After how many hours did you go for your first solo?

[billybeer]

8hrs 10 min

[Solarus]

5hrs 40mins but flying is in the Family. Alot of people think it is a big thing but I still had to do the 45 hours to get my license (even if that has included a night rating aswell). I have friends that took 15hours to first solo and still finished their ppl in minimums.

[slim_slag]

For what it's worth, here is the Jeppesen private pilot syllabus for Part 141 in the States.

Code:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Flight.   0.5
Lesson 2: Ground Ops.               1.0
Lesson 3: Basic Maneuvers.          1.0 + 0.2 hood
Lesson 4: Airport Ops.              1.0 + 0.2 hood
Lesson 5: Emergency Landing.        1.0 + 0.2 hood
Lesson 6: Advanced Maneuvers.       1.0
Lesson 7: Ground Ref Maneuvers.     1.0 + 0.2 hood
Lesson 8: Review.                   1.0 + 0.2 hood

and after 7.5 hours + 1.0 under hood

Lesson 9: First Solo!!! 0.5

So this gets all the important stuff in and looks good on paper, but it's still a bit ambitious for me, when do you practice the actual landing? Even the wonder kids (and there are some out there, but not many) need a few hours dedicated to pattern work before you can cut them loose. It's closer to fifteen hours for most people if you get all the above in.

[PPPPP]

14 hrs 30 mins, today!!
It was the perfect flying morning, viz unlimited, no wind, crisp air.
Three circuits with my instructor and yet more EFATO practice, then a checkout with a different instructor (club rule) and off I went.
Just like the other great source of pleasure it was over far too quickly, and like everybody says, it was my best landing so far
The odd thing is, it felt perfectly natural to be alone in the aeroplane..... I will probably stop grinning by tomorrow.

[seat_of_my_pants]

congratulations PPPPP!

working towards mine

Now go and drink alcohol,

Well done,

SOMP

[djk]

It took me 24 hours spread out over 17 months. Took a while for my landings to be consistent. Strange thing was I could land really well in poor weather with a bit of x-wind, but whenever it was clear skies with barely any wind I'd have major problems

PPPPP ,
congrats on your first solo, the grin lasts a lot longer than just a day.

Wolfie,
congrats too on your first solo

[simonh11]

I did my first solo after 16 years training

First lesson in May '84, did about 17 hrs over the next 5 yrs, restarted training late '01, first solo Jan '02 with about 35 hrs TT.

[Biggles Flies Undone]

6.20 - the benefits of a residential course

[Flyin'Dutch']

Go on then:

Gliding: 4h49min
SLMG: 2h16min
SEL: 2h

And as I am just a brilliant pilot I would be of the opinion that these achievements are the result of an exceptional talent.

FD (and modest too of course)

[t'aint natural]

Frank Robinson, who makes the helicopter most widely used across the world for training, recommends that nobody go solo before 20hr, in order to remove the counter-productive and potentially deadly competitive edge.

[Flyin'Dutch']

And this is based on which piece of research?

Most people go solo when their instructor deems them ready. I dont think you will find it easy to find any instructor willing to let anyone go before they are ready, based upon a thorough assessment of the pupil.

After all the mountain of paperwork to get through if something goes wrong is so big that it would put anyone off.

May be Mr Robinson's real strength is designing helicopters.

MHO of course others may have a different opinion.

FD

[bcpilot]

24 hours, but I had almost all my hood work done and was working on short and soft field landings. (My medical took 2 months to get processed)

[FaPoGai]

First Solo

Well what happened was that we unpacked the box and bolted the bits together and then my mate and I pushed it out of the barn and into our field and just went flying.

It was only later on that day that I was talking to this chap in the pub (I think he was a real airline pilot) and he said dont you think you ought to get a few lessons and a licence? I had no idea that you needed any of that.

Anyway, the CAA did not want to recognise my previous experience so I decided bu--er that, and what we have done is to let the dogs out down at the gate and keep the 12 bore loaded and just carry on like all our mates do. First Solo, do'nt make me larf.
F.P.G.

[aidanf]

slight deviation!

Ok, I haven't done my first solo yet - only just 3hrs in total, but last lesson was circuits - 4 in total of which the last two were flown totally by myself (touch and go and full stop). No, I wasn't concentrating so hard that the main man was doing the real flying, I know for a fact that I had full control. Anyone like to hazard a guess as to when I could hope to get my solo at this rate. It's not that I think I'm great or anything - it's just that I don't have any reference points to know what the rate of development is - so I'd like opinions - if 3hrs = successful circuits then solo = ?

[Safe]

Joined a flying club, 11 Hours in a C152, failed medical, got P****D off with flying, took up embroidery and morris dancing instead but found them a bit dangerous (sharp needles and ill fitting clogs),

Welcome the NPPL, passed the medical, different club, different aircraft - Robin HR 200, 14 hours, 1st. solo at last.

the question is - is that 25 hours or 14 hours???

[Kefuddle_UK]

Aidanf and all other v.low hours soloists

I am ready for solo at 8 hours. Will do this tomorrow weather permitting

However, I have to ask, I can't see how someone with no flying experience can cover everything needed to do circuits within 7 hours at least. I mean my 8 hours involved learning all about the various configurations of level, climbing, descending, PFL, stalls, go-arounds and circuits. Most lessons covering more than one subject. Just how is it possible to fit that into 3 hours(!!!) never mind 5 or 6 as some other flyers have gone solo in. I'm flying at weekends, are these low times because of previous aircraft handling familiarity (Gliding, Microlights, Air Training Corps, etc) or through commercial Ab-initio courses

Just-a-wondering

Kef.

[chipped prop]

i used to operarate a very large car driving school in sussex i was always wary of pupils passing their driving tests in only a limited amount of driving lessons were they skilled or lucky ? experience suggests they were lucky.I feel the same way about flying .the number of lessons one has on order to go solo is not important or in my opinion relevant to obtaining a pilots licence.flying is one activity which has in my experience so many variable factors that it is almost childish to judge ones flying ability by the time it takes to go solo,going solo is fantastic but only the first step to heaven!!

[ex jump pilot]

My 17 hours prior to solo would be typical of UK based training at a major airfield flying every week or so (week days only) starting in the spring. Time off work was needed (used annual leave allowance) and the money saved by not going on a holiday paid for the lessons) slowed things down.
However, the GFT was logged as "above average" which I was told meant I'd achieved a higher standard as a result of the longer learning process.
Then progressed immediately to fly tailwheel a/c only to discover I didn't fly that well nor was I very apt at making command type decisions.
With that cleared up, went on to higher things...

[The Inspector]

4:20 mins, 8/10/83 at Southend.

I've always been a bit embarrased at how quickly it happened. Either I was a natural, or my instructor was scared..........

[Elvis21]

Why would you be wary of anyone who had gone solo quickly? (4hrs for me)

Surely it just means that they can pick new concepts up quickly. PFl's circuits etc. When you have been shown them once you can then pick it up very quickly and have mastered it enough to do a solo circuit.
Just a thought