signing off my first solo student...

[flyboywbl]

haha that's very close to jokes you see posted on the internet that you just assume are urban legands...like the "silliest things heard on the radio" thread a while back.

Yah i heard it from a CFI i work with who said he heard it on the radio but i think he is lying.

Then he told me that Obama was changing the N number on Air Force One. Gullibly i said, Really, to what, and he said to "November, One, Six, Six, Echo, Romeo."

I said "oh thats cool" as i walked to the bathroom. Then i pictured it in my head and walked back and said "thats terrible".

He totally got me though.

There are a whole bunch of them out there, not sure if any of them are true but they are funny.

 

[Douglas]

Day VFR

Not needed
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Glad to hear it went well for you and the student.
I always went and sat in the tower while they went around. I would suggest that if the let you.
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My first student I soloed actually refused the first day I tried to solo him.

stress stress stress, just wait until you get that phone call from AFSS saying your student is over 30 minutes late.

 

[poser765]

Not needed
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Glad to hear it went well for you and the student.
I always went and sat in the tower while they went around. I would suggest that if the let you.
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My first student I soloed actually refused the first day I tried to solo him.

stress stress stress, just wait until you get that phone call from AFSS saying your student is over 30 minutes late.

Sent a student on a local solo flight once closer to the end of the day. Got lost in the practice area and didn't find his way back until well after dark. Me on the ground and a couple of pilots in the air had to talk him back to the field. Second solo and first night landing... Would much rather have pooped a brick that day. My fault all around. Not sending out another solo student pilot WELL before dark.

 

[flyboywbl]

Sent a student on a local solo flight once closer to the end of the day. Got lost in the practice area and didn't find his way back until well after dark. Me on the ground and a couple of pilots in the air had to talk him back to the field. Second solo and first night landing... Would much rather have pooped a brick that day. My fault all around. Not sending out another solo student pilot WELL before dark.

Wow i would of soiled my self (both as a CFI and a Student). As a student you are probably think "what have i gotten my self into".

As a CFI you are probably thinking, "oh my god i just killed my student"

I'm just curious though. How many of you guys ever have been or have signed off for solo a night flight? I know there is an endorsement for it but our school has a strict policy that does not allow people to rent the plane and fly at night with out a CFI unless they have their instrument rating.

Same with the class Bravo endorsement. I suppose that one gets used more in the busy areas. the closest Bravo to Bozeman is probably SLC, MSP, or SEA.

 

[poser765]

I would think both of those would be more region specific. Alaska for the night and Bravo for those who fly out of/under it. Not planning on giving any of my future students either one of those endorsements.

 

[dc3flyer]

I'm just curious though. How many of you guys ever have been or have signed off for solo a night flight? I know there is an endorsement for it but our school has a strict policy that does not allow people to rent the plane and fly at night with out a CFI unless they have their instrument rating.

Same with the class Bravo endorsement. I suppose that one gets used more in the busy areas. the closest Bravo to Bozeman is probably SLC, MSP, or SEA.

I NEVER signed a student off with a night endorsement or Bravo. Why put yourself in the situation if you don't have to?

No night flying without an instructor? If I were a private pilot I would have to find somewhere else to rent a plane!

 

[jtrain609]

Well the Solo went well today. Thanks for all the input! He did three take off and landings and came back alive. The weather was perfect and there was no traffic. I flipped the radio on in the office and listened in to tower. He was off to a great start when he contacted tower for taxi . After an apology he was off.

I called the tower before hand to tell them i had a first time solo student. They said they had no IFR inbounds for the next hour.

Man i was nervous! I remember when i first soloed how excited i was. I was so happy. I did not realize the stress the instructor goes through.

I think i'm going to put a limitation on his endorsement "Must be dispatched by myself" or something to that effect.

When i was soloing i would just wait until the weather was good, rent the plane, and go fly without talking to my instructor. I like the idea that he has to talk to me first.

Anyway thanks everyone.

-Matt

I've never been scared so less as when I soloed students for the first time.

I was convinced my first one was going to kill himself, even though to be honest he was one of the best I ever worked with, and I knew that. Even still, sitting on the ramp with a transceiver while the other instructors egg me on about how I just killed of my students wasn't exactly comforting.

In the end, bro did great!

 

[flyboywbl]

I NEVER signed a student off with a night endorsement or Bravo. Why put yourself in the situation if you don't have to?

No night flying without an instructor? If I were a private pilot I would have to find somewhere else to rent a plane!

