First Solo- when?
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: My house
First Solo- when?
Hi there,
I am currently traninig for a PPL at leicestershire aero club and would like to know at what point do students usually take their first solo? 10hours/ 15hrs or less?
I have been told by my instructor that i will have no problem with the flying because i have 35 launches in a viking glider so i have some previous flying experience.
Kindest regards
Nick
I am currently traninig for a PPL at leicestershire aero club and would like to know at what point do students usually take their first solo? 10hours/ 15hrs or less?
I have been told by my instructor that i will have no problem with the flying because i have 35 launches in a viking glider so i have some previous flying experience.
Kindest regards
Nick
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Joined: Feb 2000
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From: UK
First answer is, probably around 15 hours for most people training regularly.
Second answer is that getting worried about it will only slow you up, just relax, enjoy the flying, and be surprised when it happens.
G
Second answer is that getting worried about it will only slow you up, just relax, enjoy the flying, and be surprised when it happens.
G
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: London
Second answer is that getting worried about it will only slow you up, just relax, enjoy the flying, and be surprised when it happens
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: heathrow
there is no race to go solo, and your FI will judge when you are ready and SAFE. remember you are flying on his/her licence.
many students are ready at about 15 hours, some take 50 or more. once you leave the ground on your own you have no choice but to land it yourself, and nobody is going to let you go solo without a very good chance you and the a/c will come down safely.
remember to get your medical done, and most clubs want you to have passed air law as well.
many students are ready at about 15 hours, some take 50 or more. once you leave the ground on your own you have no choice but to land it yourself, and nobody is going to let you go solo without a very good chance you and the a/c will come down safely.
remember to get your medical done, and most clubs want you to have passed air law as well.
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: UK
It helps to get some consolidation in your training. When I sensed I was getting close, I flew every evening from Monday to Thursday, went solo on the Thursday evening second flight (at 10 hours PPL training, but with some previous gliding experience).
If you only fly occasionally, it will take a lot longer. However, your gliding experience will help, as you should at least know the basics.
It's not a race, but slow progress because lessons are spaced too far apart can be demoralising and will definatly result in a far more expensive licence - three steps forward each lesson, but two steps back in between 'cause you have to re-learn so much with such big gaps between lessons.
SSD
If you only fly occasionally, it will take a lot longer. However, your gliding experience will help, as you should at least know the basics.
It's not a race, but slow progress because lessons are spaced too far apart can be demoralising and will definatly result in a far more expensive licence - three steps forward each lesson, but two steps back in between 'cause you have to re-learn so much with such big gaps between lessons.
SSD
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Canada
Read David Garnett's A Rabbit in the Air: notes from a diary kept while learning to handle an aeroplane, available at most public libraries. Originally written in 1932, it is still one of the best books on the quest for solo status.
Joined: May 2001
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And if you want the cards stacked in your favour always book the slot just before lunch and give your instructor a can of Juice to drink just before you leave. 
There is no rush to go solo. Huge swaft of the paint brush here but I found those that went solo quickly had to spend longer at nav and those that took a bit of time to go solo took less time at the nav. I don't know if it was the additional practise at RT, being more used to being in the air or the old differnet side of the brain thing.
If it does get to the stage though of 3-4 lessons with no improvment or the instructor finding excuses not to send you. Have a word with the CFI, its maybe time for a fresh look at you and someone elses tactics.
I found at the beginning working as a FI i was looking for perfection. Towards the end I was looking for 3 circuits without me having to patter, and the biggest tick was the gut feel the student was ready. And I was never into the huge briefs before first solo (I was very doudtful if any student would remember any brief after being told they were going solo) after checking previously there medical was in, it was "1 circuit see you back at the school" get out and not look back.
MJ
There is no rush to go solo. Huge swaft of the paint brush here but I found those that went solo quickly had to spend longer at nav and those that took a bit of time to go solo took less time at the nav. I don't know if it was the additional practise at RT, being more used to being in the air or the old differnet side of the brain thing.
If it does get to the stage though of 3-4 lessons with no improvment or the instructor finding excuses not to send you. Have a word with the CFI, its maybe time for a fresh look at you and someone elses tactics.
I found at the beginning working as a FI i was looking for perfection. Towards the end I was looking for 3 circuits without me having to patter, and the biggest tick was the gut feel the student was ready. And I was never into the huge briefs before first solo (I was very doudtful if any student would remember any brief after being told they were going solo) after checking previously there medical was in, it was "1 circuit see you back at the school" get out and not look back.
MJ
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Not a million miles from EGTF
Your solo comes when it is ready. Please don't make any assumption that 35 launches in a glider will help - it didn't for me, and I had hundreds
There is a differnce between gliders and powered a/c - the engine! and that is what slowed me up. I couldn't get to grips with the throttle.
Just fly well and take the solo when it comes. Don't be too arrogant to accept that you may not be as good as you think you are
At the moment I am flying with experienced pilots who can't come to terms with a new type. They are flying worse than student pilots and are not safe. This is not like driving, and often you will take a step backwards before progressing, but the key thing is to be safe.
There is a differnce between gliders and powered a/c - the engine! and that is what slowed me up. I couldn't get to grips with the throttle.
