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<title>First solo flight</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">First solo flight</span></span>

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<p>A <b>first solo flight</b> is when a student <a href="Aircraft" title="Aircraft">aircraft</a> <a href="Aircraft_pilot" title="Aircraft pilot">pilot</a> completes a short flight, including a <a href="Takeoff" title="Takeoff">takeoff</a> and <a href="Landing" title="Landing">landing</a>, without an instructor aboard. Achieving this milestone is known as <b>soloing</b>. In a more general sense, a "solo flight" or "<b>solo time</b>" refers to any <a href="Flight_time" title="Flight time">flight time</a> when a "pilot is the sole occupant in the aircraft."<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>When piloting an aircraft solo, a pilot must not only fly and navigate the machine competently, but must also be able to manage unpredictable developments, such as mechanical failure or bad weather.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Requirements">Requirements</h2></div>

<p>Depending on the country, there may be a requirement for some minimum number of training hours to have been completed by the student pilot before they are allowed to solo. In most countries, it is assumed that such students will be familiar with (and may have to pass an examination on) the relevant air laws or regulations, and will have completed exercises in handling aircraft in normal conditions, and also what to do in the case of engine failure on takeoff, in flight, and before landing.

</p><p>In the United States, for most aircraft, there is no FAA (<a href="Federal_Aviation_Administration" title="Federal Aviation Administration">Federal Aviation Administration</a>) requirement for a minimum number of hours, but a <a href="Student_pilot_certificate" title="Student pilot certificate">student pilot certificate</a> is required. Per FAR Part 61 SFAR 73 section 2, Robinson helicopters have a 20-hour requirement to solo. However, the regulations do require that a student pilot show competency in several specific skills to include, for example, the ability to <a href="Slip_(aerodynamic)" class="mw-redirect" title="Slip (aerodynamic)">forward slip</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-aopa-ft-04-07-p43_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-aopa-ft-04-07-p43-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>In practice, competence is mostly a judgment call of the <a href="Flight_instructor" title="Flight instructor">Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI)</a> responsible for the student. Typically, it takes from 10 to 30 hours of flight time before a pilot has the instinctive feel of an aircraft to be safe flying solo in other than perfect (no wind) weather.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Soloing">Soloing</h2></div>

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</style><div class="thumb tmulti tleft"><div class="thumbinner multiimageinner" style="width:326px;max-width:326px"><div class="trow"><div class="theader" style="text-align:center">Solo shirt cutting</div></div><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:160px;max-width:160px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"></span></div><div class="thumbcaption">Student pilot after a solo flight, with the tail of his shirt cut off.</div></div><div class="tsingle" style="width:162px;max-width:162px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"></span></div><div class="thumbcaption">An instructor scissors off the back of a student's shirt. Other shirt cuttings hang on the wall.</div></div></div></div></div>

<p>Upon the completion of all legal and instructor requirements for proficiency, the student's <a href="Flight_instructor" title="Flight instructor">flight instructor</a> directs the student to fly three circuits of the <a href="Airfield_traffic_pattern" title="Airfield traffic pattern">traffic pattern</a>, including landings, solo.<sup id="cite_ref-aopa-ft-04-07-p43_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-aopa-ft-04-07-p43-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> During the first circuit of the solo, the instructor may supervise via radio in case the student pilot should need assistance or advice.<sup id="cite_ref-aopa-ft-04-07-p43_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-aopa-ft-04-07-p43-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> When flying a <a href="Glider_(aircraft)" title="Glider (aircraft)">glider</a> the newly approved student may make more than one tow the first day though a single solo flight is adequate to earn the "A" badge as a glider pilot.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Traditions">Traditions</h3></div>

<p>Various traditions or <a href="Rites_of_passage" class="mw-redirect" title="Rites of passage">rites of passage</a> have developed around "soloing", including drenching the student with water,<sup id="cite_ref-Wings_Magazine_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wings_Magazine-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or cutting off the back of their shirt.<sup id="cite_ref-Gadsden_Messenger_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Gadsden_Messenger-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:0_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Solo_shirt_cutting">Solo shirt cutting</h4></div>

