solo flight

Private Pilot License Requirements - Post Solo Requirements By Frederick Longe Frederick Longe Level: Basic PLUS Frederick Longe has been flying since 1985. He has owned many airplanes and even owned a flight school in Mesa, Arizona . He has logged ... ...

After you solo or have completed the solo requirements, your instructor should move you ahead to the next phase of training even if you are not quite ready to solo. Like I have said before many flight schools and instructors will not move you forward until you have soloed.

I personally move everyone forwards since the goal is to get you licensed on a budget without loosing quality of flight training.

Here are the Post Solo Requirements for your Private Pilot License Training. Once again they start off general and get more specific.

(a) General. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a student pilot must meet the requirements of this section before-

(i) Conducting a solo cross-country flight, or any flight greater than 25 nautical miles from the airport from where the flight originated.
(ii) Making a solo flight and landing at any location other than the airport of origination.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a student pilot who seeks solo cross-country flight privileges must:

(i) Have received flight training from an instructor authorized to provide flight training on the maneuvers and procedures of this section that are appropriate to the make and model of aircraft for which solo cross-country privileges are sought;
(ii) Have demonstrated cross-country proficiency on the appropriate maneuvers and procedures of this section to an authorized instructor;
(iii) Have satisfactorily accomplished the pre-solo flight maneuvers and procedures required by 61.87( The Pre Solo requirements ) of this part in the make and model of aircraft or similar make and model of aircraft for which solo cross-country privileges are sought; and
(iv) Comply with any limitations included in the authorized instructor's endorsement that are required by paragraph (c) of this section.

This is once again a general requirement for Student Pilot Solo Cross Countries. Now I will dig into them a little more and you find the following.

(3) A student pilot who seeks solo cross-country flight privileges must have received ground and flight training from an authorized instructor on the cross-country maneuvers and procedures listed in this section that are appropriate to the aircraft to be flown.

There is a lot more in this regulation. But the important part for this discussion is what is required for you to be eligible for Solo Cross Countries: As you move down this regulation you find the following:

(e) Maneuvers and procedures for cross-country flight training in a single-engine airplane. A student pilot who is receiving training for cross-country flight in a single-engine airplane must receive and log flight training in the following maneuvers and procedures:

(1) Use of aeronautical charts for VFR navigation using pilotage and dead reckoning with the aid of a magnetic compass;
(2) Use of aircraft performance charts pertaining to cross-country flight;
(3) Procurement and analysis of aeronautical weather reports and forecasts, including recognition of critical weather situations and estimating visibility while in flight;
(4) Emergency procedures;
(5) Traffic pattern procedures that include area departure, area arrival, entry into the traffic pattern, and approach;
(6) Procedures and operating practices for collision avoidance, wake turbulence precautions, and windshear avoidance;
(7) Recognition, avoidance, and operational restrictions of hazardous terrain features in the geographical area where the cross-country flight will be flown;
(8) Procedures for operating the instruments and equipment installed in the aircraft to be flown, including recognition and use of the proper operational procedures and indications;
(9) Use of radios for VFR navigation and two-way communications;
(10) Takeoff, approach, and landing procedures, including short-field, soft-field, and crosswind takeoffs, approaches, and landings;
(11) Climbs at best angle and best rate; and
(12) Control and maneuvering solely by reference to flight instruments, including straight and level flight, turns, descents, climbs, use of radio aids, and ATC directives.

Notice there are no hour requirements in this regulation. All of these areas need to be in your logbook but the hour requirements only come into play in the general Private Pilot License Requirements.

Hope to See You In the Sky