I’ve got about 18 hours and it’s time for me to solo, D. says. Unfortunately, I need winds of not much more than about 10 knots before I can do it. So lately, it’s just been sit-and-wait. It’s been 20-30 knots lately. Since the winds are typically calmer in the morning, I’m scheduled for Monday morning at 8am. I have my doubts, though.

I still can’t land crosswind very well. I understand how, I just need much, much, more practice doing it. But, I’m comfortable flying, and I do just fine as long as the wind is mostly down the runway. All my landings have been safe for the past several flights. None of them have been perfect, though.

I learned to fly a short approach the other day. We were in one of the planes with 40 degrees of flaps. Barn doors, they are. There’s really no need for 40 degrees of flaps in a 172, but it does allow me to descent at about 1200 feet per minute at 65 knots. It’s like falling out of the sky, dive bombing the airport. It’s fun. My short-approach landings and simulated engine-out landings were really much better than my normal landings. I think having all that time to mess up an approach means I’m likely to do it.

After I successfully solo, I have to undergo a check-ride with one of the Airman’s check-airmen. I’m not really worried about it, and it’s no big deal if I fail it. (I have to go review whatever I failed and do the ride again) D. thinks I’m well-prepared. I’m a little less than convincing on my emergency procedures, but I don’t think it will be a big deal. Picking a field to simulate landing in is only hard because there’s so many to chose from out here:)