When has it Been too Long before you solo

(JustMe) wrote
With simulated instrument flight, I can do straight and level and
turns. But when combined with climbs and or descents, I don't meet the
PTS requirements. Either I blow the altitude or the heading. Take the
hood off and I can climb, turn, fiddle with the radio and look for
traffic (while chewing gum) without blowing headings or altitudes.

Not a problem. You're not ready for your checkride, but you don't
need to be. With this lack in the instrument flying category, I would
simply solo you with a restriction - no night flying, no flying in
visibility less than 6 miles or ceilings less than 2500 ft. That way,
there's no way you're going to inadvertently get into the clouds, so
no reason why your emergency instrument skills need to be up to par.

You need not be up to private pilot standards when you solo - you just
need to be reasonably safe, and if your skills are deficient in some
area, well, that's what restrictions are for. The FAA recognizes this
and gives CFI's the authority to solo a student who does not meet
private pilot PTS with appropriate restrictions. Your instructor
needs to remember that.

Landings. I fly out of LGB (Long Beach) and LGB is cursed with
WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDE runways. I say cursed, since
when we fly to CMP (Compton) or TOA (Torrance), I have no problem
staying on the runway center-line. But at LGB I can track the
center-line up to the flare, after the flare at touchdown I'm off the
centerline. Am I in the weeds? No. I'm usually 20-30 feet left or
right of the centerline.

Again, I don't see a problem. If you can consistently land on the
runway, you're good to go. Landing on the centerline on a very wide
runway is a skill unto itself. If you're looking at the far end of
the runway (as you should be), and the runway is really wide, it is
really easy to land a bit off and not notice. It's not unsafe unless
you are flying a widebody or doing formation landings. Nowidebodies
for you as a student pilot, but I would restrict you from formation
landings.

BTW, there are plenty of private pilots who have the same problem you
do with regard to landings. There is a certificate that calls for the
ability to land with the centerline between the mains. That
certificate is the ATP.

From where I'm sitting, if those are your only problems you are ready
to solo. You're not ready to be a private pilot, but most people are
not ready at less than 50 hours.

Something is not right about your instructor or flight school. I
suggest you check out another.

Michael