usmc-sgt

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but people do not solo in 8 hours anymore.

there are of course exceptions to every rule just like there are 24 year olds flying for CAL but it is rare.

those who solo in 8-10 hours are typically in piedmont north dakota on a one runway uncontrolled field flying a cessna 152 AND have exceptional pilot skills and a great instructor.

I have over 800 dual given now and the best I have seen is 18 hours. Granted I think that is a little high but you also have to take into consideration as was previously mentioned that it depends on alot of factors. I instruct at the second busiest airport in New England 9 miles from BOS and it does take easily 20 minutes from start up to take off not to mention being extended on downwind every single run around the patch which eats up valuable time. Couple in with the fact the communications and all of our planes are newer SP's with GPS and autopilot you have a recipe for a few more hours in the logbook.

I just simply put have alot more that I need to teach a student and they need to digest at KBED than someone in a different environment.

It is not a race and it is just a question an instructor can not answer. "how many hours until I can solo?"

I have done what was mentioned earlier in some instances, if they were competent pilots but not quite ready to kick me out we have just moved right into the navigation and honing of their skills and they have then gone on to do their first solo on one day and then their first solo xc the next week, I have seen positive results from that.

Its a marathon not a race

CL65driver

Shortone, change instructors. Don't listen to LAFF, he is the resident Barney Fife on this board. I've had students take up to 25-30 hours to solo, and even had one take up to 80 hours to get his private. Just take your time, relax and enjoy the training.

LAfrequentflyer

You don't need anything more than a C-172/ C-152 w/ basic instruments, radios, basic navagation systems. Run away if the planes has glass or fancy GPS stuff.

A student should never settle for a teacher telling them they can't do something in x hours. It just doesn't work that way anymore is not acceptable.

A student doesn't need to master GPS navigation to solo. Solo x-county - not needed as well. I wouldn't even turn on a GPS. For PPL flying which is VFR you don't need anything but a watch, charts, and your head outside the cockpit.

Ewfflyer

Everytime I read your garbage, I want to rip my hair out. You're preaching a subject you have;

A. NO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
B. NO EXPERIENCE WITH

I trained at a college, I trained people through a part 61 FBO. There's good and bad FBO's, professional flight schools, and CFI's. It happens at all schools, regardless of Part 61 or 141. Guess what, ATP isn't really a bargin if you do the math, but that's just me. You constantly spit on other people because they didn't take the "High and Mighty" path that you have. Give me a break.

I will agree on one thing, that's the fact that students should be practicing radio's from the start. All the other "taxi/take-off/landing" work is obvious though, seriously who doesn't let their students attempt to land?????

As far as solo's go, I had a student at 14 hours on the civil side, at my college I got one at 11. On the bad side, a guy at 45hrs. I don't agree with the CFI's yelling, but sometimes "intensity" is a good means of making a point that before hand wasn't getting through. Mind you, I'm not talking about constantly yelling. Another factor, is 99% of folks that have no previous aviation experience, do not solo prior to 15-20hrs. This is pretty proven, by myself, my friends, and many other CFI's I talk with. But what do I know, I have 100% sign-off's, with 2 instrument, 10 private pilots behind me.


Now on topic:
shortone56,
Everyone gets frustrated in their training from time to time. In the end, you have to look at the goals you have set, actions you're taking, and progress you've made. At 10 hours, it's a hard time to be at, you're probably coming up on your solo, you've obviously got a lot going since you are already studying hard on the written test, and your instructor has a slightly aggrivated demeanor. If at all possible, I would talk with them about how they are telling you to relax, but they are often the source of frustration. Sometimes a gut-check for the CFI is just as good as anything. If they continue to be a problem, then obviously you need to switch to another CFI.

In the end, it's of the best interest of the student to have someone they are compatible with. If you have any more questions, comments, or concerns I'd be glad to talk with you via PM or even a phone call. Just let me know

This offer is good for any struggling students that would like any sort of advice from a 3rd party. Fly safe and have fun!