<p>In the United States, one tradition includes the instructor cutting off the tail of the student's shirt following the successful flight.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This tradition derives from early American aviation: before the advent of cockpit intercoms, the instructor would be seated behind the student with no reliable method of communication other than pulling on the student's shirttail. When a student demonstrates their ability to operate an aircraft solo, they no longer "need" their shirttail. To demonstrate this, the instructor cuts it off.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite id="CITEREFDuty2018" class="citation web cs1">Duty, Paul (June 29, 2018). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240625223439/https://www.gleimaviation.com/2018/06/29/logging-flight-time/">"Logging Flight Time"</a>. <i>Gleim Aviation</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gleimaviation.com/2018/06/29/logging-flight-time/">the original</a> on June 25, 2024<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-12-20</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-aopa-ft-04-07-p43-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-aopa-ft-04-07-p43_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-aopa-ft-04-07-p43_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-aopa-ft-04-07-p43_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFNamowitz2007" class="citation cs2">Namowitz, Dan (2007), "First solo follies", <i>AOPA Flight Training</i>, <b>19</b> (4): <span class="nowrap">43–</span>44</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ssa.org/badges/">Badges & Records</a></span>

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<li id="cite_note-Wings_Magazine-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Wings_Magazine_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wingsmagazine.com/ramping-up-canadian-flight-schools-take-on-the-future-1119/">"Ramping up: Canadian flight schools take on the future"</a>. 30 January 2008. <q>A Moncton Flight College (MFC) student along with his instructor getting the traditional first solo cold water soaking on the ramp. The MFC tradition dictates that if the student is the instructor's first solo student, then the instructor also gets soaked.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-Gadsden_Messenger-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Gadsden_Messenger_5-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://gadsdenmessenger.com/high-priorities16-year-old-flies-solo-before-driving-solo/">"High priorities: 16-year-old flies solo before driving solo"</a>. <i>Gadsden Messenger</i>. 8 February 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 May</span> 2023</span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-:0-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFAeroGuardAdmin2019" class="citation web cs1">AeroGuardAdmin (2019-12-18). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flyaeroguard.com/blog/solo-shirt-cutting/">"Solo Shirt Cutting: An Aviation Tradition"</a>. <i>AeroGuard</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-02-13</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>

<ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.langleyflyingschool.com/Pages/Flying%20on%20your%20Own!.html">Langley Flying School "Flying on your own!"</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.pea.com/blog/posts/what-happens-on-a-students-first-solo-flight">Phoenix Aviation "What happens on a student's first solo"</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Bibliography">Bibliography</h2></div>

<ul><li>High Flight Academy Admin, 2018. Shirt Cutting: A Tradition for First Solo Flights

<ul><li>Blog post by High Flight Academy. https://www.highflightacademy.com/shirt-cutting-a-tradition-for-first-solo flights/#:~:text=Legend%20has%20it%20that%20this,back%20of%20the%20student's%20shirt.</li></ul></li>

<li>Aero Guard Flight Training Center. 2019 .Solo Shirt Cutting: An Aviation Tradition

<ul><li>Blog post by Aero Guard Flight Training Center. https://www.flyaeroguard.com/blog/solo-shirt-cutting/</li></ul></li>

<li>Airplane Academy. 2023. Why Do They Cut Your Shirt Tail Off When You Solo?

<ul><li>Set of blog like posts for things related to the First solo flight. https://airplaneacademy.com/why-do-they-cut-your-shirt-tail-off-when-you-solo/</li></ul></li></ul></div><div><div class="zim-footer">

This article is issued from <a class="external text" title="Last edited on 2025-05-18" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?title=First_solo_flight&oldid=1290930358">Wikipedia</a>. The text is available under <a class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

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