Cut ties and go with Part 141 school?

[Lindberg]

None of us haa flown with you, so all we've got to go on is what's on the page. But 60 hours to not solo is a lot. As is 25 hours with one instructor. How much time is that spread over? How often are your lessons?

There are some bad instructors out there. There are some who resist soloing students who are ready. I know some like that. I also know some who refuse to train engineers. Not because they can't be taught to fly, but because they know everything and approach everything as a math problem that they can surely solve easily. It is possible for a student to be over confident.

When you sit down with your CFI, I would ask him about not only your flying but whether there's anything else that makes him hesitant to solo you.

 

[J.G.]

Good insight. Thank you.

No I'm no longer enjoying it (at this point it's just work that I pay for) and I haven't really enjoyed it since my first instructor, which probably plays into my eagerness to solo.

Thank you! I do hope to continue this journey with an open mind and some fun once I complete this step in my training.

When I endorse a learner for solo flight I spend a lot of time wondering if they have learned from their mistakes or if they will return to the hazardous behavior when I am not there to restore the aircraft to controlled flight.

It is not unusual for a learner to underestimate how close to a non-recoverable event we were because of the apparent ease with which I fixed it.

It appears to me your flight instructor feels you are not ready to solo.

Are you having fun learning to fly?

Why are you in such a hurry to solo?

I feel many learners are soloed prematurely and it often leads to accidents.

I feel solo flight is an important part of the process of learning to be a pilot and my learning accelerated with solo flight.

Good communication is an important part of flight instruction and it appears to me one of you isn’t doing it well.

If you change flight instructors your new instructor will need to see you do all the things detailed in § 61.87 and you likely will have more limitations on your solo endorsement.

I wish you fun and success on your aviation adventure.

 

[J.G.]

Thank you. This is definitely something to think about.

Young not life experienced instructors are usually VERY at odds with older anti social (anti authority) types.

You need an instructor who can differentiate that from your flying skills. Most likely, as mentioned, some crusty old fart… but not necessarily.

I have actually seen this quite a bit.

Find that instructor, and you’ll know where you really stand. Almost certainly an independent. As a guy who created and runs a 141, I doubt that’s your likely solution.

I soloed a guy once in ONE flight, this same situation. That being said, I have no idea if that could apply to you. I also have a student who will possibly NEVER solo. We just keep flying. One day may work on landings…

 

[J.G.]

25 hours with a lot being in the past 4 weeks. I started in February with him, but the weather here is not conducive to flying then. In the past 4 weeks I've gone about 3 times a week, before then 1-2x a week.

That's a good question to ask. I've been taking notes from every post for my upcoming conversation with him and this should go to the top.

Thank you for your insight.

None of us haa flown with you, so all we've got to go on is what's on the page. But 60 hours to not solo is a lot. As is 25 hours with one instructor. How much time is that spread over? How often are your lessons?

There are some bad instructors out there. There are some who resist soloing students who are ready. I know some like that. I also know some who refuse to train engineers. Not because they can't be taught to fly, but because they know everything and approach everything as a math problem that they can surely solve easily. It is possible for a student to be over confident.

When you sit down with your CFI, I would ask him about not only your flying but whether there's anything else that makes him hesitant to solo you.

 

[Vance Breese]

Good insight. Thank you.

No I'm no longer enjoying it (at this point it's just work that I pay for) and I haven't really enjoyed it since my first instructor, which probably plays into my eagerness to solo.

Thank you! I do hope to continue this journey with an open mind and some fun once I complete this step in my training.

I risk my life when I fly or give flight instruction and operating a flight school is a lot of work.

Fun is my compelling reason to fly.

When my learner is not having fun that takes much of the joy out of flight instructing for me.

My primary goal becomes helping them to have fun and the goal of a solo endorsement would not be my priority.

You are intelligent and articulate and I would probably have fun helping you find the joy.

Thank you for helping me to understand your feelings and challenges.

For me there were many life lessons learning to fly.

 

[J.G.]

