What do you see in a student before you let him/her go solo?

[Pilot16]

Thats the question.
Im a student and thought this might be interesting. I have posted a poll on the private flying forum, regarding how many hours students tooks before going solo. Much to my suprise, some took as low as 6 or even lower without any previous flying experience.

How can this be? It takes a atleast 6 hours (or more) just covering the basic flying menouvres let alone practice circuits and getting the landings right.

So what do you look in a student before you let him/her for first solo? Do you send the student off just when s/he is capable of getting the plane down in one piece, or not untill the student becomes a top-notch circuit pilot?

Looking forward to some detailed responses from the Instructors here.

Thanks very much.

Pilot16

[StrateandLevel]

Before sending a student solo, you need to see three consecutive safe circuits and landings, the probability then is that the fourth will be much the same.

The student has to demonstrate that the aircraft is under control at all times and that they can cope with simple emergencies in the circuit.

The time taken to go solo will depend on a number of factors, ability, opportunity, age, instructional standards and frequency of lessons. In isolation it means very little.

The judgement required by the instructor takes time to acquire and for that reason the AFI or FI(R) may not send students on their first solo. For an instructor, deceiding when to send their first student solo is a challenge, as experience grows it is quite easy to know when, a feeling in the water!

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

3 good landings where my heartbeat doesn't go above 72.

In truth there are lots of variables such as weather, their confidence, gut instinct and even mood.

Don't get up on hours to first solo. I remember one student who really struggled and was nudging 20hrs. I heard her a day or two back in Scotland getting take off clearance for her jet.

WWW

[Pilot16]

Thanks for replying!
I was ready at 16 hours (when my instructor said I was ready for solo) but now at 19 because the right conditions are not prevailing when I take my lessons. Im still waiting for the day when he hands over the keys for me to fly by myself.

Pilot16

[xerox45]

It is a gut feeling I suppose,weather,it will never be in the last twenty minutes of a session,must have shown to adapt quickly to the conditions on the day,not just parrot fashon,or a point where the student may be becoming tired. the thing is , it isnt important, i was 22hrs, now a BA captain,my instructor 24 hrs, now a IRI/TRI with britsih midland ,if the weather suits instrument work or cross country then its all part of the course! dont get hung up on it!

[Pilot16]

nice hearing from you xerox45, gave me that encouragement i needed.

I am getting frustrated about this, no matter how much i tell myself 'it doesnt matter'.

[essouira]

Be encouraged Pilot16 ! I too have a mate who clocked up so many hours pre-solo that everyone thought they would write a book about her. She turned out to be one of the best airline pilots with whom I have ever flown. The other side of the coin must be one of my star students who was ready for solo very very quickly but hit a brick wall when he started nav - and took tweny hours of dual nav before he could find his back to the airfield without help. Horses for courses - keep going .........

[VORTIME]

me 30 :(

now having great craic as a PPL - suddently released it doesn't matter, I need the hours for the CPL anyway....

[Pilot16]

Thank you VERY much essouira. I have just hit 20. I think what I need is more confidence in everything i do and I should be there!

VORTIME, you have a point, I will be doing CPL, and need the hours anyway.

Thanks very much.

[The 150 driver]

Pilot16, good topic you've choosen there. I agree with what the other instructors use as a guide (3 circuits without having to say anything), it all depends on how far the instructor wants to stick his/her neck out to get someone off first solo. Did you see the standard of the 6hour solo pilot? The instructor is not doing you any favors sending you off half ready. The last thing you need on your first solo is to have a big scare from something you might not have covered earlier. And as for flying when the weather is'nt solo conditions, make the most of your instructor's expierence to keep learning as you go.
Good luck champ, The 150 driver:D

[Cat IIIC]

You must not worry that you have not yet gone solo. As you have gathered from the other replies, everyones background is slightly different. I think that 6 hours is a bit too soon for solo anyway. There are 13 lessons to complete beforehand don't forget, and most of these have more than one part.

I look to see that I could put my mum or sister in with you and you would bring them back in one piece, oh, and the aeroplane as well. You can't imagine the paperwork involved when you crash one, trust me!!

Good luck with the rest of your training.

[jarjam]

not being bitchy but I dont see how exercices 1-12/13 were covered PROPERLY in six hours?

I have a mix of students some solo on 12-20 hours and others still not ready on 30+ hours. dont put pressure on yourself by aiming to go solo on a set amount of hours, it wont help your progress, any way your instructor always has the final decision.

[Long Beach CFII]

I'm an instructor in probably one of the busiest airspaces in the world, and see student pilots soloing at 10 - 20 hours. I really think it has to do with the attitude of the instructor, along with how hard the student is working towards his/her license.

I have soloed a guy in 25 hours because he just wasn't comfortable when i felt he should have been solo, and I soloed a girl (that was being pushed through in 50tt hours), in 12 and she still turned out a very competant pilot.

Yesterday I soloed a guy who was doing it purely for fun in 10 hours, in which i had plenty of time to cover and review all the lessons required by the US regulations.

I myself was soloed in 6 hours glider, and 7.5 hours airplane at 16, and 18 years of age...Its a really hard question to answer i guess its best answered by whoever wants to go solo.

I think as an Instructor with a bit of experience, it's when my student elects to go-around after I don't say anything during one or two patterns/circuits.

[Saxon]

No two students will ever be the same, but if pushed, I would have to say that the average is around the 10 hour mark.

You have to remember that there are alot of variables in there; student ability, frequency of training sessions, ect.

[ianhogg]

My lot go solo when both of us are relaxed when I say "just do me one on your own then" if I don't get a confident sounding"ok"
back straight away then he or she needs a few more laps to build their confidence and we are there for their benifit not mine.(not counting the filthy lucre element for a moment)
Also a proven ability to keep 3 wheels on the a/c is nice!!
Pip Pip Ian
:)

[perceval]

am gonna had my grain of salt . As a student it took me 22 hours for various reasons to go solo (european weather, finances , shyness...) , as an instructor I have seen it all , as far as number of hours are concerned .first of all there''s the question of where and under which regs you are learning , some are more demanding than others (FAA requires a list of about 15 topics to be covered before you can even think of sending anybody solo , some other places just require basic handling and t/o ldg competency...) , then personnally i like my students to have an idea about most emergencies that could affect him in the circuit (once again comes the question of where ,busy airport or small strip with zero traffic ) , stall training and various mishap during landin recoveries , then decision making (Go around , Traffic avoidance and Think about those atc instructions -am working at a field where we have loads of trainee controllers ) , finally those three safe landings and the personnal confidence and desire to go . So , it takes anything between 15 and 30 hours to get there and it does not predict much about your future career .Keep it up .

[saudipc-9]

Pilot16,
If you are getting worried about going solo, I would add one small piece of advice. Do not be afraid to tell your instructor that you want a second opinion.
I am an ex military instructor with 3600hrs and there have been times where my bag of tricks ran out. I had to get another IP to fly with the student to try a change of tact/style.
Instructors are not infallible and a change might be what you need. Another thing is he might be padding his logbook with your money/hours.
Just something to think about. Best of luck, you will remember that flight for the rest of your life.