Just fly well and take the solo when it comes. Don't be too arrogant to accept that you may not be as good as you think you are
At the moment I am flying with experienced pilots who can't come to terms with a new type. They are flying worse than student pilots and are not safe. This is not like driving, and often you will take a step backwards before progressing, but the key thing is to be safe.
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Canada
Please don't make any assumption that 35 launches in a glider will help - it didn't for me, and I had hundreds
I well remember that my first instructor, who was then chief tow pilot at my glider club, dispensed with ground briefings on the basis that "you're an experienced glider pilot, so you already know all about that". That approach was not helpful, as his assumptions were usually unwarranted. As robin has already noted, sailplanes and airplanes are similar but not identical, and various aspects of flying the latter will need to be learned from scratch. Don't permit anyone to shortchange your training.
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From: wakefield
There is no rush to go solo. Huge swaft of the paint brush here but I found those that went solo quickly had to spend longer at nav and those that took a bit of time to go solo took less time at the nav. I don't know if it was the additional practise at RT, being more used to being in the air or the old differnet side of the brain thing.
Took me ages to go solo (in fact If I remember rightly I had more than 12 hours in the circuit
) but then procceded easily through the nav and QXC then GST in very short order indeed.I thought I was the only one to do it this way!
The Original Whirly
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
Well, I took absolutely ages to go solo, then proceeded to mess up most of my dual navs, but I still got there in the end. 
And a few years later, it seems totally unimportant. What would I have been doing if I'd learned more quickly? Flying. What was I doing anyway? Flying. And flying with the benefit of an instructor, and learning something new each time, even if what I was supposed to be learning wouldn't seem to stick.
I just wish I'd known then what I do now, and seen all that at the time.
For the record, I'm talking about my PPL(A), which I got first; I struggled with whirly things later.
And a few years later, it seems totally unimportant. What would I have been doing if I'd learned more quickly? Flying. What was I doing anyway? Flying. And flying with the benefit of an instructor, and learning something new each time, even if what I was supposed to be learning wouldn't seem to stick. I just wish I'd known then what I do now, and seen all that at the time.
For the record, I'm talking about my PPL(A), which I got first; I struggled with whirly things later.
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: UK
I found, as I said in my earlier thread, that my gliding experience helped (at least I knew about 'effects of controls', etc). Together with those consolidated lessons (even more important than the gliding experience IMHO at the pre-solo stage when it's all very new), 10 hours did it for me. But it wasn't plain sailing by any means - I remember a comment by one instructor on my student card when I was attempting to learn to land:
"Now I know why gliders don't have an undecarriage!".
SSD
"Now I know why gliders don't have an undecarriage!".
SSD
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Retford, UK
I must admit I didn't know much about the significance of going solo as I'd got to that stage without going on this or other boards, and didn't even know anyone who'd done PPL training, so just got on with it.
I wonder if new FI's are nervous about sending their first student for their first solo? I'd have thought it would be even more nerveracking wondering if you've done the right thing
I wonder if new FI's are nervous about sending their first student for their first solo? I'd have thought it would be even more nerveracking wondering if you've done the right thing
Joined: May 2001
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I would say i was more nervous sending my first student for GFT.
By the time you send the first solo up yourself you should have prepared and handed over 4-5 students to the CFI for solo check before getting your restriction removed. And if you have to be nervous about the student going up they shouldn't be solo.
I was involved in 16-17 students ppl's so hence my big paint brush. In fact my second student (from start to finish) now has my old job. Which after talking about it in the pub last night I feel quite chuffed about.
MJ
By the time you send the first solo up yourself you should have prepared and handed over 4-5 students to the CFI for solo check before getting your restriction removed. And if you have to be nervous about the student going up they shouldn't be solo.
I was involved in 16-17 students ppl's so hence my big paint brush. In fact my second student (from start to finish) now has my old job. Which after talking about it in the pub last night I feel quite chuffed about.
MJ
Tabs please!
Joined: Jun 2004
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
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From: Biffins Bridge
My lovely FI has suddenly taken a very close interest in my medical which either means that I look ill and should get checked out or ........ She is making hints about learning the emergency drills before the next lesson and has started making references to passing the Air Law (
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz) paper.
Let me think now is it jurisdiction or sovereignty of a contracting state or is it the square over the hypotenuse
I'm expecting a big bar bill in the next couple of hours
She is making hints about learning the emergency drills before the next lesson and has started making references to passing the Air Law ( zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz) paper.Let me think now is it jurisdiction or sovereignty of a contracting state or is it the square over the hypotenuse
I'm expecting a big bar bill in the next couple of hours
Last edited by B Fraser; 22nd July 2005 at 05:25.
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Horsham
From memory mine was after 18 hours, slightly over average, however I was ready for my skill test after 40 hours and had to pad it out with another solo cross country flight.
Don't worry about doing it within a certain amount of time, it wont stop you becoming a superior pilot. It is as much to do with confidence as skill. Good luck
Don't worry about doing it within a certain amount of time, it wont stop you becoming a superior pilot. It is as much to do with confidence as skill. Good luck
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Kent
When to go solo?
16 years, 8 hours and 23 minutes I think!
Then licence in hand almost exactly one year later I think!
tKF
(sorry, a look at the excel SS tells me it was 15:35 official, and about 145:35 unofficial!)
Then licence in hand almost exactly one year later I think!
tKF
(sorry, a look at the excel SS tells me it was 15:35 official, and about 145:35 unofficial!)
