Will I ever go solo?

[Quinze]

Hi all,
I am a student pilot with about 36 hours in a Tecnam, aiming for a PPL. I'm on my second flight school now (the first one was a notorious rip-off joint) with about 8 hours at the new school, and I've flown with several different instructors.

The problem is, I am about to give up because I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. All of the instructors say things like "you're getting there" but there is no indication of if/when I will ever go solo, nor has anyone suggested I take any written exams, etc.

I think 36 hours is a heck of a lot to not even have a GFPT. I have flown with friends (off the record) who can't believe I haven't even soloed yet. My bank account is running dry and I can't afford to keep doing circuits around the same airport for the next 100 years. Could anyone please shed some light on to what is going on? Thanks in advance.

[transmitforDF]

36 hours without going solo? I just completed mine 2 weeks ago on 12 with a 5 yr break in between.

Sounds like you need to put your foot down and get some answers you're the paying customer. The main problem here is that you mention that you have a set of instructors, my best advice is stick to one for the rest of your training. With a group of them there's obviously been a breakdown in communication and structure to your lessons. Between them they are most likely unaware of whose done what and when and how far you are. This mess is only going to cost you more so its vital you start taking some control.

All the best. Tim

[Pace]

Quince

We have had posts a little like this before. If you have a concern then TALK! dont bottle it up but have a chat with the CFI explain you have a lot of hours (36) and why are you not solo yet? Also explain that you are getting demoralised!!!
There are many reasons which may not be to do with your piloting skills or lack of them!
Usually weather related.
Even if the instructors are not happy to sign you off solo with 36 hours you should expect to know WHY!!! identify the problem and sort a solution.
So TALK please

Pace

[Ds3]

I'm far from experienced, but if I was in your situation I'd certainly be demanding answers. If it's an issue with your progress you need to know exactly what it is so you can work on improving it. If it's not you, then you need to know what it is and what can be done to mitigate it.

If I get to 36 hours in and haven't solo'd I'll be very disappointed. I'm only 4.5 hours in but have taken off on my last two lessons so feel I'm making reasonable progress. Stalling tomorrow, which I'm not quite so keen about!!

[WILCO.XMG]

That is disappointing from your flight school re the soloing.

But for exams take the initiative your self. These flight schools will not take your hand.

[FANS]

how many times a week do you fly and what type of airport is it? i.e. how many months is your 36 hrs over ?

[Pull what]

Its a very poor flying school that lets any student go past 12 hours (IMHO) before going first solo without sitting down with the student and discussing the training programme and what a can be done to help. Any flying school that allows 36 hours to elapse before any such input for my money is next to useless. You are paying them to teach you to fly-clearly they are not.

[Pull what]

Terry what is it that actually worries you about turbulence and if you experinced the same violent movement in a car on rough terain would it frighten you in the same way

[Pace]

Quinze

Reading your initial post where your friends have ridden along and cannot believe you have soloed yet I think in your position I would be shouting and screaming for an explanation.
Flying is a very expensive business and it is your money that is being blead away not your flying clubs!
I soloed at 8 hrs probably too early, an organisational mistake and many moons ago. How I made it round only God knows
There will be plenty here who will publish their earliest solo hours record.
There will be plenty who will claim that you will solo in good time when you are ready and thats it unimportant.
I knew one guy who didnt solo till 60 plus hours but he was a pensioner quite happy to trundle along with an instructor.
For a fit reasonably young person anything over 20 hours and something is going wrong.
Either you are being ripped off or you have jumped from one instructor/club to another or the weather has been crap.
If its a flying problem then its your instructors duty to safeguard your money, identify the problem early and sort it.
SHOUT!!!!

Pace

[Whopity]

Firstly, you should check to see if your training has been properly documented i.e. each flight has been recorded together with comments regarding your performance. Has the training followed the published syllabus, and if not why not? Which exercises have you had to repeat, how many times, and what are the reasons given. Training records will either identify your weak areas, or alternatively, will show up the organisation training you as not doing the job properly. Have you been debriefed after each flight, and have you ever been asked to sign the debrief to acknowledge that you have been told about your performance and any shortcomings?

[IO540]

Socal - give people a break.

I've been kicking around this scene for only 11 years and I have seen several 100+ hour non-PPLs, some crooked instructors who milked a student for all they could (works especially well with female students), and some basically ineffective instructors.

A novice can't spot any of this.

36 hours without going solo is a bit long but not outrageous, especially if somebody is a bit older. If other stuff (Whopity's post) is taken care of then I would change the instructor. Often there is a personality issue; a lot of instructors are pretty aggressive, while some are just very nervous and keep grabbing the controls, etc.

