Alan C. Mack

But you want to keep it at 100% because when you get to the bottom, the last like 75 feet, you flare. Now you pull in the power, you put the pitch in the blades, and you're using one chance to cushion that baby on. And we call them crash bangs, right? You're doing that all day long, right? And then eventually they deem you safe enough to solo, right? So back in the...

But you want to keep it at 100% because when you get to the bottom, the last like 75 feet, you flare. Now you pull in the power, you put the pitch in the blades, and you're using one chance to cushion that baby on. And we call them crash bangs, right? You're doing that all day long, right? And then eventually they deem you safe enough to solo, right? So back in the...

In the TH-55, you really did solo. It was just you. Now you're going out with your stick buddy, and he ain't been saving you, right? So you're still solo, but you have somebody, you know, next to you in case you die. He'll go with you. But, yeah, so you solo. You do a couple of traffic patterns. I think it was five traffic patterns by yourself.

In the TH-55, you really did solo. It was just you. Now you're going out with your stick buddy, and he ain't been saving you, right? So you're still solo, but you have somebody, you know, next to you in case you die. He'll go with you. But, yeah, so you solo. You do a couple of traffic patterns. I think it was five traffic patterns by yourself.

In the TH-55, you really did solo. It was just you. Now you're going out with your stick buddy, and he ain't been saving you, right? So you're still solo, but you have somebody, you know, next to you in case you die. He'll go with you. But, yeah, so you solo. You do a couple of traffic patterns. I think it was five traffic patterns by yourself.

And the instructor, you know, gets back in, and you're like, all right, you soloed. The last guy to solo of the class is like, you know, it's – there was a name for it. I can't remember. But you – you had to ride, we had this ceremony. It was like pitchers of beer and everybody lined in front of the building, the barracks, you know, and it looked like a stage field.

And the instructor, you know, gets back in, and you're like, all right, you soloed. The last guy to solo of the class is like, you know, it's – there was a name for it. I can't remember. But you – you had to ride, we had this ceremony. It was like pitchers of beer and everybody lined in front of the building, the barracks, you know, and it looked like a stage field.

And the instructor, you know, gets back in, and you're like, all right, you soloed. The last guy to solo of the class is like, you know, it's – there was a name for it. I can't remember. But you – you had to ride, we had this ceremony. It was like pitchers of beer and everybody lined in front of the building, the barracks, you know, and it looked like a stage field.

The markings were like, you know, painted on just as if it were a stage field. And that guy would ride a thing called the solo cycle. So it was a bicycle that somebody had engineered, you know, it had rotor blades. And when you drove it, you know, when you pedaled, the blades spun, right? And you had to ride this bicycle.

The markings were like, you know, painted on just as if it were a stage field. And that guy would ride a thing called the solo cycle. So it was a bicycle that somebody had engineered, you know, it had rotor blades. And when you drove it, you know, when you pedaled, the blades spun, right? And you had to ride this bicycle.

The markings were like, you know, painted on just as if it were a stage field. And that guy would ride a thing called the solo cycle. So it was a bicycle that somebody had engineered, you know, it had rotor blades. And when you drove it, you know, when you pedaled, the blades spun, right? And you had to ride this bicycle.

I don't have a picture of that anymore.

I don't have a picture of that anymore.

I don't have a picture of that anymore.

I wish I did. And then you get your solo wings, which is like these cloth wings that get sewn on your hat. Each class has a color. And back then, they don't do it anymore, but each class had a baseball cap. We were royal blue. And you had that sewn on so you could see who was a real pilot now, sort of, within the context of flight school. Nice. Yeah, so then you move on from that. You move up...

I wish I did. And then you get your solo wings, which is like these cloth wings that get sewn on your hat. Each class has a color. And back then, they don't do it anymore, but each class had a baseball cap. We were royal blue. And you had that sewn on so you could see who was a real pilot now, sort of, within the context of flight school. Nice. Yeah, so then you move on from that. You move up...

I wish I did. And then you get your solo wings, which is like these cloth wings that get sewn on your hat. Each class has a color. And back then, they don't do it anymore, but each class had a baseball cap. We were royal blue. And you had that sewn on so you could see who was a real pilot now, sort of, within the context of flight school. Nice. Yeah, so then you move on from that. You move up...

You take your final check ride in primary and you move on to advanced skills, which is Charlie Company. And there, this was a lot of fun, actually. Now you're doing terrain flight navigation. You know, you got a handheld map, right? And this is where you, I call it the bus driver move, right? Where you're trying to make the map. meet the terrain because you get lost.

You take your final check ride in primary and you move on to advanced skills, which is Charlie Company. And there, this was a lot of fun, actually. Now you're doing terrain flight navigation. You know, you got a handheld map, right? And this is where you, I call it the bus driver move, right? Where you're trying to make the map. meet the terrain because you get lost.

You take your final check ride in primary and you move on to advanced skills, which is Charlie Company. And there, this was a lot of fun, actually. Now you're doing terrain flight navigation. You know, you got a handheld map, right? And this is where you, I call it the bus driver move, right? Where you're trying to make the map. meet the terrain because you get lost.