Yah our school has pretty strict rules. I think they are for the best. We did get SPOT gps units for all the planes. Not only are they good incase the engine quits but also the owner can see if you are flying some place (or time) when you should not be.

We had a guy rent a 172 from us who had the fuel selector on the left tank instead of both. Well he ran it out of gas and landed into a feild. The wing smashed a tree and put a nice dent in it. The guy realized what he did and got the gas on the right tank and then took off. He landed and parked the plane out front of our flight school, got in his car, and took off. The next guy to fly the plane went out there and then ran in and got his flight instructor.

I can't believe the guy had the balls to fly the thing again. I can't believe the plane even flew.

Needless to say that guy is not allowed to rent from our school any more .

 

[flyboywbl]

I've never been scared so less as when I soloed students for the first time.

I was convinced my first one was going to kill himself, even though to be honest he was one of the best I ever worked with, and I knew that. Even still, sitting on the ramp with a transceiver while the other instructors egg me on about how I just killed of my students wasn't exactly comforting.

In the end, bro did great!

Yah my guy did fine but i was nervous none the less.

 

[Nihon_Ni]

I think i'm going to put a limitation on his endorsement "Must be dispatched by myself" or something to that effect.

Not a bad idea, but I recommend you fix the grammar in this limitation before you put it in someone's logbook and sign it. I use these limits:
- Permission: All solo flights require express consent by primary CFI
- Wind: 10 kt wind, 12 kt gust, 5 kt crosswind component
- Currency: <10 days since the last solo or dual flight
- must land 15 mins before sunset

(I had someone take off 5 mins before sunset and flew around until it was no kidding dark because he figured it was okay, so now I spell it out)

I start with these limits and gradually increase the wind & currency limits after they get more experience.

I've never given a night solo endorsement, nor do I ever intend to do so. I have given class B endorsements, as my school sits under a class B and flight to the practice area generally requires entry into the B.

My first solo endorsement was my wife in my airplane. I'm not sure what I was more worried about. Sure, I love my wife, but I spent a lot of time working on my plane to get it just right...

 

[Fly_Unity]

stress stress stress, just wait until you get that phone call from AFSS saying your student is over 30 minutes late.

Oh wow, I remember them days pacing around the school waiting to hear your student call in on the radio. I had one or two times AFSS call in and they were probably the worst days of my life.

Once sent a student on a long cross country in Tulsa, clear skies everywhere, and foretasted to be clear all day, within 90 minutes of him leaving there was an overcast 1200 along the entire route. (came out of nowhere) I called AFSS and he canceled his flight plan in the air. (he knew he was gonna be late and didn't want to get in trouble with me) I knew I just killed my student. I was hoping soooooo bad he landed at his turnaround point and stayed on the ground, but nope, Get-home-itus brought him back. Turns out he scud ran it, got into IMC, decided to not go any lower, asked ATC for a vector, and he said he spent 10 minutes IMC. When he landed I practically hugged him I was soo glad to see him and his legs were shaking. Then I never chewed anyone out so much in my life. He learnt a good lesson. Made me glad I actually gave him a couple hours dual Instrument time and a big speech on trusting instruments but even now I'm still amazed he didn't spiral in the ground. I think I even vowed I would never instruct again haha. but wow, sometimes its crazy.

 

[flyboywbl]

Oh wow, I remember them days pacing around the school waiting to hear your student call in on the radio. I had one or two times AFSS call in and they were probably the worst days of my life.

Once sent a student on a long cross country in Tulsa, clear skies everywhere, and foretasted to be clear all day, within 90 minutes of him leaving there was an overcast 1200 along the entire route. (came out of nowhere) I called AFSS and he canceled his flight plan in the air. (he knew he was gonna be late and didn't want to get in trouble with me) I knew I just killed my student. I was hoping soooooo bad he landed at his turnaround point and stayed on the ground, but nope, Get-home-itus brought him back. Turns out he scud ran it, got into IMC, decided to not go any lower, asked ATC for a vector, and he said he spent 10 minutes IMC. When he landed I practically hugged him I was soo glad to see him and his legs were shaking. Then I never chewed anyone out so much in my life. He learnt a good lesson. Made me glad I actually gave him a couple hours dual Instrument time and a big speech on trusting instruments but even now I'm still amazed he didn't spiral in the ground. I think I even vowed I would never instruct again haha. but wow, sometimes its crazy.

wow that would be nerve racking. Canceling his flight plan? Thats not too smart on his part. 10 minutes in IMC? Did he declare an emergency? Did he log it ? Good thing he knew to get vectors from ATC. I'm not sure i would have been able to do that at that point in my training.