Youngest 'First Solo' in a Helicopter ? (now with video link)
 

Anyone know the youngest age that anyone has 'officially' made their first solo flight in a helicopter?

By 'officially', I mean, as part of a recognised training syllabus at the legally allowable age.

Particularly interested in the UK record for 'piston' and/or 'turbine' helicopter, which would presumably be after 16th birthday?

thanks

If it is mental age then some pilots I've met must have qualified at age 6 or 7.

Epiphany

"an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity. "

Is this you?

I am very upset and resemble your last remark........................:)

D

Hi,

I flew solo on my sixteenth birthday and was told that although there is no official recognition I was one of three.
Even Guinness wold records would not accept it as an achievement because it was simply an age at which I did something.

I like to think tha being born at 5am gives me a fighting chance!

MADY

Mady

Out of interest, was that in a piston or turbine helicopter?

Yep, piston

Well done Mady, you did better than me.

When I was 14 my godfather lobbied the CAA for permission for me to solo on my 15th birthday. The flight was to take place at Hethel Airfield in Norfolk (the home of Team Lotus) with Colin Chapman the keen sponsor of the event!

The CAA refused to 'budge' (despite my 300+ hours logged in dual-controlled aircraft with my godfather) and which upset Colin no end. Eventually he said to the Colonel "To hell, with it .. its my helicopter and its my airfield .. we'll simply do as we bl**dy well want!" (or words to that effect). By this time Imperial Tobacco (John Player) had come on-board (through Colin) and saw this as a 'promotional opportunity' and were terribly keen for me to solo asap. The Colonel however had to explain that without CAA approval .. nothing much would happen and, as a result, the opportunity came and went.

With the possibility of achieving something new, now out of the window, I eventually soloed on my 17th birthday (enter Denissimo) under the watchful eye of the late Sqn Ldr Antonio 'Nobby' Clarke (ex-Queen's Flight).

As Dennis would know .. and as chance would have it (seeing as he had bought Colin's 206) I ended-up performing the solo on the very craft originally planned .. G-AYTF 'The Dancer' the ex-Team Lotus ship.

The FAA (from what I have heard) tend to be more adventurous in these matters and one of the youngest chaps to solo Stateside was Jonathan Strickland who soloed a fixed-wing and a helicopter on his 14th birthday in 2006.

I am incredibly proud of Jonathan's achievements and find his passion for flight inspiring and have used him as an example with numerous aspiring aviators who in turn have been encouraged by his zeal and determination.

More about Jonathan here.

Savoia that is some story you have but Johnathan as you mention had one hell of a benefactor, good for him.


2006- 14 years old:

1st aircraft solo (Cessna 152) – record holder, youngest to achieve
1st helicopter solo (Robinson R22) – record holder youngest to achieve)
1st International helicopter trip from Los Angeles to Vancouver, Canada – record holder
1st same day aircraft & helicopter solo – record holder, youngest to achieve
First Year of High School
2007 – 15 years old:

Yes, I found the Strickland thread. He had to go to Canada where they permitted a solo flight at the age of 14. However, this was again in a 'piston' helicopter, and it doesn't seem to mention when he solo'd in a 'turbine'.

I was wondering - how much of an achievement/record would it be for a youngster (not me :( ) to fly both a piston and a turbine helicopter 'solo' on their 16th birthday ?

First Solos
 

In 2009, a business colleague's 16 year old son, Rowan Lawson soloed on his 16th birthday at Shoreham Airport ... first on an Enstrom G-BBPO for a fifteen minute flight and one hour later repeated a 1st solo on a fixed wing Scottish Aviation Bulldog (nee Beagle 150).

One year later at Shoreham Airport, his younger brother, Sebastian Lawson repeated the exercise with a 1st solo on his 16th birthday flying the same Enstrom and like his brother went on to 1st solo a fixed wing the same day. Both passed their skills test on both rotary and fixed wing types on their 17th birthdays to qualify for the CAA (EU) licences.

The youngest 1st solo I've heard of took place at Redhill Aerodrome on 13th August 1994 when the pilot was aged 13 years & one month. The aircraft was a Hughes 269 with the event being recorded on video. The pilot had 115 hours in his log book. The pilot later soloed officially on his 16th birthday on both a Schweizer 269C and a TB10 fixed wing on 10th July 1997.

These days, the youngsters beat us to it all the time! Dennis K.

115 Hours at the age of 13? I am baffled!!

Is it the case that you can fly solo younger than 16 but can't log it under JAR until 16?

As they say in football "if your good enough your old enough"

MADY

Guinness have said they're no longer registering youngest solo yachtsmen/women records so as not to encourage young people into dangerous situations. Do they hold the same opinion of flying, I wonder?

Under JAR, I believe you can log official hours, under instruction, from any age. However, they are only acredited to the official qualifying hours from age 14. Earliest solo remains 16.

Guiness say they no longer record most age related achievements unless they are truly exceptional - ie youngest/oldest personal to climb Everest, walk to the north pole, etc.

First solo multi-engine? :E

Craig Hosking 16th birthday soloed:

Bell 47G3-B1
Bell 206B
Cherokee 140
Comanche 400

11 years ago I made my first solo on a H269, 1 day after my 16th birthday (I looked like i was 11 though!). Personaly I was not so busy with breaking any records, I just thought it was about time to fly alone. It did get mentioned in the news and some newspapers. But for me, back then, it was the most normal thing to do.

Before i was flying helicopters i went also solo on a glider, 1 day after my 14th birthday.

Accepting that it's questionable what's actually a 'record' - my son made his contribution today.

On his 16th birthday, he made his first solo flight in a 5-seater turbine (EN480B), followed by a solo flight in a 2/3-seater piston (S300C). Both at Gloucestershire Airport.

Weather was bit challenging, but all went smoothly, and was professionally videod, so I'll post a link at some point.

Congratulations FLY 7 and congratulations to your son too! :D

I see your son's story has made Helihub news today 16th birthday first solo on turbine and piston helicopters | Helihub - the Helicopter Industry Data Source
and also top story on flygloster.co.uk Gloucestershire Airport - A View from the Cafe

A couple of weeks back I posted a piece on the Coffee Break thread.

But for now .. my sincere congratualtions to PPRuNer FLY 7's son for his achievement yesterday!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-u...20Chadwick.jpg
Oliver Chadwick (son of PPRuNer FLY 7) completes his fist solo at Gloucestershire Airport on 26th January 2012

Oliver if you are reading this, my profound congratulations! :D The gift of flight is one of life's blessings. Embrace it, treasure it, nurture it.

More here.