First Solo and Total Hours Flown

Peter Duniho wrote:



The statement about "not everyone is cut out to be a pilot" says nothing
about skills. Nevertheless, in addition to that point already made by Jose,
I'll point out that in my opinion, discipline and patience ARE skills.

The fact remains, there are people who should not be pilots, for one reason
or another. These people are not "cut out to be pilots".

The feeling that I get is in some places instructors are now very very
cautious about sending any-one off solo.
Up until recently here pilots were soloed as soon as they proved
themselves capable of flying a circuit.
Now as far as I can tell there is a minimum of 10 hours before they
even consider the pilots skills.
Any-one who has spent more than 20 hours+ training but not solo is, in
my opinion, far to patient and should be considering changing
instructors and/or airfields..

"Patrick" wrote in message
ups.com...

I dont know why it would take over 30 hours to solo, and some as many
as 70?

Several reasons have already been explained in this thread. In some cases,
it may be the student, but in most cases it's likely to be an issue with the
instruction, or the scheduling (I would guess that by far the biggest reason
for high hours before solo is infrequent lessons).

I soloed at 14 hours, but I hear the average is 20.

Neither of those numbers is necessarily relevant to all student pilots.

Pete

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.

Peter Duniho schrieb:

I'll point out that in my opinion, discipline and patience ARE skills.

No. I have yet to find an individual who doesn't show discipline when he
is offered the chance to learn something he is *really* interested in.
On the other hand, I wouldn't show the slightest discipline myself if I
were asked to learn to play golf. You may argue that I'm not "cut to be
a golfer".

Stefan

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ups.com...


All you need to fly an airplane is motivation, perseverence, basic
intelligence, money and spare time. We are not talking about becoming a
Chuck Yeager or Niel Armstrong. Anyone with basic intelligence and
basic motor skills can be turned into a basic pilot.

No.

In my considerable hours of giving flight instruction, I have seen many
people who lacked basic intelligence and or motor skills. Just like there
are wash outs at fighter pilot school, there are wash outs in the general
population.

Again, not everyone is cut out to be a pilot. Hell, not everyone is cut out
to drive a bicycle!

Karl

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...

Supposedly this is why a higher percentage of pilots are left-handed
than would otherwise be expected. Something to do with the way
right-brainers perceive the world...
--


I doubt it. Nobody is keeping score...............nobody.


Karl

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ps.com...
The point I was trying to make is that flying an airplane is not an
extraordinary skill. Anyone with average capacity can accomplish these
tasks, given enough time, patience and money.


The point you are trying to make is wrong. ANYONE......cannot be a pilot. A
75 hour non-solo student should be urged to give it up.

Karl
"Curator" N185KG

In article ,
"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote:

Did she ever try different instructor during that 30 hours?

I'm not sure. I think it was part 141 through an USAF aeroclub.
I don't know if they would try that without prompting from the student.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

In article ,
B A R R Y wrote:

[snip]
I very successfully took my FAA check ride well before the national
average hours (including three stage checks for ~ 5 flight hours), yet
my symbolic "first solo" was farther along than many who brag about how
quickly they were able to do so.

a lot of times this kind of thing comes up in r.a.s. people will talk
about how hours to solo isn't a race, and the objective is to learn
enough to pass the checkride for the ASEL, etc etc.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
oups.com...
I would love to see the 3-hour guy's logbook for all the 15 items
required by the FAR for solo. In fact, I would love to see the 5-hour
guy's logbook too.


Swing by the house and I'll try and dig up my 1.5 hour logbook.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
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