Average hours to first solo
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5 hours 45 minutes, which, referring to my log book, included stalling and spinning and obviously EFATO, flapless etc. (Cessna 152, 1982, UK, Regional Airport).
Last edited by Pom pom; 9th Feb 2011 at 06:49. Reason: Additional info
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I was sent solo on my trial flight before I started the PPL course.
It was all a mistake really. I was really surprised when the instructor said " right then off you go".
Microsoft flight sim was a Godsend and somehow I made it to a near perfect landing.
The CFI must have had a bad dose of food poisoning as he was waiting to greet me looking as green as green can be.
Later found out that they had sent the first solo on the trial flight and me on the first solo. He looked a bit like me! Leather Jacket and RayBans!
They never charged me for the trial flight probably because I didnt have an instructor with me but hey ho
Can someone tell me? is that a record? or do people who land aeroplanes after the pilot drops dead at the controls count as first solos?
Maybe they are classified as P1S as they were talked down by ATC? So I must be the record holder for earliest first solo?
You will be ready when you are ready and the weather is ready so dont fret!
It was all a mistake really. I was really surprised when the instructor said " right then off you go".
Microsoft flight sim was a Godsend and somehow I made it to a near perfect landing.
The CFI must have had a bad dose of food poisoning as he was waiting to greet me looking as green as green can be.
Later found out that they had sent the first solo on the trial flight and me on the first solo. He looked a bit like me! Leather Jacket and RayBans!
They never charged me for the trial flight probably because I didnt have an instructor with me but hey ho
Can someone tell me? is that a record? or do people who land aeroplanes after the pilot drops dead at the controls count as first solos?
Maybe they are classified as P1S as they were talked down by ATC? So I must be the record holder for earliest first solo?
You will be ready when you are ready and the weather is ready so dont fret!
Last edited by Pace; 9th Feb 2011 at 23:28.
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Dear Pace
I think from what I've read on PPRuNe that you are a very accomplished professional pilot, no doubt with much to be proud of. As a low hours PPL, who works hard to be able to fund my limited flying activities, I find it quite saddening that a fellow (though much, much more experienced) aviator feels it necessary to ridicule the responses of those, including myself, who have only a few flying achievements that maybe they ought to be allowed to feel just a little bit proud of.
What do you think?
PP
I think from what I've read on PPRuNe that you are a very accomplished professional pilot, no doubt with much to be proud of. As a low hours PPL, who works hard to be able to fund my limited flying activities, I find it quite saddening that a fellow (though much, much more experienced) aviator feels it necessary to ridicule the responses of those, including myself, who have only a few flying achievements that maybe they ought to be allowed to feel just a little bit proud of.
What do you think?
PP
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Pom pom
Far from it ! We often have threads on how long to first solo! That then usually goes into a contest about who went the earliest ! For a new student who may take longer than some of the quoted hours reading those figures could be soul destroying.
There may be many factors often weather related where a student builds up hours to first solo. Pilots have different ability levels or even commitments which means that their first solo takes longer.
So my Humorous piece was not to ridicule but to highlight in a humerous way how unimportant it is whether you take 7 hrs 15 hrs or 20 hrs plus.
You will go solo when you and the weather right it's not a competition or a willy waving exercise.
If you took what was supposed to be a light hearted emphasis as mocking first solo students then you could not be further from the truth that was not the message I intended to get over.
If you went solo in 5 hrs 45 mins then you must be a natural pilot as when I went solo many moons ago I thought I was quick at 8 to 9 hrs.
5 hrs 45 mins is very fast to solo so congratualtions.
Addendum
Just take off the very accomplished. I fly bottom of the pile business jets and multi engine pistons and turbines. There are far more accomplished and knowlegable pilots in these forums than me
Pace
Far from it ! We often have threads on how long to first solo! That then usually goes into a contest about who went the earliest ! For a new student who may take longer than some of the quoted hours reading those figures could be soul destroying.
There may be many factors often weather related where a student builds up hours to first solo. Pilots have different ability levels or even commitments which means that their first solo takes longer.
So my Humorous piece was not to ridicule but to highlight in a humerous way how unimportant it is whether you take 7 hrs 15 hrs or 20 hrs plus.
You will go solo when you and the weather right it's not a competition or a willy waving exercise.
If you took what was supposed to be a light hearted emphasis as mocking first solo students then you could not be further from the truth that was not the message I intended to get over.
If you went solo in 5 hrs 45 mins then you must be a natural pilot as when I went solo many moons ago I thought I was quick at 8 to 9 hrs.
5 hrs 45 mins is very fast to solo so congratualtions.
Addendum
very accomplished professional pilot
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 10th Feb 2011 at 10:39.
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Any correlation between time to solo/PPL and later competence
Put aside for a moment those at the extreme (ie those who go solo and get PPL very quickly because they are naturally gifted and, I guess, those at the other extreme who would be dangerous in charge of a power drill). Of the remaining 99% of student pilots, is there any correlation between stats for first solo and completing PPL and their eventual competence once they've been qualified for a while? In other words, do the fast learners actually become better pilots? If competence were plotted on a graph against time, does the curve flatten out for us plodders at a lower level than the those who get PPL on their 17th birthday?