Thank you for your kind and insightful comment.

I do want to enjoy it. I've even mentioned that to my current CFI I told him It would be nice to fly just to fly sometimes and enjoy the experience, he told me that's what getting my rating was for, and what we do is about learning. I understand that, it's disappointing but I get it and it saves me money in the long run. However we went above the clouds on a subsequent lesson and that was really cool. I did enjoy that.

I definitely want to get back to that feeling. I think that few things will be sweeter than having my rating, my own little plane and just flying by myself seeing cool things and appreciating my surroundings.

Oh those life lessons! Such truth. I've learned a lot more about myself since the start of this journey. It's been very interesting.

I risk my life when I fly or give flight instruction and operating a flight school is a lot of work.

Fun is my compelling reason to fly.

When my learner is not having fun that takes much of the joy out of flight instructing for me.

My primary goal becomes helping them to have fun and the goal of a solo endorsement would not be my priority.

You are intelligent and articulate and I would probably have fun helping you find the joy.

Thank you for helping me to understand your feelings and challenges.

For me there were many life lessons learning to fly.

 

[Vance Breese]

Thank you for your kind and insightful comment.

I do want to enjoy it. I've even mentioned that to my current CFI I told him It would be nice to fly just to fly sometimes and enjoy the experience, he told me that's what getting my rating was for, and what we do is about learning. I understand that, it's disappointing but I get it and it saves me money in the long run. However we went above the clouds on a subsequent lesson and that was really cool. I did enjoy that.

I definitely want to get back to that feeling. I think that few things will be sweeter than having my rating, my own little plane and just flying by myself seeing cool things and appreciating my surroundings.

Oh those life lessons! Such truth. I've learned a lot more about myself since the start of this journey. It's been very interesting.

Your current CFI’s desire to stay focused on learning appears to me to be at odds with the FAA’s recommendation of scenario based instruction.

I have often found that a break from pattern work has value and may shorten the time required to learn.

You may find joy in planning and executing a flight and it often makes the debrief more broad based and insightful.

In my opinion learning to manipulate the controls is a small percentage of learning to fly.

 

[PaulS]

You know, you've been asked what you are flying, but I didn't see an answer. The place I rent from has exclusively pretty new Cirrus aircraft. They have 20s and 22s they rent. There are a lot of first time flyers with a lot of money who want to learn in the "best". So they take their first flight and many eventually get their ppl in an SR22. But it's a lot to learn as it's a TAA, HP, flies fast, and you need to know it all, at least in VFR scenarios, if you bring it to a checkride. I would not expect to solo in 6 hours in a new sr-22 as someone starting out as a non-flyer. In fact if you are older, a little timid or too cocky I think it would take quite a while.

Knowing what I know now, I think the best and probably quickest way PPl is in a slow, uncomplicated, low horsepower trainer.

I'm not an instructor.

 

[ArrowFlyer86]

... So I can feel comfortable being in there by myself. Odd, but in situations that have the potential to be stressful, I have always felt more comfortable and confident alone when I knew I could handle the situation. This is one of those times.

Actually that's not odd to me at all. I felt much more comfortable flying without an instructor during my PPL training. With an instructor onboard I found myself hyperanalyzing every move I was making so I ended up being more worried about doing "the wrong thing" such that my decisions were actually worse with a CFI on board (I appeared more hesitant and unsure of myself than I was when I flew alone). So I get the rush to want to move on! Plus of course the desire to just progress and get closer to earning your PPL.

But I would not go to a 141 school. You're just going to repeat what you've already done and that'll just prolong the misery. You can still get stuck at a stage check for the same reasons your instructor has now. It sounds like you just need to sit down with your instructor and have a constructive chat about specifically what needs to be done in order to have them comfortable signing you off for solo. I had the same thing for check-ride when I felt like my instructor was dragging his feet. I got to a point where the only solution is to just sit down and figure out what specifically I need to demonstrate to them in order to get them comfortable. Then we just work on those things until they're good.

today was with another instructor who gave me some pointers on flying in bad weather (had extremely low visibility on base and final due to rain and fog.)

