"Come back in ten minutes and pick me up&quot

So saying Jenks opened the canopy, stepped out and wandered off through the frost covered grass. The next ten minutes were some of the most surreal of my life, unforgettable. Line up on the grass runway. Checks complete, apply power, accelerate, at 45 knots push forward gently to lift the tail, at 70 knots pull back gently and depart the ground. Climb away, flaps up, adjust the engine power, turn downwind at 1000', checks, then take a deeeeeeep breath. It's quiet, no voice of authority telling you to make minor adjustments, look around in wonderment. Landing checks, turn base leg then finals, realise nobody else is airborne, they have all taxied back to the dispersal. Finals at 70 knots, cross the threshold, gently reduce power and raise the nose to flare slightly and allow the Chipmunk to settle gently onto the ground, brake slowly, clear the runway and taxi back to pick up Jenks. He opened the canopy and bollocked me for not raising the flaps after landing.

It was only when I got back to the crewroom that I was told that Jenks student was expected to go solo first on every course. Tradition upheld. I was speechless with joy. 30 minutes later I was sent off to do two circuits and landings solo. Incredible surges of confidence and sudden realization at what had been achieved. I cherish those memories; this clear blue January sky suddenly brought it all back to me. Those simple words "solo" in the log book meant so much.

This is the aircraft, I found the image on the web and asked the photographer for a high resolution copy, he kindly obliged. WZ882 is now privately owned.

Huge Chipmunk