[bingofuel]

When doing circuit flying, have you flown three consecutive circuits 'totally' unassited by your instructor?
If you can honestly say 'yes' then it is certainly time to ask to see your student record and discuss it with the Chief Instructor.

[BabyBear]

IO540, I tend to agree with Socal.

The skill level or length of time to solo (whether 36hrs or 100hrs) is not an issue, what is questionable is the thought processes that allow an individual, who is unhappy with the situation, to arrive at this point without having questioned it enroute.

There certainly seems to be issues with the approach to getting his PPL.

BB

[Pace]

The skill level or length of time to solo (whether 36hrs or 100hrs) is not an issue

BabyBear

I do think 36 hrs to solo IS AN ISSUE

Ok as stated there are some especially old student pilots who dont really care whether they achieve solo or not! They enjoy the instruction and their weekly flight but dont have any real ambition. One day they think why not and do go solo at high hours.

There are younger pilots who have real problems? Who stick with flying for the wrong reasons and who are not safe and probably never will be.
That is an instructor/ CFI problem to tell them that they will never make the grade and to take up something else.

There are students who are not naturals and need more work but again thats an instructor/CFI problem.

There maybe students who have stop/ started over the years stopping before they achieve solo and restarting meaning the hours build.

The wealthy student who wants to fly twice a week regardless of weather and takes up flying at the wrong time of year?

But the reasonably young pilot, cash strapped with good instructors and a good attitude to flying should never take 36 hrs to solo

Pace

[The500man]

Quinze, can I ask how many of the hours you have flown are in the circuit? Presumably you've done all the basic handling and emergencies before really circuit bashing, but have you done anything else? Also when you changed schools did they start you from scratch again or try to pick up where you were and continue from that?

There are many factors that can contribute to hours in the sky prior to going solo, for example longish transits to the training area. What kind of place are you flying at? Is it a busy airport or a farm strip?

If you were doing fine until getting into the circuit, I suggest you find a very old and experienced instructor and see where you are really at. I've flown with instructors that flew with me in the circuit and then said that I was getting there, and I think they are time wasters. You need to find an instructor that instructs because they enjoy it, and isn't looking to put hours in his/ her log book.

[Pace]

SoCal

I also find it strange that Quinze the author of this thread has not come back and responded or added more detail to what was his question and thread.
Without more detail from him as to why he is up at 36 hours and has not asked either his instructors or CFI is odd especially as its his pocket which is hurting?

Pace

[Quinze]

More info

Thanks for your posts everyone. To answer 500Man, The airfield isn't quite a farm strip but it's a single runway, non-controlled affair. We've done stalls, spins, etc. but no other emergency procedures (i.e. no engine failure or simulated forced landings, etc). The vast majority of my hours have been in the circuits, as the training area is not that far away. I wish that were the reason for the ridiculous number of hours, but it isn't...

Oh yeah, when I changed schools they taught some new things but I don't feel like I'm learning anything new anymore...just circuits, circuits, and more circuits...

[dan_vector]

Hi there. I've recently just passed the skills test and know what hours and hours of circuits feels like! But as others have said there does seem to be something going awry.

It is time to make an appointment with the FI and CFI and discuss your progress and find out what the key issues are.

Bear in mind that some schools won't let you solo unless you have the air law exam passed.

The school I learnt to fly at left the exams completely down to me to manage, when I had studied and felt comfortable I took the exam. Simple. For the record I solo'd at 12hrs.

Also by the time I had about 4 hrs in the circuit I asked to go and do some GH and a bit of basic Nav when I went back to the circuit I managed 3 unaided circuits and to my surprise the FI jumped out and let me solo. Maybe you could try that to take the pressure off for a while?

I think you need to show some initiative and ask them what's going on for your own sanity if nothing else!

Good luck!

[Pace]

Hi thanks so much for your messages--helped me NARROWLY avoid the same situation. And nearly 30 hours and no hint of a solo, when I feel reasonably confident. (In fact, I was told my performance was slipping). I was beginning to wonder if he was ripping me off. May go to YRED Aeroclub instead.

Something is not adding up? You have only made 3 posts at pprune 2 here one the above regarding a crooked Australian flying club.
Ok nothing wrong with 3 posts if your new but noted when you came out of the above club you had completed 30 hrs which leaves 6 hrs for your new club.
What is the real deal regarding your training to date?

Pace

[BabyBear]

Pace, Socal hit the nail spot on in explaining my point. As you have now posted something doesn't add up.

Seems to me someone that has trouble understanding how to deal with such a situation shouldn't be flying.

BB