Perhaps I'm the only one wondering... but I'm curious how a pre-solo student pilot found themselves with any instructor flying in "extremely low viz" and fog? Were you and the CFI intentionally practicing that or did the weather just change quickly while you were out? Just curious.

 

[J.G.]

Ah I didn't see that. A Piper Warrior. PA-28-161. I did fly an Archer for a bit but I'm back to this and like it. So definitely not a fast and new plane, but I like flying it! It works for my current abilities.

You know, you've been asked what you are flying, but I didn't see an answer. The place I rent from has exclusively pretty new Cirrus aircraft. They have 20s and 22s they rent. There are a lot of first time flyers with a lot of money who want to learn in the "best". So they take their first flight and many eventually get their ppl in an SR22. But it's a lot to learn as it's a TAA, HP, flies fast, and you need to know it all, at least in VFR scenarios, if you bring it to a checkride. I would not expect to solo in 6 hours in a new sr-22 as someone starting out as a non-flyer. In fact if you are older, a little timid or too cocky I think it would take quite a while.

Knowing what I know now, I think the best and probably quickest way PPl is in a slow, uncomplicated, low horsepower trainer.

I'm not an instructor.

 

[J.G.]

That's a great idea! I would like that. I'll prep and send one to him and ask if he's okay with doing that.

I'll add talking about more scenario based learning to the notes that I have for our discussion.

Thank you!

Your current CFI’s desire to stay focused on learning appears to me to be at odds with the FAA’s recommendation of scenario based instruction.

I have often found that a break from pattern work has value and may shorten the time required to learn.

You may find joy in planning and executing a flight and it often makes the debrief more broad based and insightful.

In my opinion learning to manipulate the controls is a small percentage of learning to fly.

 

[J.G.]

Great advice. Thank you.

Yes! I'm hyperanalyzing. Which now that I think of it is one of the reasons that verbally go through each step and any corrections that I make.

I'm definitely taking everyone's advice not to go to a 141. I'm going to have a discussion with him and pending the results of that either stick with him or see if my friend who is a CFI has time in his schedule to add me, even if that means traveling farther away.

Good question, it had started to rain a bit but wasn't bad at all, the minute I hit pattern altitude it came down so heavily I couldn't see well, but I kept flying. It was good experience, but I did tell him if this were a situation where I was alone, I would have a) not gone up or b) diverted to another airport away from the large storm cloud (that decided to sit over the airport). He also suggested a long final, which would have been useful as I would have started with a bit more visibility and could have used the papi to help with the glide path.

On downwind it was easier to see, and on base and final, it was this sheet of rain and fog. It was odd and fast moving weather.

Actually that's not odd to me at all. I felt much more comfortable flying without an instructor during my PPL training. With an instructor onboard I found myself hyperanalyzing every move I was making so I ended up being more worried about doing "the wrong thing" such that my decisions were actually worse with a CFI on board (I appeared more hesitant and unsure of myself than I was when I flew alone). So I get the rush to want to move on! Plus of course the desire to just progress and get closer to earning your PPL.

But I would not go to a 141 school. You're just going to repeat what you've already done and that'll just prolong the misery. You can still get stuck at a stage check for the same reasons your instructor has now. It sounds like you just need to sit down with your instructor and have a constructive chat about specifically what needs to be done in order to have them comfortable signing you off for solo. I had the same thing for check-ride when I felt like my instructor was dragging his feet. I got to a point where the only solution is to just sit down and figure out what specifically I need to demonstrate to them in order to get them comfortable. Then we just work on those things until they're good.


Perhaps I'm the only one wondering... but I'm curious how a pre-solo student pilot found themselves with any instructor flying in "extremely low viz" and fog? Were you and the CFI intentionally practicing that or did the weather just change quickly while you were out? Just curious.

 

[PaulS]

Great advice. Thank you.