Last edited by CharlieDeltaUK; 10th Feb 2011 at 10:14.
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Nothing thats down on paper but....
What you find is that ppl pilots fall into 3 groups.
1. Good hand eye and solo quite quickly.
2. Methodical and think and can take long periods of repetative work cycles.
3. Can do both.
The 1st group go solo quickly but struggle with the nav.
2nd take a bit longer going solo but have zero issues with NAV
3rd are what the potential commercial pilots should be in.
What you find is that ppl pilots fall into 3 groups.
1. Good hand eye and solo quite quickly.
2. Methodical and think and can take long periods of repetative work cycles.
3. Can do both.
The 1st group go solo quickly but struggle with the nav.
2nd take a bit longer going solo but have zero issues with NAV
3rd are what the potential commercial pilots should be in.
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IIRC Sir Francis Chichester took 24H to solo, but was a seriously good navigator, so he would be an "MJ2".
Since this thread is supposed to be about average hours to solo, and I think a bit of selective reporting is going on, I will volunteer that I took about 27 hours. And that doesn't bother me at all. It did then, though!
Since this thread is supposed to be about average hours to solo, and I think a bit of selective reporting is going on, I will volunteer that I took about 27 hours. And that doesn't bother me at all. It did then, though!
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Thank you Pace for your reply. I understand your point of view and comments now. Though I must add my own to your final statement: anyone that flies
is a bit of a Skygod IMHO!
Regards, PP
bottom of the pile business jets and multi engine pistons and turbines
Regards, PP
Nothing thats down on paper but....
What you find is that ppl pilots fall into 3 groups.
1. Good hand eye and solo quite quickly.
2. Methodical and think and can take long periods of repetative work cycles.
3. Can do both.
The 1st group go solo quickly but struggle with the nav.
2nd take a bit longer going solo but have zero issues with NAV
3rd are what the potential commercial pilots should be in.
What you find is that ppl pilots fall into 3 groups.
1. Good hand eye and solo quite quickly.
2. Methodical and think and can take long periods of repetative work cycles.
3. Can do both.
The 1st group go solo quickly but struggle with the nav.
2nd take a bit longer going solo but have zero issues with NAV
3rd are what the potential commercial pilots should be in.
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Apparently Johnnie Johnson, highest scoring fighter ace in the RAF in Europe during WWII was such a crap pilot during training he was almost scrubbed. So time to solo doesn't have much bearing on the pilot you will become.
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The other point I want to raise is that are you infact better and more competant having some hours under your belt before going solo?
You take a competant student who has perfect zero wind blue sky weather and solos at say 7 hrs.
Take the same guy who is plagued with poor weather stronger winds and because of that solos at 15 hrs.
In those extra hours he has kept his hand in learning to deal with the stronger winds and other areas in the training.
From that point with his learned extra skills he should quickly progress through his solo work and on.
Ok I know of one elderly pilot who took a huge amount of hours to solo and some reckoned he never would. He enjoyed his weekly fly with an instructor and frankly wasnt that bothered whether he ever achieved a PPL.
In the end he did solo and went on to achieve his PPL. He never flew alone after the PPL{much to the relief of his instructors) teaming up with another OAP but they had loads of fun with their weekly joints to near off places
He was a complete aviation enthusiast.
That is what private flying should be about! enjoyment.
Sadly the above died from cancer but I flew his Citation for him an aircraft which was his dream to own ( A badly bought real bottom of the pile 500 which scared the sh~t out of me half the time! You didnt need a sim for failure practice with that bird) which was sold for peanuts on his death.
BTW I was paid peanuts to fly and operate his jet for him but had no end of fun in the process. isnt that what its about? I almost got a sim ride every other flight Good for the soul!
Pace
You take a competant student who has perfect zero wind blue sky weather and solos at say 7 hrs.
Take the same guy who is plagued with poor weather stronger winds and because of that solos at 15 hrs.
In those extra hours he has kept his hand in learning to deal with the stronger winds and other areas in the training.
From that point with his learned extra skills he should quickly progress through his solo work and on.
Ok I know of one elderly pilot who took a huge amount of hours to solo and some reckoned he never would. He enjoyed his weekly fly with an instructor and frankly wasnt that bothered whether he ever achieved a PPL.
In the end he did solo and went on to achieve his PPL. He never flew alone after the PPL{much to the relief of his instructors) teaming up with another OAP but they had loads of fun with their weekly joints to near off places
He was a complete aviation enthusiast.That is what private flying should be about! enjoyment.
Sadly the above died from cancer but I flew his Citation for him an aircraft which was his dream to own ( A badly bought real bottom of the pile 500 which scared the sh~t out of me half the time! You didnt need a sim for failure practice with that bird) which was sold for peanuts on his death.
BTW I was paid peanuts to fly and operate his jet for him but had no end of fun in the process. isnt that what its about? I almost got a sim ride every other flight
Good for the soul!Pace
Last edited by Pace; 10th Feb 2011 at 18:01.
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As a low hours PPL, who works hard to be able to fund my limited flying activities, I find it quite saddening that a fellow (though much, much more experienced) aviator feels it necessary to ridicule the responses of those, including myself, who have only a few flying achievements that maybe they ought to be allowed to feel just a little bit proud of.