Solo Prerequisites

Question 1

How many hours of dual flight instruction must a student receive before their Solo Evaluation?

Answer 1

41 hours

Question 2

Can an instructor save time from before the solo phase to be used as additional checkride prep after the solo phase?

Answer 2

No

Saving flight time from pre-solo phases is prohibited. All students must complete all lessons before the solo phase in full before proceeding to solos.

Question 3

Which of the following must a student be able to perform without verbal or flight control inputs by the instructor before the instructor schedules a Solo Eval?

Three consecutive takeoffs and landings.
Ten consecutive takeoffs and landings.
A normal landing, followed by a short-field landing, followed by a soft-field landing, followed by a forward slip to a landing.

Answer 3

Ten consecutive takeoffs and landings.

Note that a student who recognizes an unstable approach and goes around without instructor intervention has complied with Solo Eval criteria, so that doesn’t break the string of consecutive landings.

Question 4

The regulatory requirements that a student must meet before going on their first solo flight are listed in:

Answer 4

14 CFR 61.87

61.87(d) lists 15 maneuvers and procedures that a student must have received and logged flight training on before they can solo. Check that all of those have been accomplished before conducting a solo flight

Question 5

The regulatory requirements that a student must meet before going on their first solo cross-country flight are listed in 14 CFR 61.87, and:

Answer 5

14 CFR 61.93

61.93(e) lists 12 maneuvers and procedures that a student must have received and logged flight training on before they can fly solo cross-country. Check that all of those have been accomplished before conducting a solo cross-country flight.

Question 6

Which functions must a student be able to perform without instructor guidance or assistance before they are permitted to solo?

Answer 6

Making a competent go/no-go decision.
Accurately interpreting ATIS or AWOS reports and verifying they are within limits.
Determining the location of all other aircraft in the traffic pattern.
Communicating effectively with other traffic and/or ATC.
Establishing and maintaining a stabilized approach.
Making proper rudder/aileron inputs based on wind conditions.
Touching down at the desired touchdown point.
Touching down at minimum controllable airspeed.
Landing with and maintaining the proper pitch attitude.
Keeping the longitudinal axis parallel to and over the centerline during landing.
Keeping the centerline between the main wheels throughout all takeoffs and landings.
Responding correctly and positively to any abnormality or emergency.
Executing a go-around or rejected landing when landing criteria are not met.

Question 7

What score is required on the pre-solo written before a student is authorized to solo?

Answer 7

100 percent, after correcting all incorrect answers with an instructor’s help