Yes! I'm hyperanalyzing. Which now that I think of it is one of the reasons that verbally go through each step and any corrections that I make.

I'm definitely taking everyone's advice not to go to a 141. I'm going to have a discussion with him and pending the results of that either stick with him or see if my friend who is a CFI has time in his schedule to add me, even if that means traveling farther away.

Good question, it had started to rain a bit but wasn't bad at all, the minute I hit pattern altitude it came down so heavily I couldn't see well, but I kept flying. It was good experience, but I did tell him if this were a situation where I was alone, I would have a) not gone up or b) diverted to another airport away from the large storm cloud (that decided to sit over the airport). He also suggested a long final, which would have been useful as I would have started with a bit more visibility and could have used the papi to help with the glide path.

On downwind it was easier to see, and on base and final, it was this sheet of rain and fog. It was odd and fast moving weather.

Gotta be careful diverting VFR in that situation, if you can see the runway and it's not a squall you are probably better off landing than going cross country and encountering IMC conditions along the way.

 

[J.G.]

Good to know. Thank you!

Gotta be careful diverting VFR in that situation, if you can see the runway and it's not a squall you are probably better off landing than going cross country and encountering IMC conditions along the way.

 

[Clip4]

Are you sure it's 25% of 60?

Good point, he limited to 25% of curriculum.

 

[Flatiowa]

Random observations,
You’ve mentioned you explain what you are doing so he knows that you know it… can you do it while carrying on a casual conversation? It’s more like riding a bike than explaining a math equation, and you should be able to perform all check ride maneuvers naturally/instinctively

you’ve mentioned that the season hadn’t been the best weather for flying, if any lessons have been canceled because of weather was it the instructor canceling it or you (you should know before he has to say it)

have you flown with him in windy active air conditions without him needing to give advice or take the controls

there may be a lot more “Wild West” style untowered airports out there than you realize, especially during cropdusting seasons in agricultural areas..

 

[J.G.]

Hmmm. All pattern work, yes. But we usually keep a sterile cockpit at that point.

For others I'm concentrating, while listening to his input. Ex. Steep turns. I'm turning and monitoring the horizon as well as my altitude and attitude. If he's saying "pull back on the throttle a bit." I do that. But we're not having a conversation outside of that.

Come to think of it. We say occasional things about our lives, but we don't talk much in the air outside of maneuvers. He's often on his phone, I'm not accusing him of anything because I don't know what he's doing. He could be on Foreflight the whole time. With that said, we do get along just fine.

However I'm definitely working on doing all maneuvers instinctively. Some I have to think about or check my "quick notes" others are just "second nature".

I check the weather regularly, and if it's bad for VFR, I contact him and ask if he'd like to cancel. Sometimes he says "let's wait it out and see if it will clear", other times we decide it's not going to change. If the ceiling is forecasted to be ridiculously low (can't even do pattern work) I'll cancel it, if it's a few days out.

He hasn't taken controls in a while. He's taught me well to be in control of the plane. I truly am grateful for what he's helped me to do. (I'm just at an impasse now.)

That's something to consider about untowered airfields. I would feel more comfortable having ADS-B in and out if I'm going to use them.

Random observations,
You’ve mentioned you explain what you are doing so he knows that you know it… can you do it while carrying on a casual conversation? It’s more like riding a bike than explaining a math equation, and you should be able to perform all check ride maneuvers naturally/instinctively

you’ve mentioned that the season hadn’t been the best weather for flying, if any lessons have been canceled because of weather was it the instructor canceling it or you (you should know before he has to say it)

have you flown with him in windy active air conditions without him needing to give advice or take the controls

there may be a lot more “Wild West” style untowered airports out there than you realize, especially during cropdusting seasons in agricultural areas..

 

[J.G.]

@Flatiowa

I'm looking at Foreflight now (I know it's not real time) and I've just watched 3 small planes, 100 feet in altitude a part, about 200 in distance from each other try to land at pretty much the same time. 2 of which wound up on the runway together at the same time.

