The Solo
The Tiger Moth slowed to a halt and the prop swished, coming to rest vertically. The young man in the rear seat waited a moment as his instructor heaved himself out of his seat and then began to unbuckle his straps preparatory to leaving the aircraft.
"Don't do that," ordered Captain Carthorne. "Once I'm clear, just take her off again and do a circuit and landing. Nothing fancy."
His pupil stared at him. "On my own?" he queried, scarcely able to believe his ears.
Pim Carthorne's lips twitched. "Pupils doing their first solo usually do fly on their own," he observed dryly. "Just bring her down in one piece."
With that admonition, he climbed out of the aircraft and strode away, leaving his pupil to refasten his straps with unsteady hands.
The lad stuffed a stray lock of ginger hair under his flying cap before starting his pre-flight checks.
When all was complete and there was nothing to delay his take off, he took a deep breath and advanced the throttle. The sturdy little aeroplane bounced over the grass as he made his way to the end of the take-off strip.
'At least I've taxied straight,' he thought as he lined the machine up. A glance at the windsock confirmed that he was headed into wind.
This was the moment he had dreamed of for a decade or more. Ever since he had seen the Flying Circus arrive on a field near his home he had longed for this; to slip the bonds that bound him to the earth and be truly free.
Now the momentous occasion had arrived, Ginger found he was trembling, although with excitement or fear he was not quite sure. There was no one to take over if he made a mistake. He was on his own. The responsibility of it made him hesitate for a second before he pushed the throttle forward and felt the aircraft come alive in his hands. As the speed built up, the tail rose. The Moth was light in his hands, straining to leave the land and enter her true element.
The rumbling of the wheels ceased and he knew they were airborne. There seemed to be so much to do – choose a point to keep her steady by, level the wings, watch the airspeed, make sure the angle of climb was not too steep, don't go too high, don't fight her, feel the controls gently, nurse her along. Ginger recited the litany to himself as he took the machine up into the vast emptiness of the waiting sky.
'I'm flying!' he told himself. 'I'm really flying!' The enormity of his achievement made him want to laugh and sing. 'I've gone solo! I can't wait to tell Biggles when I get down,' he thought.
The euphoria of take off and flight suddenly evaporated. 'When I get down!' – he still had to land. Ginger glanced down and realised that the territory below him looked unfamiliar, although he must have flown over it many times. He could no longer see the airfield. Brooklands had disappeared!
He suddenly felt very lonely. His breath came more quickly as he eased the aeroplane round in a shallow banking turn, careful not to let the nose drop, but eagerly scanning the ground for a landmark. He berated himself for not timing the outward leg. Was the landscape looking grey? Was that haze?
The earth seemed a long way away. He turned again, on a reciprocal heading, searching for something he recognised.
Anxiously, he checked his fuel gauge and calculated how long he had to find the aerodrome.
He turned again, doing a box search. Far over to his right, he spotted a jetty and relief flooded over him. He knew it pointed directly to Brooklands. All he had to do was line himself up with it and he would soon be over the aerodrome.
Keeping a careful look-out, Ginger headed for the landmark and turned over it, lining up the aircraft. Dead on cue, the airfield came into sight ahead.
He heaved a sigh of relief. 'All I have to do now is land,' he told himself. 'Watch the speed, don't stall, lose the right amount of height, don't come in too fast, keep lined up with the landing strip, not too much rudder, hold her off ….' he held his breath as the Moth floated closer to the earth. 'Now,' he told himself, 'flare out and drop her carefully down…' He pulled gently back on the control column and felt the wings lose lift. The wheels kissed the grass and the aeroplane vibrated as she rolled over the turf in a three point landing.
A grin split Ginger's face from ear to ear. He had done it! He had soloed! He was a pilot, just like Biggles and Algy!