Unhinged,
I agree, in the UK Military training system the first heli solo is a square 1000' circuit, taking all of 5 mins, ending back at the point in the middle of the airfield where the instructor nervoursly awaits watching his/her student complete circuit.
This happens between 12-17 hrs heli after about 75hrs fixed wing.
I guess the students aren't trusted to hover taxi in close proximity to millions of pounds worth of other aircraft after only a few hours! even to the point of sometimes getting their instructor to fly them to a relief landing site for their first solo.
MS