First solo for 14 year-old glider pilot in UK?

[gpn01]

Congratulations to Callum... Bicester club member is youngest flyer in country - Community - Buckingham Advertiser (http://www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/community/bicester-club-member-is-youngest-flyer-in-country-1-4623643)

[Flying_Anorak]

Well done Callum, but certainly not the first. I know that my club Oxford GC had a 14 & 15 year old go solo in the autumn, but maybe Callum is the youngest 14 year old to date?

Well done anyway!

[FANS]

Why the hurry? I ve got nothing against it, but some are petrified at that age and would be much better off waiting until that little bit more mature.

[nigel h]

Perhaps a Visit to Bicester Gliding Club and meet the crews

Have a great day out and see if you can recognise Callam, he is just one of the professional teens we have flying at the Club. Boys and Girls.

If you are born with the bug you just have to go with it.

If you are 14 or 80 you are always made very welcome and to watch a 70 year old chatting to a 14 year old and all have the same passion for flying and helping one another and working as a team.

We even have Girls who are instructors and lady Glider pilots as well.

I think what I am trying to say is age, sex is not important.

I know, I am a 58 year old glider Student! At Bicester Gliding Club

[cats_five]

Why the hurry? I ve got nothing against it, but some are petrified at that
age and would be much better off waiting until that little bit more mature.


The petrified ones don't get sent solo, any more than a petrified adult would.

This particular lad was first taken gliding when he was 7 so at 14 I imagine he was more than ready.

[thing]

Well done that man....er, yoof.:D:D:D

[Thecope]

Officially I'm the youngest person at my club being 16 and the nearest peron is 33 apart from a mate who's 20.

[FANS]

So can an 11 year old go solo if they are deemed "ready" ?

[glider12000]

14 is the minimum age for solo

[David Roberts]

No, earliest is age 14 for solo in a glider. They then have to wait until 16 to get a licence under the EU FCL rules.
In the UK the first solo age has been 16 until a few months ago but this was changed (by the BGA) to align with and anticipate the implementation of EU rules, which although in place legally are not in effect in practice yet in the UK.
Solo at 14 has been the case in Germany for a long time, with no particular adverse consequences afaik.
Allowing someone to solo is entirely the discretion of the instructor, as it has always been.

[longer ron]

14 has been the gliding solo age in quite a few countries for many years,but well done to him anyway :ok:

[Jim59]

Actually it was changed by the CAA in August following consultation to align UK law with EASA regulations. Subsequently the BGA fell into line in October.

[gpn01]

Why the hurry? I ve got nothing against it, but some are petrified at that age and would be much better off waiting until that little bit more mature.

You're mixing up age with maturity. I've flown with 12 year olds (and younger) who have demonstrated incredible maturity, responsibility and capability. I've also flown with 30 year-olds who've demonstrated none of those attributes! As an instructor it's imperative to identify an individual's capability and ability to cope before sending them solo. That's best done through testing, assessment, etc. and not through an arbitrary "ok, off you go..."

The great thing about gliding is that it provides an environment that allows individual's to progress at their own rate. In my experience of UK gliding clubs, there's usually a few pairs of eyes keeping watch over you too :-)

[Pilot.Lyons]

Lol as thing said

[Mechta]

Congratulations to all the new under 16 solos.

We had our youngest member at the Kestrel Gliding Club RAF Odiham go solo a couple of months ago aged 15, as soon as the rule change and weather allowed. He started flying aged 9, and has had over 300 flights since then. When not flying, he mucks in with the various tasks any other member does. He is also one of the most regular attendees on non-flying days to keep things maintained.

From what I have seen, the best way to make responsible youngsters is to give them responsibility.

[FullWings]

I don't think there's any reason that a 14-year-old can't go solo, given a mature outlook and provable skills but I'm not so sure about the whole culture surrounding soloing on the date it becomes legal.

