You don't "ramp up" for solo or even the private, you ramp
up for a career in stages. The goal is always coming and it
isn't just the solo, or even the private, but the CFI and
ATP experience level.



--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
ups.com...
| Prior to the other day I probably would have said to go
ahead and start
| him. I was at a safety semenar the other day and several
people had had
| their teenagers start flying at your son's age. Both their
sons ended
| up not becoming pilots (one had been a CAP cadet and
involved in
| aviation his whole life).
| As the father of two pre-teen boys and a BSA leader I
understand that
| it takes boys a lot of energy to ramp up to a large
challenge like
| learning to fly. One thing I've found for sure is that
boys don't like
| to ramp up twice. Another thing is that kids today are
very, very busy
| with school, outside activities, sports, etc. While most
of us were
| just working 9-5 while we learned to fly most kids today
are busy from
| 6am-9pm with activities.
| So, all that said, the experience of those at this semenar
was that
| their boys ramped up and achieved their solo, then got
busy with other
| stuff (since they had a year to get their private) and
then had an
| impossible time re-engaging when it was time to take a
checkride.
| Both my boys will be in your son's situation in a few
years and I'll
| wait until they're old enough to go right through and get
their
| private.
|
| -Robert, CFI
|
| Jay Honeck wrote:
| My son is 15. He'll be turning 16 in August, and
starting his Junior year
| of high school.
|
| He's been flying since he can remember, and has many
hours in the right
| seat. (He's got over 1500 hours as a passenger with Mary
and me.) His first
| dozen or so hours behind the yoke were "IFR" -- because
he couldn't see over
| the panel! He can do everything except land the
plane -- and I'm fairly
| certain he could do that, but I'm not about to risk our
lives (or my plane)
| to find out.
| "
|