How many Flights has it taken you to solo?

Just under 1 gallons worth of fuel.

This varies tremendously....

I've seen students solo after 3 flights and one of those that was actually ready at the end of the first and we just didn't believe it.

We've got a club membet that I don't think will ever solo... he doesn't want to fly without the buddy cord. He was probably ready to solo 3 years ago and has been told he should... But this is the way he enlouys flying.

Average is close to 3 months of going to the field one day every week and getting in 2 to 4 flights each trip.

I soloed after about 10 flights... I didn't bring a plane home that didn't need some repair (not always major.... often the typical ripped off nosewheel.) for over 14 years.

It does vary a LOT from person to person, even taking in to account things like age.

A simulator will speed things up for just about everyone.

You're in the UK, right? That means you have the various tests to pass. In the states, "soloed" also means a lot of different things in differnet places. The UK test is a lot harder than most "solo" qualifications in the states. Since there is no national test in the US, differnet clubs have differnet standards, sometimes wildly different, so what one person calls "soloed", another may not.

http://www.bmfa.org/achievement/pas.html

Interresting reading on the test requirements. AND the detail of instruction in how the test will be conducted....

just think of the SCREAMING if the AMA tried to set up a similar system[X(] Just suggesting things that would be a good idea for a student to learn before solo gets some outraged responses...[&:]

I believe I could solo right now (45+ flights). My problem is landing and the dreaded 'A' cert from th BMFA. We have 2 constraints at our club, 1. a (just) 100'x 20' runway and 2. Club rules keep me on a buddy lead until I have proven that I can make a controlled landing (on the runway) enough times that the Pres and Safety officer are happy with my control and compedence.

Aid in landing...

The further out you are when you have the plane properly lined up with the runway, the easier it is to put it on the runway.

Having to correct for wind drift if crosswind and power management for preventing being long or short for several seconds is easier than whipping it around a descending turn direct onto the end of the pavement. (and its safer too...)

Find a landmark which you can overfly as you come out of your turn onto final and be consistantly lined up with the runway.

These hints helped me TONS!

Technically I soloed on my first flight. By myself. I managed to fly the plane and land it without mishap. The second flight ended in a cartwheel down the field. I then hooked up with a great gentleman, who had me landing (proficiently) after the third flight under his direction. The only damage noted so far has been the loss of a nose gear, one hole in wing, both a result of a dead stick, on two different planes, and both easily fixed. I used the G2 sim for about 2 weeks prior to my first attempts on my own. Mr. Barr (my instructor) said he had only instructed one other person who caught on so quickly. Of course I consider myself to be "pretty good" but I am still a beginner.

As has been said, soloing means different things to different people, and in different places.

It took me about 20 to 24 flights over about 6 weeks, but I never had a minute's Sim time either. I also had an instructor that made sure I could use rudder to land in a strong crosswind, do good axial rolls, straight, round loops, and stall turns; all with my PT 40 trainer. Once I soloed I flew my trainer for almost two years before fianally crashing it.

My second plane was a Super Sportster, and I flew that without mishap for a couple of years too. (Since then I've managed to put in a few though.
Dennis-

Got mine today! Took me 6 flights.

Got in 30 flights and will have about 30 more before I solo.

Estimate, 55 to 65 flights.

There's a difference between your first solo flight and the end of the need to get help from an instructor...

The typical private pilot (full scale) solos in rather short order. MANY hours of flying practice and instruction before he is capable of passing the flying test to get his/her licence.

You can "solo" with as simple a requirement as just barely being able to take off, do one lap around the field and land without breaking the airplane. That's a LONG way from being ready to quit getting help from the instructor in how to properly handle the aircraft.

Most beginners have some problems getting prepared to do thier first landing.. and that is one reason why it takes so long before most instructors let them do an entire flight without taking control of the airplane to save it at least once. When landing the airplane is essentially pointed at you... and an error can mean you hit yourself (or someone else on the flight line...) That is a bit scary, and makes the beginner nervous and being nervous means you are more likely to make that error. (what we call a viscious circle... it can spiral into severe anxiety)

I agree with your statement FH. I can take off, fly the BMFA 'A' cert pattern, have shown that I can control the aircraft in a spin, stall, inverted and loop and roll with ease. Its just my bloody landings. All my air time has been buddied to a great instructor who has taught me how to handle my aircraft in a safe manner. I dont think that without his aid I could be this compedent a flyer in such a short time frame. I bet I would have had far more dumb thumb crashes if my landings were up to scratch earlier and I was allowed to 'solo' with far less flight time.

Why land I’m going to hook up a to parachute and float to the ground
Just kidding Landing is what scars me the most I leave in a rural community and do not have any one a regular bases to help me so it is a vary slow and painful process