Taking a friend with you while flying solo?

[Speedbird744]

Is it possible once a pilot flies solo for his PPL, he can take a friend with him in the right hand seat?. .Is there any additional cost to this?. .Would this not count towards solo hours?. .. .Thanks

[Genghis the Engineer]

No, until you are qualified you are either truly solo, or there's an instructor on-board who is captain.. .. .G

[twistedenginestarter]

When I was doing ab initio training with BA I regularly had other cadets as passengers either as instrument flying lookouts or just ferrying them home. None of us had any licences, so there must be exceptions to the rule that you can't take passengers without a licence.

[Erm OK probably]

Or maybe it's just that BA has always thought it was a law unto itself!. .. .[OK, maybe that was a little unfair! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> ]. .[Added when I saw what the answer was]. . . . <small>[ 11 March 2002, 23:18: Message edited by: Erm OK probably ]</small>

[Captain Airclues]

I don't know the JAA rules, but on the CAA CAP 509 course it was permissible to carry passengers after the test and hours requirements for the PPL had been completed, even though a licence had not actually been issued.. .. .Airclues

[Lucifer]

twisted: are you sure you had not done and passed the GFT for PPL, even if you had not had a licence issue specifically for that (since you were continuing to CPL)?. . . . <small>[ 10 March 2002, 21:48: Message edited by: Lucifer ]</small>

[Meeb]

As Airclues points out, it was part of the 509 course for 2 students to fly together. Progress Test 1 was the equivilant of passing a PPL GFT although no licence was issued, under the rules of 509 it was permitted. It no longer happens under JAR, we have the hideous SPIC now.. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" />

[Eff Oh]

You are right guys. I did my licence on a CAP 509 @ BAe FT Prestwick. On these after we passed PT1 we could fly "mutual" which was basically safety pilot. You can not however do this on a PPL course pre licence issue.. .Eff Oh. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

[Justforkix]

SOLO hmmmm, what does that word mean???? Let me see two? nope, that was'nt it. Three? nope, was'nt that either. Gotta go home and take a real long think about this!!!. .. .The concise oxford dictionary: An unaccompanied flight; (adj. & adv.) unacompanied, alone, (a solo flight, flying solo). [It., f.L solus SOLE]. . . . <small>[ 11 March 2002, 09:08: Message edited by: Justforkix ]</small>

[Lucifer]

Solo = sole operator. Student passenger gains exposure through doing more hours in the environment, and the operating pilot will do when the role are reversed in the next flight.. .. .Solo does not equal alone in the aircraft.

[englishal]

You could take your mate, but if you get caught you'll get done (wouldn't fancy being your mate on a joy ride with a student pilot <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> ) But if your mate has a PPL you could get away with it as he'd be PIC in this situation....

[twistedenginestarter]

Lucifer. .. .Having a peek in the old logbook, it looks like this didn't start until about 65 hours so probably not relevant to Speedbird's problem. The passengers were all off the same course as me so of more or less identical experience.

[Captain Airclues]

englishal. .. .Are you saying that if a student pilot has been authorised for a solo flight by his instructor, the student pilot has signed the aircraft log, and the student pilot has booked out as the PIC, then a PPL holding passenger (without an instructors rating) automatically becomes the PIC even though the student pilot is flying the aircraft? I really must read the rules again as I seem to be getting a bit rusty.. .. .Airclues

[InFinRetirement]

Have to say! How ignorant of the rules people are, I suppose its natural - up to a point.. .. .When you pass your driving test. You are not allowed to drive on the roads without showing an L plate until you have received your licence. Law!. .. .When you are cleared to fly solo, without having passed your GFT, only you may occupy a seat in the aircraft unless another person is a qualified instructor, and is approved by the owner of the aeroplane. Be it club or privately owned. BA would have their own rules as described I imagine, but iffy in my view.. .. .When you have passed your GFT, you can then take passengers with you, usually with the approval as above but NOT until you have received your licence fully endorsed by the CAA. Bit like the car really. That applies to ALL licences I am sure.. .. .Think of it this way! If you had an accident without a proper licence, an insurance company would fight it tooth and nail and would NOT pay.. .. .Not worth any risk at all is it?

[englishal]

..the difference with passing your car test, you are issued a 'pass' certificate right away, which is what the FAA also do, which is what the CAA should do, bearing in mind that its not unusual to wait 10 weeks for your licence.. .. .Captain Airclues, I am not saying what you say, but am mearly making the point that if you were 'ramp' checked you 'may' get away with it with a qualified pilot in the RH seat...not that I recommend this to anyone.

[InFinRetirement]

OK, the car analogy might not be the right one but it does not alter the fact that you cannot fly as commander of an aircraft and carry passengers until you hold the appropriate licence. If you do, and you have an incident, or someone 'shops' you, you won't have a leg to stand on.