Insights

Don't abuse the privilege

Your first solo flight will be forever etched in your memory. I remember every moment of mine, which was 46 years ago in N2765E, a 1946 Aeronca 7AC, at Chino, California; I can still picture the tall eucalyptus trees that I had to fly over on final approach to Runway 21.

After obtaining my private pilot certificate, I purchased that airplane in order to build flight time for a commercial pilot certificate. The following figures show how times have changed: In 1960 the airplane cost $1,000 (no electrical system), and I sold it in 1961 for the same price. My total operating cost was $4 an hour--tiedown, maintenance, fuel, and insurance.

As a student pilot, I was free to solo whenever I desired, weather permitting. Many of the CFI endorsements of today did not exist, but you could not go too far in an airplane that cruised at 60 mph--yes, it was miles per hour in those days, not knots.

My aunt lived in northern California, which was a nine-hour drive in my 1950 Ford or a 10-hour flight with two fuel stops in 65E if the winds were light. That was too boring, so I only made one such flight, but the return trip taught me an important lesson.

I was about to hand-prop the airplane and depart when an old man walked out from a small, rickety shack, the airport's only structure. He said, "Son, are you planning to fly that airplane?" I said, "Yes," and he responded with, "Let me show you why you shouldn't."

He put his finger down the air intake for the carburetor heat and showed me that the hard-to-see carburetor-heat hose had become disconnected. Considering that the fog had just dissipated to VFR minimums, there's no doubt that I would have needed carburetor heat while crossing the bay. (That airport disappeared years ago because of development, but it was at the northwest corner of San Francisco Bay near the town of Navato.)

Obviously, he had closely inspected 65E while I was visiting my aunt, so he produced some wire and tools that enabled him to fix the problem--and fix it at no charge. That's when I developed a deep sense of respect for aviation's old-timers.

Today, America has more lawyers per capita than any other country, and we are paying a big price for our litigious society. Everything has changed, including how we view solo flying for student pilots. The whatever-you-want-to-do mentality is gone, particularly for businesses and individuals who want to stay clear of lawsuits.

For a student's first three solo flights, I still use--and teach new instructors--the progression I followed as a student pilot. Each one is supervised by the instructor: The initial solo is three trips around the traffic pattern; the second solo starts with the instructor in the airplane for the first few landings and then the student solos in the traffic pattern for the rest of the hour; and the third solo lets the student practice takeoffs and landings for an hour while the instructor observes the flight from the ground.

For a private pilot certificate, the regulations require, among other things, 10 hours of solo flight, five of which must be cross-country time. To meet that requirement, instructors assign additional solo flights. There are several self-imposed, common-sense rules that good flight instructors and flight schools use for these flights.

• The student is advised of the seriousness of solo flying and reminded that the instructor must recommend the student to the FAA for private pilot certification. This will never occur if the student is irresponsible.
• The instructor will list solo flight limitations: wind and weather conditions, day and time of departure, and authorized airports.
• If those limitations are not followed to the letter, it will show that the student does not have the proper attitude for flying, and training will be terminated.
• The instructor will review all cross-country flight planning, will be at the airport whenever the student is flying solo, and will debrief the student at the completion of each flight.
• Solo flying will be allowed only when the instructor feels it will benefit the student or is necessary for pilot certification. Pleasure flying will not be allowed!
• So how can you do whatever you want to do when flying solo? Acquire your private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. Now, you are the pilot in command.

Ralph Butcher, a retired United Airlines captain, is the chief flight instructor at a California flight school. He has been flying since 1959 and has 25,000 hours in fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Visit his Web site.