Solo

[iain32]

Hi,
I wanted to know what average number of hours is before going solo as i did mine in 9 and a half so i was wondering if that was considered quite fast.

Thanks
Iain

[student88]

That's about right.

S88:ok:

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

I would say it is anything between 10 and 25. There are so many factors that will dictate when someone goes solo. Just because you take a little longer does not mean you are a bad pilot.

Also, thinking that there are 13 exercises to teach before someone goes solo in the circuit, it would be unlikely for anyone to go solo before the 10 hour mark if the exercises have been taught properly.

[fanda78]

I would say that anything between zero and twenty is reasonable.
do not forget that it does NOT depends only on you but you have to tak in consiuderation, weather, instructor, flight school procedures, how often you fly and so on...
someone whos fly every day during sumer in Spain can go solo after fife hours and someone who flys in UK during winter one hour every week will make first PIC time after 22 hrs...

[richmanpoorman]

congrats on your solo Iain, I think 9 hours is pretty good, but remember it's not how you start the race that matters, it's how you finish it!

Keep up the good work:ok:
RP

[Put1992]

It clearly varies from person to person, so asking that kind of question on here just gets a list of responses about who went, at what hour

I went at 15 hours, after flying every 4-6 weeks, which a 3 month gap somewhere in the middle.

Blimey I was pushing it

:suspect:

[Rugbyears]

Well done Ian, that huge confidence booster, but don’t get too carried away about time. Remember it’s not a race, good understanding and safe flying is the key. Try and take everything on board what your instructor teaches you and aim to complete your PPL in the minimum of hours [45]. If you do excel there is a possibility your instructor may try and squeeze in your night qualification….

Best of luck and safe flying..:ok:

[Dream_on]

Fanda78- solo between 0-20 hrs!!!!! lol! how many people have gone solo on 0 hrs? or the first 5hrs? :ooh: Not having a go just asking a question :O

[fanda78]

you would be surprise - I know that this does not cover the topic of solo in PPL but check how many people who run or tried to escape from comunists eastern block during 70s 80s did that. Builded own aeroplane (usualy gyro or flexi wing), one test flight at night and here we go...
Thats why I put zero however I agree with you that to go solo on your trial leson is utopia...

[CY333]

I did mine at 16 but i know a guy that has 30 and still has not been cleared for it.

[Mikehotel152]

Well done mate. It's an achievement and shows you've got a natural ability to handle an aircraft. :ok:

But as CAT3C AUTOLAND points out, if you've been taught according to the JAR syllabus you'll have done a minimum of 13 lessons and these ought to take an hour each. If they haven't, I would question the thoroughness of the training. :rolleyes: No matter how good the student, my FTO wouldn't have allowed solos below 13 hours.

IMHO there's simply no point rushing through the PPL, especially in the early days when you're learning new techniques on each flight which will underpin your future flying skills. My PPL instructor only had to show me each skill once because I picked it up quickly, but I was then encouraged to consolidate the skill before moving on.

Seeing as most people who start out to get a PPL eventually go solo and get their licence, the basics can't be that difficult. But as you get more into the aviation world you'll see plenty of people with a couple of hundred hours who get up in the air and back down again without crashing, but you wouldn't call them good or even safe pilots. They're probably more confident in their abilities than they ought to be. IMHO it's preferable to be self-critical of your flying abilities and modest. It makes you question yourself and constantly improve.

So what I'm saying, in the nicest possible way, is that piloting is not an ego trip and it's not about breaking records or doing things in quick time. It's about being safe and flying safely, properly and improving each time you go up. :p Going solo early is a great start, but use the extra time you've got in your training to consolidate!

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Fanda 78 you are talking nonsense.

Mike Hotel, I couldn't agree more.

[SparksFlyHigh]

I went after 10.5 hours, i have a friend who still hasnt gone solo after 37+ hours now. But daddy is paying for all the flying and he doesnt give a toss...The good thing is, people like this pump money into the industry so others can benifit :ok:

[Shunter]

I was well over 20hrs before I went solo. Still got through in 45hrs. It's not a race...

[Rugbyears]

Shunter – didn’t the tortoise win the race..?

[Parson]

I seem to recall reading something written by Brian Lecomber on this recently - from memory (and don't quote me) it was along the lines of none of his students went solo below 15hrs as he taught them how to fly glide approaches and side slip before letting them loose. Very good article and thought provoking - think it was in Pilot or Flyer or FTN etc.

As said above, it is very much influenced by other factors beyond ability and I was much experienced at orbiting at the end of the downwind leg before going solo. It took me longer to solo (19hrs) that my entire CPL course (17hrs).

[SparksFlyHigh]

I think alot depends on where you are training and on the day itself.

If you can land the aircraft in calm conditions, fair enough, but you wouldnt cope going solo at an airfield on a nice Sunday with 6 in the circuit and a slight xwind. Im sure if that was the case, any instructor would consider your ability to cope with those conditions and make sure you have a few more hours before you do go solo.

Well done anyway, great feeling isnt it:D

[Shunter]

I did all the exercises in the book, plus a load of PFLs, slips, different configuration approaches etc etc.. I was quite happy flying dual circuits with 15kt of xwind perfecting my crabs, low wing landings et al. I changed instructors quite a lot (inevitable really as they were all hour-builders and constantly vanishing to the airlines) and it was only when I got an older, more experienced guy that we did one circuit, then he stopped and said, "WTF am I doing here? I'm off for a brew, get on with it".

The first thing that strikes you when you go solo is the climb rate and the way it leaps off the runway. I learnt in a 152 and when I went off with half-fuel and 16st of instructor absent the VSI went almost off the clock and I was at circuit height before I'd even turned crosswind.