me, no one else in their right mind was landing at Glacier Park at 8:30 am on a weekend. I parked the airplane and ran inside the FBO with my frazzled headset hair, exclaiming “I made it!” to the poor pilots trying to nap in the foyer and the front desk people trying to stay hushed. I couldn’t help it, I felt like I had just guzzled a quad shot latte and I’m a lightweight. Then I thought about my filed flight plan and was overcome with complete dread at the possibility of not closing my flight plan at my expected time, so I made haste getting back to the airplane and launching off. Missoula Tower thanked me for telling them I was a student pilot after landing there, which I made sure they knew every time I pressed the button, and after explaining to me that it’s not ok to ask for a stop and go after landing. I’m so grateful for the endless patience and professionalism from ATC, I hope one day I can muster the guts to express that succinctly and eloquently over the radio. Richard was at the home airport waiting for me to return, and I made sure to close my flight plan right away. I couldn’t wait to tell him about my adventure!
