Patrick wrote:
I dont know why it would take over 30 hours to solo, and some as many
as 70? I soloed at 14 hours, but I hear the average is 20.

Age has a lot to do with it too. A teenager can learn the motor skills
required for solo much quicker than a 50-year old.

The same would be true if a 50-year old tried bicylcing for the first
time, or tried learning a new language. I can personally relate how
difficult it was for me to ice-skate, which I did for the first time as
a 25-years old. I know kids who were barely walking were able to step
on the ice and skate effortlessly.

However, that doesn't mean old people are not 'cut out to be pilots'.
Their learning curve may be slower than others, but the two curves do
intersect, and could even surpass the other curve. The trick is to be
patient enough to get that far along the learning curve.