I wasn't listening to Unicom, so I don't know the reason for this, but is that normal by non-towered standards? It seems dangerous to me.

Edit: They are now spaced out better at this turn around the pattern. Which seems to say, they knew that was a bad idea the first time around.

Edit: One plane just crossed in front of the other at the same altitude (one made a final turn early.) At this airfield when you're coming from the SouthWest it's not easy to see traffic in front of you, and you're directly over a small town on base and final, so a pilot is closely watching their altitude, when maybe they should be watching traffic.

 

[Flatiowa]

That is kinda precisely my point, adsb doesn’t work when the other plane doesn’t have it, and in situations like that may actually be a detriment, your focus should be out of the cockpit, you should be able to confidently land the plane with the entire gauge cluster covered by a towel by the feel of it, it should be natural, if it’s not then maybe you are not ready. Some instructors sign off solo early then keep working on refining you, some sign off on solo when you’re a pilot and your done “go fly your solo cross country’s and schedule your practical test” I personally think the latter of the two is better.

 

[J.G.]

Got it. I've been constantly told to keep an eye on my altitude and airspeed by looking at the gauge, but maybe that's doing me a disservice.

I was definitely hoping for the former to be given a chance to iron some things out for myself, and not be micromanaged to my checkride, but for the current moment this is where I am.

That is kinda precisely my point, adsb doesn’t work when the other plane doesn’t have it, and in situations like that may actually be a detriment, your focus should be out of the cockpit, you should be able to confidently land the plane with the entire gauge cluster covered by a towel by the feel of it, it should be natural, if it’s not then maybe you are not ready. Some instructors sign off solo early then keep working on refining you, some sign off on solo when you’re a pilot and your done “go fly your solo cross country’s and schedule your practical test” I personally think the latter of the two is better.

 

[Flatiowa]

Try to find an old timer to go up with, even if not a cfi but just a joy ride that won’t count to your hours that will help you practice falling leafs at a good altitude with the gauges covered.

 

[sarangan]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for varying opinions but especially look to hearing from those who have been in a similar situation.

I'm a high hour student (60?) I've gone to 2 flight schools and have had 3 instructors.

Instructor 1: Didn't have time to schedule me regularly, so I switched schools. (Towered airport).

Instructor 2: Was fine, but for some reason I lost skills during this time period. I'm blaming myself for that. Though I knew that starting out at a non-towered airfield wasn't for me. I like the structure.(Non towered airport).

Instructor 3: Same school. New instructor. At a towered Class D airport. I picked my skills back up and have improved greatly even by his words. If there's something to improve on, I improve. By the same lesson or the next.

I'm confident in my skills, and at this point would feel way more comfortable alone.

I asked 2 weeks ago when I can solo, I was told when I had good landings that weren't too high. In the past 4 or 5 lessons. I fixed that. There was one so smooth today it was like butter. You couldn't even tell when the wheels hit the ground.

Now today was with another instructor who gave me some pointers on flying in bad weather (had extremely low visibility on base and final due to rain and fog.)

I feel more than ready. I literally verbally talk through each step so that my CFI can see that I'm not winging it, I understand and know what I should be doing.

I really and truly want to get him out of that plane so I can feel comfortable being in there by myself. Odd, but in situations that have the potential to be stressful, I have always felt more comfortable and confident alone when I knew I could handle the situation. This is one of those times.

If he doesn't let me solo in one of the 3 lessons I have this week. Should I chuck it and start over at a 141 school? I really hate to have wasted all of this time and effort, but it's better than being given the run around.

If I do solo this week should I still move to a 141 to finish off my rating?

For background I'm a whole grown woman in her 40s that's been in scarier situations (namely in the Middle East) than flying around a Class D airport in the pattern a few times.

At this point I'm frustrated, annoyed and feeling like I'm being held back for no good reason. However I know that I'm not a CFI and I'm seeing only my side of this equation.

Thoughts?

Suggestions?


