my first solo flight

My Solo Flight
On a cool January morning I was doing my preflight check list and waiting for my instructor John who was inside the office waiting for me to be ready .I waved to him that I was ready .We got inside the 1976 Cessna 152 and he looked at me and said , well Joe we are going to make 10 touch and goes and stay in the pattern today .I think I am not happy with your performance yet. I was kind surprised he never talked to me this way before and I was thinking this is not what he said to me a couple of days ago so I figured he wants to delay my training to make some extra cash and since I really did not mind that I was Ok with his criticism.
I taxied the aircraft to a position and hold. Few minutes later I was cleared for take off. I was training at a tower controlled operated airport. Then comes the roar of the engine and I am center with the middle line and rolling toward the cold blue skies.
John has been completely quite , he even looked bored. I stayed in the patter and did almost perfect landings and takes off and to my delight I heard the lady controller for my last full stop I heard her saying over the radio excellent job as she knew my aircraft and me from previous training lessons.
I was taxing back toward hanger 5 Charlie my school base hanger when John looked and me and said call ground control again and tell them you would like to taxi to terminal A so I did and I never questioned him to why I should do that I had great respect for him and now we are almost friends. So we taxied to terminal A and there as I stopped he said how much fuel do you have I said I have enough. He said Ok then you are on your own. Go out there Joe and give me three takes off and landing you are ready now. I said what about what you said to me this morning, he laughed and said have confidence Joe in yourself ,you know you are ready. I said John No I am not ready and he said yes you are.
Go do it and I will be watching you from the tower. John knew every one at the tower and once did a couple of stunt for the ladies.
I turned the aircraft around and switched to ground control: I called ground control this is Cessna 94 uniform at terminal A ready for taxi.
Ground control: Cessna 94U Taxi to runway 35 right.
As I taxied I was extremely nervous and I was wondering a while ago I did 10 take off and landing and I enjoyed every one of them and I was perfect so how come I am freaking out now. I looked next to me and John was not setting there. I just wanted to make sure I am really on my own. But I swear I could feel his ghost setting next me every time I looked a way
I reached the end of the runway and here you park and do preflight check which I am used to by now but it took me a little bit more time to accomplish that than previous times.
Ok I always dreamt of the day when I solo and here it comes so do it and do it good Joseph .
I switched radio to tower control and I cannot believe it but I am asking them for permission to do three take off and three landings and then I finished my call with student pilot in command please.
So I hear control tower call: Ok 94 uniform taxi to position and hold traffic to your left is landing.
When the big bird landed second later radio called me and said 94 uniform cleared for take off Runway 35 right. At that moment I taxied and lined up with the center line and I gave it slow push till I had full power and I was on my way to my first solo flight and what a feeling of excitement ,fear and joy all combined together and when I pulled the yoke back a little and I was air born I felt the separation from gravity and mother earth was for ever. I went up smoothly climbing to the required 2600 ft then made a left turn reduced power went into downwind then reduced more power and informed tower control of my intention for landing and takeoff and turned went into cross wind .flaps down 10% to slowdown the aircraft then as I descended with more of 20% flaps and then as I got closer I extended to full flaps and this beautiful bird landed so gracefully so smoothly in perfection. I started to cry and my tears were so much I had to wipe them so I can see the runway clearly . But my mission is not over yet I still have two landings and two take off and they seemed so far away . As I touched down fully and slowdown a little I gave it full power while still rolling and retracted full flaps and here I go again and this time on take off I yelled the famous cowboys call yeeeehaaa as if I was taking off on a horse or riding a bull.
I did my third take off and landing and I heard my ATC say perfect landing. And congratulation. It took me 15 minutes or so to taxi back to the hanger and before I got there I can see few people out including my instructor and the school owner holding a make shift sign that read ..Solo %u2026.flight and congratulation.
You have to try it to feel the joy and sense of pride and accomplishment from such experiences. I still get the same joy every time I go flying and no matter how often you fly you will never forget that first solo flight when you became the maker of your own destiny.