Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
On her second solo flight with 24 hours of training.... What is the common number of hours of dual before going solo?
When I learned in the 80s, it seemed to be generally around the 12-20ish mark, obviously depending on school and student aptitude. It seems to have become longer with a syllabus which appears to have expanded, if not in scope then certainly in detail.
As an instructor through the 90s and 2000s, I adopted a simple formula which was a good guide: 10 hours + 1/3rd of the age of the student. 18 year olds took around 15 hours, 40 year olds took around 20-25 and 65 year olds took 30+. 75+ year olds generally didn't have enough time left to progress that far. It was rough and ready, but always a good guide, and usually accurate, again depending on student aptitude.
Obviously there were exceptions, such as the 35 year old student whom I allowed to do the complete landing on a 1st trial flight. Exceptional. He just listened and did. He soloed in 10 hours, PPL in minimum hours and he quickly went on to be a very fine instructor. At the other extreme are the occasional students whom you've had to counsel that they might never gain a PPL, possibly not even a solo, without some significant changes.
The saddest for me was a 65 year old, who knew it all, was always telling anyone who'd listen that he was a good pilot and ready for solo but being held back, the only hindrance to their solo and licence was a mean instructor who clearly didn't recognise their talent and aviating prowess. However the ability and actions never matched the words and confidence. He chose a day when I was not instructing to take his pride and joy 2 seater out for a 'fast taxy' which evolved into a low hop, and from there a flight, from eye-witness accounts, climbing far too steeply (one of his perpetual habits which he would never accept any correction from me) which lasted a mere minute or so before a stall and incipient spin from 400' and crash back to Earth with fatal consequences. The CAA / AAIB enquiry was upsetting, for me and others, however my student records confirmed the picture of an over-confident student who believed they knew it all, and could not achieve any exercise reasonably well or safely. What their spouses / families don't fully realise in these cases is that it is often only the instructors judgement which keep these ones alive for them for them up to that point.
Always a tragedy when lives are lost in aviation.