First Solo and Total Hours Flown

Every pilot out there will never forget their first Solo. But there has
always been this nagging questions as to should there be a minimum
amount of hours flown before a pilot can be allowed to Solo. I have
seen pilots solo in as little as 9 hours and as high as 75 hours.
I know most of you will say that it should vary from pilot to pilot.
But should there be a minimum amount of hours flown?

"Greengears" wrote in message
ups.com...
Every pilot out there will never forget their first Solo. But there has
always been this nagging questions as to should there be a minimum
amount of hours flown before a pilot can be allowed to Solo. I have
seen pilots solo in as little as 9 hours and as high as 75 hours.
I know most of you will say that it should vary from pilot to pilot.
But should there be a minimum amount of hours flown?


I don't think there should be a minimum number of hours. The CFIs have the
responsibility of judging when a student is ready. People learn at different
rates and a good CFI/Flight School is in a much better position to judge
when an individual is ready to solo than a committee in OKC or Washington.

If the regs stated a number then the CFIs would be under pressure to have
students meet this number just as some are under pressure to meet the 40
hour minimum for checkride.

Look around this and other aviation newsgroups and see how many students
start getting concerned about their status once they hit 40 hours of
training. The student doesn't need the added pressure to solo in X hours or
be behind the curve.

You will solo when your competent instructor determines that you are
ready. Worrying about the number of hours is pointless.

Ron Lee

I agree with Ron. The number of hours is not relevant. The quality of
your hours is.

Tom


Ron Lee wrote:
You will solo when your competent instructor determines that you are
ready. Worrying about the number of hours is pointless.

Ron Lee

"Greengears" wrote in message
ups.com...
Every pilot out there will never forget their first Solo. But there has
always been this nagging questions as to should there be a minimum
amount of hours flown before a pilot can be allowed to Solo. I have
seen pilots solo in as little as 9 hours and as high as 75 hours.
I know most of you will say that it should vary from pilot to pilot.
But should there be a minimum amount of hours flown?


Hmmm, deja-vue all over again. Didn't we have this discussion a while back?

Never mind, it is worth responding to.
I, for one, don't think a minimum should be required. The CFI will know
when the student is ready and has the responibility to assure that
readiness. I solo'd at officially seven hours of dual in the log book.
Before that I had a double-bunch of stick time hours, including some
take-offs and a couple of landings -- none of which were solo.
Ironically, on the day I soloed, a pal of mine made his solo the same
day. Thankfully, I was first. One his first landing attempt, he clambered
out of the 150 after doing a three-point parking job -- both mains and the
prop. I know he had logged more dual than I but I don't remember how much.
The sad part is, he never came back.
Truthfully, I'd be much more worried about someone NOT being able to
solo after more than twenty or thirty hours than with less than ten.

No. It's like riding a 2-wheeler or losing your virginity. You get
it when you "get it," then you move on.

Or you don't.

Don

"Greengears" wrote in message
ups.com...
Every pilot out there will never forget their first Solo. But there has
always been this nagging questions as to should there be a minimum
amount of hours flown before a pilot can be allowed to Solo. I have
seen pilots solo in as little as 9 hours and as high as 75 hours.
I know most of you will say that it should vary from pilot to pilot.
But should there be a minimum amount of hours flown?

While this is a rediculuous question, it fits right in with our current
political environment, in that the federal gov't. should dictate the number
of hours it SHALL take us to be competent to solo. I've known licensed
pilots with 300 hours that I wouldn't fly with, and others who have solo'd
in 6 hours. 75 hours to solo? Why was he EVER allowed to solo?

"birdog" wrote in message
...

"Greengears" wrote in message
ups.com...
Every pilot out there will never forget their first Solo. But there has
always been this nagging questions as to should there be a minimum
amount of hours flown before a pilot can be allowed to Solo. I have
seen pilots solo in as little as 9 hours and as high as 75 hours.
I know most of you will say that it should vary from pilot to pilot.
But should there be a minimum amount of hours flown?

While this is a rediculuous question, it fits right in with our current
political environment, in that the federal gov't. should dictate the
number of hours it SHALL take us to be competent to solo. I've known
licensed pilots with 300 hours that I wouldn't fly with, and others who
have solo'd in 6 hours. 75 hours to solo? Why was he EVER allowed to solo?


It's the "No Pilot Left Behind" initiative...

Jay B

birdog wrote:


While this is a rediculuous question, it fits right in with our current
political environment, in that the federal gov't. should dictate the number
of hours it SHALL take us to be competent to solo. I've known licensed
pilots with 300 hours that I wouldn't fly with, and others who have solo'd
in 6 hours. 75 hours to solo? Why was he EVER allowed to solo?

Are you saying that someone who took 75 hours to solo must have had
some serious problems, and therefore should not be allowed to solo?

Are you saying that someone who took 75 hours to solo must have had
some serious problems, and therefore should not be allowed to solo?

A student that takes 75 hours to solo certainly does have very serious
problems -- probably with his CFI.

Anyone who sticks with training that long without soloing deserves a
medal, as well as a psychiatric evaluation...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"