When did you solo?
- Thread starter Wm226
- Start date
BlueStreak
New Member
somewhere around 15 hrs or so. 10/10/98
JetA_master
New Member
I had about 13 hrs, I will never forget it either...
"Give me 3 touch-n-gos and a full stop"
"uh...okay?"
"Give me 3 touch-n-gos and a full stop"
"uh...okay?"
Silverhawk
New Member
August 2003 
13hrs.. even though it's only been another 32 hours later I still get excited when I line up on the runway to depart !!
13hrs.. even though it's only been another 32 hours later I still get excited when I line up on the runway to depart !!
RiddlePilot
New Member
I soloed with 23 on March 19, 2002.
drumminpilot
Well-Known Member
3/18/98, 10 days and 9 hours after my first flight.
tonyw
Well-Known Member
I don't remember the exact date, or how many hours I had in. I do remember thinking, oh, crap, I'm not going to be allowed to solo after blowing a simulated engine failure. Then we did it again, and when my instructor said stop the airplane after we taxied off the runway, I was like, well, I guess I know what's coming up now.
It was almost anti-climatic. But there was definitely a smile on my face when I went around the traffic pattern on my own for the first time.
Combined with me thinking "please, God, don't let me [screw] up."
It was almost anti-climatic. But there was definitely a smile on my face when I went around the traffic pattern on my own for the first time.
Combined with me thinking "please, God, don't let me [screw] up."
RiddlePilot
New Member
[ QUOTE ]
Combined with me thinking "please, God, don't let me [screw] up."
[/ QUOTE ]
Alan Shepard's Prayer? I like it.
Combined with me thinking "please, God, don't let me [screw] up."
[/ QUOTE ]
Alan Shepard's Prayer? I like it.
SATXaviator
New Member
20 hours 5-30-97
PPL took 46.7 hours 211 days to complete. 9-26-97
PPL took 46.7 hours 211 days to complete. 9-26-97
tonyw
Well-Known Member
Well, there were a lot of people standing there watching. And they all knew what was going on. A little bit of pressure, you know?
Plus there was self preservation going on -- it's one thing to botch a landing with an instructor sitting next to you to make sure you don't kill yourself, another thing entirely to not have one there.
Plus there was self preservation going on -- it's one thing to botch a landing with an instructor sitting next to you to make sure you don't kill yourself, another thing entirely to not have one there.
FL270
New Member
I had 21 hours, did it October 3, 1995 at New Smyrna Beach, FL, about six weeks after my first flight.
For those that don't remember, the day I soloed (10/03/95) is the very same day that the world's dumbest jury returned a verdict of "not guilty" in Judge Lance Ito's Los Angeles County courtroom. I soloed that morning, then was in PPL groundschool around 1PM and we turned the TV on to watch it.
Russ
For those that don't remember, the day I soloed (10/03/95) is the very same day that the world's dumbest jury returned a verdict of "not guilty" in Judge Lance Ito's Los Angeles County courtroom. I soloed that morning, then was in PPL groundschool around 1PM and we turned the TV on to watch it.
Russ
DrBenny
New Member
Class B PPL
I had a bit over thirty hours.
One of the reasons was that I trained out of a Class B, which is really great for IR procedures, but has some problems for primary training. You have to fly for 20 minutes before you get to a practice area. So, if you figure a typical 80 minute lesson consisted of 40 minutes enroute time getting somewhere I could practice, I might have soloed around 15 hours.
Ah, but the benefits came into bloom during the cross countries. I was very familiar with radio procedures, pilotage, tracking radials, and even flying ILSs. Yes--flying ILSs. Think about it: you're cleared for a straight in about half the time. You are about 10 miles out. Why not tune in the ILS, ident it, and fly it? On hazy days, you are guaranteed obstacle clearance, and you know exactly where you're going.
On the day I got back from my checkride, my CFI (now my CFII) said, "Congratulations! Now, start your IFR training--you're already done with 40% of it!" He was right. At that time, I already had about 4 hours in IMC, 6 or so hours under the hood, and about the same using an FTD. We had already flown a number of precision and non-precision approaches. All of that was to be expected in the Class B/ADIZ/Maryland Wx environment!
I really have no excuse. I've got to take the durn written, and really finish the training!
I had a bit over thirty hours.
One of the reasons was that I trained out of a Class B, which is really great for IR procedures, but has some problems for primary training. You have to fly for 20 minutes before you get to a practice area. So, if you figure a typical 80 minute lesson consisted of 40 minutes enroute time getting somewhere I could practice, I might have soloed around 15 hours.
Ah, but the benefits came into bloom during the cross countries. I was very familiar with radio procedures, pilotage, tracking radials, and even flying ILSs. Yes--flying ILSs. Think about it: you're cleared for a straight in about half the time. You are about 10 miles out. Why not tune in the ILS, ident it, and fly it? On hazy days, you are guaranteed obstacle clearance, and you know exactly where you're going.
On the day I got back from my checkride, my CFI (now my CFII) said, "Congratulations! Now, start your IFR training--you're already done with 40% of it!" He was right. At that time, I already had about 4 hours in IMC, 6 or so hours under the hood, and about the same using an FTD. We had already flown a number of precision and non-precision approaches. All of that was to be expected in the Class B/ADIZ/Maryland Wx environment!
I really have no excuse. I've got to take the durn written, and really finish the training!
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