Background:

I came to this school with about 15 hours.

I came to this instructor with about 35 hours.

My bad pilot trait is probably anti-authority, but I've been working on that since I started.

I know I'm not invincible and my goal is ALWAYS safety, both for myself, passenger and people on the ground.

I have no specific plans once I have my VFR certification, but the goal is IFR, taildragger, Aerobatic, Multi-Engine, Commercial in that order.

My current career is good enough that if I ever decided to go to the airlines it will be for the enjoyment of doing something new and love of flying.

That's it. Tell me what you think.

Thanks.

None of us can say what may be preventing you from moving on to the solo stage, but the fact that you are asking a bunch of strangers here tells me that there is a communication problem between you and your instructor. The student should never be in doubt about where he or she stands in the training progression. After each flight, you should be given a briefing, which should include tasks you did well on, tasks you didn't do well on, and what you need to read up or practice before the next flight. If your instructor is giving you feedback, but you disagree, then that would be a different matter, but this sounds more like flying without a lesson plan. That's one thing that a 141 school would do better. But before jumping that far, I would have a sit down with the instructor, or better yet, find a different instructor. There is nothing wrong with flying with someone else for a second opinion.

 

[Matthew]

Your CFI might even agree to a 2nd opinion just so you understand why you aren’t ready to solo.

Solo is a “big deal”, but it isn’t the only thing. Once you solo you’ll be expected to do some practice flights on your own, to and from other airports. That means radio skills, and situational awareness, too. I’m not a CFI, but I’ve flown with a lot. Some want to solo you as soon as possible, some want to make sure you are ready to expand your skills at other airports before they solo you. You’re always free to find another CFI, but the new CFI still has to be convinced you’re ready. You need to hear it straight from your current CFI first. Maybe your “I’m ready, why aren’t you?” attitude should be more like, “No BS, how am I doing and am I making any progress?”

 

[Gilbert Buettner]

Sometimes I am reluctant to sign off someone for solo because of either lack of consistency or not much experience with crosswinds. My standard is asking myself if I would allow this pilot to take my grandchildren for a ride.

To the OP: You do not need to move to a 141 school.

 

[Learnin’ to fly…]

For what it’s worth…

It sounds like some of the pressure you are putting on yourself starts with your self assessment as a ‘high hour student”. I suggest you stop thinking of yourself as a ‘60 hour student’ and recognize that flying skills are highly perishable. You are, in reality, a 25 hour student with some prior background. If you can make peace with that reality, I think you’ll get yourself out of the pressure cooker a bit - and just fly the plane. 25 hours without solo is hardly unusual.

Next. High achievers - like to be high achievers. Privately and publicly. Is it possible that your eagerness to fly without the instructor could be less about control and more about fear/embarrassment/shame of a perception of being judged? If so, what do you need to do to let that go?

Is it possible that you might be struggling more with the control of the aircraft than you are letting yourself recognize? Not unlike driving - your passenger can identify how smooth and proficient you are better than you can. They are objective. They are more relaxed. They are not as intently focused, so they have less anticipation of what is about to happen. They feel every bump, slip, and skid - while the operators mind naturally looks past it

You are clearly high in intellect. Remember what I’m sure you’ve studied about overused strengths. Flying is intuition and instinct, combined with knowledge. Think less. Get out of your head and feel the plane in the seat of your pants.

 

[J.G.]

In being very honest with myself, you've definitely hit the target with a lot of what you noted below and I'm giving the rest serious thought. Thank you very much.

For what it’s worth…

It sounds like some of the pressure you are putting on yourself starts with your self assessment as a ‘high hour student”. I suggest you stop thinking of yourself as a ‘60 hour student’ and recognize that flying skills are highly perishable. You are, in reality, a 25 hour student with some prior background. If you can make peace with that reality, I think you’ll get yourself out of the pressure cooker a bit - and just fly the plane. 25 hours without solo is hardly unusual.

