Did you get soaked after your first solo?

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:13 pm

I just got off the phone with AV8OR, and we were wondering about the origins of the post-solo soaking, and were wondering if this was standard practice everywhere.

I was thinking of putting this in the Flight Training forum, but I figured it was pretty general.

What happened to you after you soloed? Buckets? Hoses? Water pistols?

I know one fine 2 metre tall lad that got blasted by the fire truck- knocked him on his ass... I think this should be standard.

-istp

mellow_pilot · Post by **mellow_pilot** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:22 pm

Two full gerry cans...

Though I think this is nothing compared to the bathtub we chipped out of the ice in the pond behind the hangar at the Sault. Man that must have been cold.

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:29 pm

Didn't you break an axe on that one? Or was that someone else?

And, BTW the pond by the Sault College hangar's official name is Mary Ann Lake, but no Sault College grad knows that.

green1181 · Post by **green1181** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:42 pm

I got 2 buckets on me , not too bad except i was on a motorbike and it was a really cold day. It was at CCW3 in NS.

Snowgoose · Post by **Snowgoose** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:51 pm

1 coffee pot and 2 buckets. Thank god it was summer.

N2 · Post by N2 » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:52 pm

Yep...flight school got me for lots of cash....oh that kind of soaked..sorry!

TITAN · Post by **TITAN** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:02 pm

I got soaked that night at the bar!! ha to be carried home! , my brother said to me all I was mouning was " I want to go again "..

the good old days I had so much hope then!!!!!!!

planett · Post by **planett** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:06 pm

I got a bucket full while being photographed in late March at CYAW. It was no surprise since all of the other first solos were photographed and on display from the previous year.

Redneck_pilot86 · Post by **Redneck_pilot86** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:40 pm

I had a bucket of water thrown at me...somebody forgot to tell the guy to hold onto the bucket.

bobcat18 · Post by **bobcat18** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:01 pm

Several Buckets and a hose.

The tradition came from the airforce. Kind of baptism of a new aviator, I guess.

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:30 pm

I thought it was an air force thing. But I wonder, WWI or WW2?

Nevertheless, it's VERY cool.

Anyone on the origins? Personal experiences?

-istp

SkyWolfe · Post by **SkyWolfe** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:06 pm

You know - im the only person on earth who didnt seem to know that. What's worse is I almost wore a white shirt... good god that'd be stupid. Glad I change my mind at the last minute

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:54 pm

OK, I'm a perv. I would have liked to see that.

crazy8 · Post by **crazy8** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 11:21 pm

I got hit three times. Once after my solo and I just happened to pass my private flight test the same day as about 20 air cadet solos so they got me again, and again for college initiation.

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 11:47 pm

Dude, you ARE a true pilot now! x3!

Let's hear your surprise drenching stories! I might even scan and post my photo if this gets out of control!

Make it happen! Everyone has a solo story of water wierdness!

-istp

AV8OR · Post by **AV8OR** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 4:18 am

I'd like to see those pics istp... My solo soaking was head first into a lake. One guy decided to let go of my arms before the other guy let go of my legs

Miss Mae · Post by **Miss Mae** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:39 am

I didn't get a soaking, they gave me a certificate.

pingcat · Post by **pingcat** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:57 am

Shirt tail cut, dated and signed by instructor

Hyster · Post by **Hyster** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:37 am

I never even heard of that shits before, kind of like being the hero of the big game. Nothing happened to me or anyone at my school, but my school trained pilots not aviation geeks.

ch135146 · Post by **ch135146** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 8:19 am

As a sixteen year old civilian at Peninsula in Mt. Hope in 1976: nothing.

Five years later at CFB Portage la Prairie in January: dunked fully clothed (wearing boots) in a bathtub (complete with CF markings) full of water, ice, and snow. It was a chilly walk back to barracks. Lots of beer that night.

TITAN · Post by **TITAN** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 8:26 am

Hyster , did your school give you a shot across the Jaw after you made a hard landing !... maybe at that school if you forgot to do a radio check, your CFI , waited for your return with the belt in his hand !!!

teacher · Post by **teacher** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 9:35 am

Got soaked on the runway with a jerry can for me glider solo and a fire hose for my powered solo.

Fr8 dawg · Post by **Fr8 dawg** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:25 pm

I got thrown in a bathtub full of old engine oil they had by the hangar. Then I had to run from some 10 guys throwing eggs and flour at me.
It took a week or so to get ride of all that oil off my hair.
Good old days.

petite · Post by **petite** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 4:52 pm

At Cornwall Aviation, they cut off a piece of your shirt when you solo. They staple gun it to the wall and timbers with a card saying the name, plane, date and instructor of solo student. It's nice to walk in and see the pieces of history of the place.

flyincanuck · Post by **flyincanuck** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:12 pm

ch135146 wrote:As a sixteen year old civilian at Peninsula in Mt. Hope in 1976: nothing.

Times have changed at Peninsula...trust me. We'll find any reason to soak...even in winter

I'm interested in some techniques
- buckets off the roof?
- at the plane?
- surprised from behind?

My personal fav is a distraction, where an another instructor takes the books from the student right outside the hangar. Then we get two instructors to come up behind the student from inside and get em right over the head. They normally think its over after the first bucket, but when they clear the water out of their eyes, #2 is right there.

Good times...its all about having fun!

Personally, I think its all about being stealthy.