Mr Spooner

When I was a student I did my solo in 6 hours! I look back and not how great I was, because I wasn't, but how irresponsible my instructor was. After giving 500+ dual myself I realize I had no business flying alone at 6 hours.

I thank God I did not catch some x-wind on short final and ended up in a ditch. Instrucors have a two-sided responsibility; not to solo them when they are ready and not to hold them back when they are ready to solo.

I do not agree about yelling at students but there are times where I have been more than firm when students continue to ignore instruction that could lead to injury or death. A couple of my favorites are; taking all flaps out on a low approach go-around, pitch down full force down on a stall recovery, and everyones favorite pitching up on short final enough to bring on a stall without intervention. All students will make these mistakes but some continue to do them.

I love it when they do not put rudder in during slow flight because it allows me to slam the left rudder down and a spinning we go, after that they always remember rudder.

ppilot

That's kind of what I thought. Nobody who has actually instructed would say something quite so dumb as 'You should solo them between 6 to 8 hours'.

To the original poster, I've never seen anything to convince me that someone that solos early will become a better pilot than someone who takes a little more time. IMHO the whole industry puts way too much emphasis on the first solo.

usmc-sgt

I cant even reply to the ignorance I read

this site is for PROFESSIONAL PILOTS and NON PROFESSIONAL PILOTS alike to join and research and learn

How can this site work if a student asks legitimate advice and gets bombed with information from NON PROFESSIONAL PILOTS

please people, let the people in the industry speak when they know what they are talking about, there is no room for poor advice or advice based on ASSumptions.

pilot77

Its your money you pay the instructor not the other way around and if he is yelling at you in the cockpit he himself is the one that sucks because he's scared that you might get him into stall he cant get out of it. These r the types of instructors you need to stay away from. Ditch the low time instructor and get another one. And dont be scared to ask for another instructor. And like i said before its your money going down the drain when your not learning.

poor pilot

don't give up FT is tough to say the least we all and yes i speak for everyone we have thought about it the second thing we all have in common is that we did not quit.

Spartan07

I don't think I entirely agree here. The OP posted in the Flight Training forum. I think anyone that has been at a point in their flight training where they were discouraged or had a bad flight instructor should chime in with some advice to help him along. I think LAFF was a little out of line telling him that he should have soloed and have had several hours of solo at 10 hours... That doesn't make any sense to me... But as far as people like myself who are a little further along in the training that have -constructive- advice, I don't think we should be told to shut up and leave it to the pros. Just my $.02 though

Shortone - I'm pretty sure that it is a unanimous decision that you need to pursue changing your flight instructor. It is entirely possible that your CFI is a good guy and a good aviator and your personalities just don't mesh for some reason. Like everyone has said, it's your money, it's your flight training, it's your decision on who you fly with.

Oh, and don't get too down on yourself. There are going to be points in your flight training where you ask yourself "What the hell am I doing?". I actually remember having a couple of doubts right around ten hours or so, completely out of the blue. I was progressing well and I was very comfortable and confident. For some reason I just started getting really critical of my own abilities and felt like I wasn't doing good enough. I honestly had to ask myself if this is what I really wanted. The answer was a resounding "YES, why would I do anything else? I absolutely love flying!", but the point is that we all have our doubts every once in a while. There are a lot of things that you as a human being must adjust to to become comfortable hurtling through the air in a small aluminum box. Just be sure to pay particular attention to aerodynamics and aircraft systems. Knowing the science behind flying will probably make you a lot more comfortable doing it. And then once you get more comfortable you should notice a huge increase in your progress through your flight training.


P.S - Maybe your trying to do too much at once? You might consider slowing down on studying for the Private Pilot written and just study your tail off on things that you need to know at your point in training. That should probably be mostly Basic Aero, Aircraft systems and instruments, and the more important FAA regs. Of course that's just a suggestion from another student, take it for what it is worth.

*EDIT* - Sgt, I think I may have misunderstood your post. I'm sorry if that is the case