Hi all,

I finally soloed last weekend. It took 6 weekends, but I finally got there.

Way to go!!! Now you will become more addicted to the hobby.. Don't worry.. we all do

Congrats, buddy!

What do you mean it tooks 6 weekends but you "finally" soloed?

My student just soloed today and we've been flying for about 4-5 months. Suffice it to say, he was excited.

So was I, now I get to go back to flying MY airplanes

what?!?!??!?! my student was at the sticks, on the second flight!!!! had to work out some bugs on the 3rd and 4th flight for him but he did everything on the 5th flight.

What? If he didn't do everything until the 5th flight, that's when he soloed.

At my club, soloing is: (Without buddy box)
Student starts engine, student carries or taxis plane to runway, taxis out and takes off.
Student flys a pattern suggested by the instructor. At our club this includes, at a minimum, oval patterns where the same altitude MUST be held through the turns. Figure eights in both directions, altitude again must remain level, and the halves of the "eight" should be similar is size.
Generally at least one loop and one roll (in each direction) and a stall turn (or hammerhead).
A slow fly by at approximately 20 feet.
(Touch and goes are optional, I like to have the student do at least one.)
A "proper" landing. ie, with a visible downwind leg, base leg and final approach, with a controlled landing,on the runway. (The instructor may request additional landings if the plane bounces or comes in too hot.) The engine must remain running, and the student taxis the plane back to the flight line.

The instructor is usually sitting back in the pits, or may be standing somewhere close to the student so that instructions can be heard. But at no time does the instructor touch the sticks or even stand beside the student.

My $1.98
Dennis-

oops.. my bad, it was too early when i posted that... your correct. 5th flight...

That was me by the way, and on a low wing tail dragger too boot.

Darren,
Just out of curiosity, what did you have to do to solo?
Dennis-

Take off, fly and land in one piece. Is there any other criteria?

hmmm thats alot for a newbie to swallow right off the bat.. but everyone has diffrent techniques.. i want them to at least fly the pattern first off. then when they are comfortable with that .. then we take the next step.. but as i said.. everyone has a diffrent style.

Darren,
If you read my post above, you'll see that my club requires a lot more. Not that being able to take off and land is insufficient for soloing, but we prefer to have better flyers before they're on their own.

All I was getting at is, soloing on the fifth flight or fifteenth really doesn't matter. But it may also depend on what's required to solo. Would you have met our requirements on your fifth flight?
Dennis-

Everyone learns at their own pace.

I had one student who soloed his first time out on the second flight.

I also know people who have been flying for 30 years and still need someone standing next to them.

Anyway, Congratulations TexasOutlaw! You gat an "ATTABOY"!

yes.. he would have.. never said he was on his own... i teach them.. make them take the test.. teach them something else.. make them take the test.. very good method of teaching.. thats they way the military does it.. i learned more in a year than i did in 13 yrs of public school.

I am close to being solo also. I hope soon.

dude.. i love that avatar!! hahahah that and that stykerr however you spell it.. the one with the praire dog ... heheheh good luck man