Next. High achievers - like to be high achievers. Privately and publicly. Is it possible that your eagerness to fly without the instructor could be less about control and more about fear/embarrassment/shame of a perception of being judged? If so, what do you need to do to let that go?

Is it possible that you might be struggling more with the control of the aircraft than you are letting yourself recognize? Not unlike driving - your passenger can identify how smooth and proficient you are better than you can. They are objective. They are more relaxed. They are not as intently focused, so they have less anticipation of what is about to happen. They feel every bump, slip, and skid - while the operators mind naturally looks past it

You are clearly high in intellect. Remember what I’m sure you’ve studied about overused strengths. Flying is intuition and instinct, combined with knowledge. Think less. Get out of your head and feel the plane in the seat of your pants.

 

[J.G.]

Your CFI might even agree to a 2nd opinion just so you understand why you aren’t ready to solo.

Solo is a “big deal”, but it isn’t the only thing. Once you solo you’ll be expected to do some practice flights on your own, to and from other airports. That means radio skills, and situational awareness, too. I’m not a CFI, but I’ve flown with a lot. Some want to solo you as soon as possible, some want to make sure you are ready to expand your skills at other airports before they solo you. You’re always free to find another CFI, but the new CFI still has to be convinced you’re ready. You need to hear it straight from your current CFI first. Maybe your “I’m ready, why aren’t you?” attitude should be more like, “No BS, how am I doing and am I making any progress?”

I've asked him that, and per his own words on several occasions I'm doing very well. Which is what prompted my initial question. At this point I obviously have to drag his specific thoughts out of him, and use that information in moving forward, though I don't feel I should have to go through hoops to get this information from him.

I've two additional CFIs who I'll be flying with soon in looking for feedback. The first was noted in the beginning, (but we didn't fly enough for him to have a full opinion due to the weather.) The other is a DPE. So I should have a full picture of my current abilities fairly soon.

 

[murphey]

I never went to any of my graduations (wait. high school but I was playing in the orchestra so I didn’t have to do the walk across the stage nor wear the regalia). Grad schools? I was long gone, they mailed me the diplomas. I have no clue where any of my diplomas are, come to think of it.

The Solo. Candidly, I don’t remember the solo other than it happened. It was merely the next step in flying.

 

[Albany Tom]

I don't remember my HS graduation. I remember driving back way too fast, and almost running over my classmate Charlie Engebretson and his entire family in their tiny little clown car. Completely missed them, just squealing tires, but still pops into my head 30+ years ago.

The solo? I don't remember the flight at all. I remember having two distinct thoughts, though, right after each other. First - "Hey, I did this, cleared the trees, plane is flying just fine. Cool!" Followed immediately by "Damn. It's just me that needs to land this plane now." Not scared, just a moment of very high focus. The flight was uneventful. I do remember my first cross country solo. That was a lot of fun. Climbing out of the plane at each stop, getting back in and heading out to the next one, that seemed more like I expected on the first solo.

 

[sarangan]

Sometimes I am reluctant to sign off someone for solo because of either lack of consistency or not much experience with crosswinds. My standard is asking myself if I would allow this pilot to take my grandchildren for a ride.

To the OP: You do not need to move to a 141 school.

The confidence in taking your grandkids for a ride is a reasonable standard before signing off someone for a checkride, but for solo that is a bit excessive IMHO. If they have the skills to complete a flight without harming themselves or the airplane under supervised conditions, that should be good enough for the first solo.

 

[Gilbert Buettner]

The confidence in taking your grandkids for a ride is a reasonable standard before signing off someone for a checkride, but for solo that is a bit excessive IMHO. If they have the skills to complete a flight without harming themselves or the airplane under supervised conditions, that should be good enough for the first solo.

OK, let me put it this way: I want to be confident that the student will bring the airplane safely back to earth without any damage. If I have any doubts, we will practice some more.

 

[Rgbeard]

The Amateur practices until he gets it right.
The Professional until he cannot get it wrong.

is your CFI pushing you to the latter? Do you want to solo an aircraft from the first category?