Whirlybird will NOT tell you her story; she's had too many things used against her on PPRuNe, and she does actually learn from experience. Let's just say I didn't break any records in my hours to first solo.
I think that Frank Robinson made a rule in the USA that no-one should go solo on the R22 in less than 20 hours, as a response to the early high accident rate in the R22, though I'm not certain of this. At any rate, it's commonly a rule in schools over there, and in many over here too, mine included. At around 17 hours, my instructor told me that in many schools I'd be considered ready for solo, but I couldn't do it there till I had 20 hours. At just over 21 hours, and drastically over-confident - though of course I didn't realise it at the time - I said to my instructor as he told me how well I was doing: "So when do I get to go solo then?". He was a little taken aback! But then my takeoffs went to pieces, the weather got bad, other things went wrong, and it took me quite a bit longer. But, as Bravo73 and others have said, it really doesn't mean a lot - the longer I fly, the more sure of this I become. By the time I went solo I'd done most of the course. My second solo was three circuits, then I asked if I could fly to the next airfield, where I had friends, for the third one. I was told it was far, far too early. I explained that I'd flown the route f/w loads of times, and I knew I could do it, so I was finally allowed to. So...one circuit, then three circuits, then a solo landaway...is that a first?
Awww, Jeez, I ended up telling you my story anyway...will I ever learn?