I am a CFIG at a small club in SE Pennsylvania using a Blanik L23. I have signed off for solo about 50 ab-initio students. Ages range from 13 years to 70. My general rule of thumb is 20 flights to solo for someone 20 years old or younger increasing one flight for every year the student is older than 20 years old. A 50 year old would take 50 flights, a 35 year old, 35 flights. Several of my teenage students could have soloed in 10 flights or less but US FAR pre-solo requirements and safety considerations usually extend it to 20 flights. I am the only instructor each of my students has except I will usually try to have the student fly one flight with the other CFIG in our club as a QA check. Our club is active from April to late November. I use Tom Knauff's syllabus for instruction.
- Barry