Before I tell you about the awesome Monday I had yesterday, let me introduce myself. I am Ryan Koch, the ground school teacher and one of two flight instructors at Randolph-Macon Academy. I have been flying since 1999, instructing since 2004, and working at R-MA since 2006. Enough about me let’s talk about my student’s flight lesson yesterday…
My student Sean has been flying since last school year and working hard on soloing. Soloing means he is the only one in the airplane flying. No instructor to take the contols. Sean has put in countless hours of study time preparing for solo. So yesterday after we did four landings together, I asked Sean if he wanted to do some landings on his own. Of course he said, "Sure, I can do that!"
After signing the paperwork, I got out of the plane and saw him off. What a feeling seeing your student take off on that first-time solo. No longer can you coach landings or give help if needed. They are on their own. As he came around for the first landing, I knew he would have no trouble because he was well prepared. I must say his first touchdown was awesome! The next two landings were also very well done. When he taxiied back to the hangar after his third solo landing, the smile on his face was worth all the hard work together.
Seeing a student solo and come back safely because of what I taught them is what makes this job so fun. Hopefully several more of my students this year will be motivated to put in the effort to solo like Sean.
Congratulations Sean!