It is highly unlikely, given the random nature of the British weather and availability of instruction and aeroplanes, that the student will reach the point that they would normally be sent solo, exactly on their birthday. Logically, one could say they're either being held back unnecessarily or being sent off too early.

It also attaches a slight air of 'failure' to those who don't make it into the air on their significant date - rubbish of course but I've overheard jokes in the bar and it could give you a bit of a complex if you were sensitive.

I'm not sure about the long-term consequences of a seriously early solo in terms of continuing in the sport - yes, it's the best time to learn and get good habits but I've seen many "solo at 14/16" articles in the local papers (good) but often fail to find these people at the club several years later (bad). Time will tell...

[JW411]

I had a lad in my club who could easily have gone solo at the age of 12. That was 45 years ago. At the time, I think it was possible to go solo at the age of14 in Holland and Austria.

[FANS]

Go - I take it that you want to remove any minimum age requirements then?

How old can the instructor be to authorise such flights now?

[Benjybh]

I soloed at 16. Quite proud of the fact I was trusted to fly alone before I could drive :cool:

[bad bear]

Not sure if things have changed but there used to be no minimum age for solo in NZ.

bb

[Thecope]

I also soled at 16 the day after due to bad weather
Btw I fly gliders looking to get a ppl though when I have some money.

[longer ron]

To those who have seen it before...a bit of a non story really...I have seen some excellent 14 yo solo pilots and plenty of rubbish older solo pilots...as gpn01 posted - it is all about individual skill and maturity...age is irrelevant,although obviously one has to have a minimum age !!

And as mechta posted
From what I have seen, the best way to make responsible youngsters is to give them responsibility.

And that is the shame about modern times - responsibility is not readily given to people...big shame -people usually respond well to it.

[P6 Driver]

The BBCreported today that at 14 years and 2 days old, this youngster has soloed a glider.

BBC News - Boy, 14, 'youngest person' in UK to fly glider solo (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-20915906)

On TV his Mum said that although he was supposed to fly a standard circuit, he "went sightseeing" over Bicester on this flight - I hope that's just a Mum's bit of artistic licence!

[cumulusrider]

Speaking to 2 15 years olds at Lasham today who have both gone solo. However they are not allowed to drive the retrieve truck or buggies on the airfield until they are 16!

[Pace]

Speaking to 2 15 years olds at Lasham today who have both gone solo. However they are not allowed to drive the retrieve truck or buggies on the airfield until they are 16!

There are a whole host of things 15 year olds cannot legally do but they can fly a potentially lethal piece of machinery to themselves and those on the ground! ????

Pace

[Fitter2]

Sorry Pace, could we have that again in English?

[mary meagher]

Pace, although a power plane crashing onto somebody's home or school may cause casualties, a glider crash is highly unlikely to injure anyone on the ground....the only two occasions I can recall in the UK that a glider has caused a fatality to a person on the ground the glider had not crashed.....but was being flown irresponsibly by a highly qualified adult.

Young car drivers, on the other hand, are more frequently lethal.

[RatherBeFlying]

In a wiser world, young people would be required to get their license in gliders, then powered aircraft before being allowed behind the wheel in cars.

To all those whose kids are graduating from high school this year -- on the last day of school, take away the keys and hire a limo driver.

I was told of a Canadian military base that bussed the graduates to a field and bussed them back to breakfast in the morning;)

[BabyBear]

The can fly can't drive question is one I have considered and from my observations there are numerous possibilities for it being acceptable on safety grounds.

1) Flying attracts those with a greater level of maturity and is something the individual desires for themselves. It is done within a controlled environment and each flight is authorised and monitored.

2) Crucially flying is also done without the distraction and influence of back seat driver friends.

3) The training is more comprehensive than driver training.

4) Responsibility comes from the danger being much more apparent than in driving.

As much as I agree that at first sight it seems illogical I can't find any reason to stop 14 year olds gliding and interestingly I think it would be disastrous to allow them to drive. I may even go as far as to say 17 is too young to drive.

