Flight Student - First Solo

Several traditions have developed in the USA around "soloing", including drenching the flight student with water and cutting off and permanently displaying the back of his or her shirt.

In American aviation lore, the traditional removal of a new pilot's shirt tail is a sign of the instructor's new confidence in his student after successful completion of the first solo flight.

In the days of tandem trainers, the student sat in the front seat, with the instructor behind. As there were often no radios in these early days of aviation, the instructor would tug on the student pilot's shirttail to get his attention, and then yell in his ear. A successful first solo flight is an indication that the student can fly without the instructor ("instructor-less" flight). Hence, there is no longer a need for the shirt tail, and it is cut off by the (often) proud instructor, and sometimes displayed as a trophy.

In Canada, the dumping of water is replaced with a bucket of snow. The dumping is usually intended as a surprise to the newly minted solo pilot.

First Solos

• January 4, 2012 - Ted F completed his first solo flight in our new skycatcher(CFI - John Amundsen)
• January 4, 2012 - Allison B completed her first solo flight in our C-150 (CFI - Durwin Daniel)

• Oct. 25, 2011 - Mariana B completed her first solor flight. (CFI - Todd Zukowski)

• Aug 18, 2011- Oscar G completed his first solo flight (CFI - Gavin Menezes)

• Aug 18, 2011- Gred V-D completed his first solo flight (CFI - John Amundsen)

• Aug 16, 2011- Jim J completed his first solo flight (CFI - Matt Connor)
• Aug 15, 2011- Jackson R completed his first solo flight (CFI - John Rose)
• Aug 02, 2011- Petra F completed her first solo flight (CFI - Durwin Daniel)

• July 15, 2011- Rowland L completed his first solo flight (CFI - John Amundsen)


 

• June 9, 2011 - Jolene S-D completed her first solo flight (CFI - Durwin Daniels)
• May 28, 2011 - Eric W completed his first solo flight (CFI - Erik Meredith)
• May 22, 2011 - Patrick R completed his first solo flight (CFI - Gustavo Carvajal)
• May 17, 2011 - Ross M completed his first solo flight (CFI - James Graves)

• May 16, 2011 - Andrew C completed his first solo flight (CFI - Durwin Daniels)

• May 7, 2011 - Amos L completed his first solo flight (CFI - Erik Meredith)
• May 8, 2011 - Mark B completed his first solo flight (CFI - Eric Ingles)
• May 7, 2011 - Michael Y completed his first solo flight (CFI - Durwin Daniles)