Solo #2!

Got handed the keys, did my pre-flight, then hoped that everything I could do the previous Thursday held through to Monday.  Turns out it did, did some routine TOs/Ls.  Got to experience taking off in the wake turbulence of a regional jet (RJ).  Also got to experience a traffic jam on the ground.  Because CHO only has three gates for jets/turbo-props from Delta/Colgan(United)/US)-scAirways, they have to move stuff in and out of the jets quickly.  And because CHO is rather insignificant compared to close by IAD/Richmond/Virginia Beach, traffic will often get halted out of there.  Thus, lots of Delta jets seem to sit on the taxiway or at the end of the darn runway, waiting for their clearance to department.  Which means us little planes get to dodge them and will often get held up waiting for private jets to leave too.  So, in a little over an hour, I only got 8 TOs/Ls in.  However, I did get to fly over UVa because the sitting-Delta got to finally leave, along with two other jets, so I got to fly parallel to the runway in the opposite direction (called a "downwind leg".  The approach to land consists of the downwind, then a "base", which you turn 90 from your downwind, and then a "final", which is your final approach to the runway going the right direction).  This downwind path took me right over Grounds, and while I'd love to say it's pretty, which it was, it wasn't as exciting as I hoped because everything is brick and white and difficult to find anything.  Ohwell.

The one thing that did go wrong:  I made it all the way to the end, stopped the prop and shut down the engine, and was getting ready to get out and tell the four onlookers and my instructor that I think I did great.  Now, the 152 is about the size of a stupid soda can.  At 5'11", it's somewhat difficult to manuever my legs and body out and clamber over the wheel and under the wing.  Well, I missed the wheel and the wing, but got a leg stuck in the airplane, and ended up basically falling out of it backwards and landed on my back.  Naturally, I started laughing hoping that I didn't break anything.  Tom comes bolting over to make sure I'm ok, which I am.  I try to laugh it off, but everyone saw, and I basically became the resident-clown.

I can fly a plane, but can't talk, nor walk apparently.  Awesome.