holding short runway 18, student pilot solo

got to go up again twice this week to get some more solo time under my belt. tuesday was fun as we flew late again and the weather was agreeable. the winds were not to bad and more importantly, when flying in florida, the temperature was in the low 80's and not the high 90's.

today i drove over to the airport after looking at the radar at home. it showed thunderstorms brewing to the south and the west. they were far enough away to not cause much of a problem, but as we all know the weather is always in motion. after doing a few touch and go's with my instructor he hoped out and actually headed home. this was fine because i prefer flying by myself. i have a good deal of fun flying and with no one in the plane with me i don't feel as stupid when i'm cruising around the pattern with a big grin on my face. after being ushered all over the field due to changing winds, i finally was holding short of 18 only to wait another 7-8 minutes for landing traffic on both runways. i wanted to call up the tower and say listen.... i'm paying to fly this airplane, why don't you let me out. those guys landing that are getting payed to fly can just wait! obviously i didn't do this and i understand that planes in the pattern waiting to land have priority over me and my cessna just wanting to go up and do some touch and go's.

well the day ended short due to those thunderstorms i was talking about, and i only got another half hour of solo time in before the rain was hitting the field. the wind started to throw me around pretty good and i had been watching the thunderstorm get closer and closer each time i turned downwind. so i decided to land on my third time around. kind of a bummer, but it was a good call. i ended up getting pretty wet while i was tying up the plane. i could have gotten away with another time around the pattern, but then i would have been taxing in the rain. i like being able to see when im parking my old girl next to the other 7 or 8 planes on the ramp.

going up solo tomorrow, so i'll have more to post about my first full ride alone. but for now i'm off to work. until next time....

tallahassee tower, 4NM is clear of the runway.