Young Students

Grabo172

Grabo172

Well-Known Member
So, long time no see guys! What's going on?

So, I'm going to be having a 15 yr old student start flying with me. Of course he won't be able to solo for a year and get his checkride for another year after that...

I'm trying to figure out a schedule to follow that will steadily keep him flying, but not end up with 200 hours by his checkride.

I'm leaning toward 1 lesson a week, which will still put him at 50+ hours by solo and of course another 50+ hours at license time.

The youngest I've taught prior to this was 17 and I had him solo'd at 10 hours and check ride ready by 40 (he was a very fast learner). Which was fine since he was already 17. For the 15 yr old, I'd hate for him to get it quick, but get bored waiting for two years.

Anyone have some good advice in this area who has taught young pilots before?
 
I had two 15 year old students when I was a CFI. I figured out a schedule and a syllabus that would allow for them to progress and solo at 16 and then basically be able to take their Private and Instrument check rides as soon as they turned 17. It was also an excuse to do more cross country oriented lessons with them, so they could get their 50NM cross country requirement for their instrument.
 
Grabo172 said:
So, long time no see guys! What's going on?

So, I'm going to be having a 15 yr old student start flying with me. Of course he won't be able to solo for a year and get his checkride for another year after that...

I'm trying to figure out a schedule to follow that will steadily keep him flying, but not end up with 200 hours by his checkride.

I'm leaning toward 1 lesson a week, which will still put him at 50+ hours by solo and of course another 50+ hours at license time.

The youngest I've taught prior to this was 17 and I had him solo'd at 10 hours and check ride ready by 40 (he was a very fast learner). Which was fine since he was already 17. For the 15 yr old, I'd hate for him to get it quick, but get bored waiting for two years.

Anyone have some good advice in this area who has taught young pilots before?
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Offer him a once weekly ground school lesson so that by the time he is able to solo and get a license, he'll have that portion out of the way, and can focus exclusively on the flight training. It seems unethical, not to mention a waste of time and money, to encourage a student to start something he won't be able to finish.
 
I had half of my instrument training done before I soloed. If he is ready early, keep teaching him as much as you can to keep him flying and keep him proficient. For example, you don't have to wait until the first solo to start dual cross country work.
 
Practically a,l my students were 25 and younger. I taught a 15 year old in his brand new SR22. His dad (retired airline pilot, CFI, current charter pilot), wanted me to fly with him at least 4 days a week. On his 16th birthday, he soloed and when he's 17 he'll be ready for the checkride. 1 lesson a week is good. You can also do some "fun" lessons with him like going to another airport to get lunch or have him take some friends up.
 
I've had one student age 17, and one student 18. Both completely different. One was not very interested in studying, trust fund kid, the other had social issues and was enrolled to develop better social skills(he didn't talk)/something for him to do. It was tough training both. The 17 year old quit after 1.5 years of trying(he solo'd), the 18 year old solo'd recently.
 
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