Personally I think it's great.

BB

[Pace]

Mary
I was once nearly decapitated by a radio controlled glider with a 12 foot wingspan ; )
No just an observation on how we refer to young people of that age as children when it suits and as responsible individuals when it doesn't!
In law young people of that age are treated differently in courts of law and we all know the attitude to young drivers.
My own son was flying with me at 12 years of age and was flying for Easy Jet at the age of 20 in the right seat of a 737!
After going through a CTC selection and fast tracking!
Nevertheless I think 16 is about right but find it all a bit double standards on considering 14 year olds as mature enough to fly solo in aircraft but not to be responsible for their actions in courts of law and many other things!

Pace

[BabyBear]

Pace, I'm surprised I thought you would have been in favour on 14 year olds flying.

I don't see any similarities with driving at all. Haven't thought about legal responsibilty though. I don't get your point re it being double standards, I think the errror is in somehow trying to equate the two?

Consider how 14 year olds fly in isolation of analogies and see if you still feel the same, I can't think of any good reason not to permit it.

BB

[Pace]

Mmmm? BB dont really think I have strong feelings on it! More bewildered at the different attitudes in law to when someone is classified as legally responsible.
Obviously one person at age 14 might be adult enough while another at 17 may be immature but laws are not created for individuals but masses.

Pace

[mary meagher]

Pace, did it hit you?

and did you record the age of the person tweaking the controls ?

anyhow, well done your lad to survive his upbringing and get a proper job!

[tommoutrie]

its tough to hit someone with a remote control glider-dont underestimate the level of skill involved. There's no go-around and you have to watch the glider and keep an eye on the bloke you're trying to decapitate in case they are looking out for the model and jump out of the way. You need height, speed, stealth, timing.

I crashed one into a sheep on Ivinghoe Beacon once. The "baaa" it made sounded like "irresponsible baaaaastard".


mary, thats the first time anyone has referred to messing about in an airliner as a proper job. If there was a blow in the bag test for maturity, a maturityzer if you like, I would consistently be miles under the legal limit for flying as would the majority of other pilots. Send every kid solo in a glider - stop the little gits sniffing glue and tagging trains. Send them freefall parachuting by law. 14th birthday, push them out the back of a Herc and only the sensible ones will live.

The annoying thing about sending kids solo in gliders is that they are really good at it and have amazing coordination and learn fast and generally do things very well which is irritating for all us crusty old duffers. As a penalty we make them splice ropes and cut grass and sweep hangars. Its an envy tax.

[longer ron]

As I alluded to previously...one of my old clubs had a very skillful/talented 14 yo solo pilot and a whole bunch of effing useless 25 - 40 yo pilots :)

Although we were more talented in the Bar :):ok:

[Pace]

Although we were more talented in the Bar

You could make it legal for them to do that at 14 too :E
Only joking yes us old gits are just jealous :ok:

Pace

[longer ron]

You could make it legal for them to do that at 14 too

Wot and take the fun of underage drinking away ??? :)

[planesandthings]

I'm one of the ones based at Lasham and although it sounds like us young'uns are being let out into freedom and to fly where we want it's not the case.

Until 16 the minimum when we are able to apply and recieve the Bronze + XC Endorsement we have to stay within close gliding range of the airfield no matter if we have 100 solo hours whenever or more so there are still limitations. But certainly has worked wonders when otherwise I would be being P2 for the laws sake.

Planesandthings

[phiggsbroadband]

Hi, this solo at 14 rule came 40 years to late for me, I was in the ATC at the age of 13 and was told I could not fly gliders, even though I had swotted up on everything glider related, and could explain how the double pill Cosim variometer worked.

So not detered I left the ATC and took up ACU motor-cycle racing instead. Motor sport has long allowed junior competitors, and I am sure this new rule for gliding will be just the wake-up call that is needed for gliding and GA in the 21st centuary.