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Part 61 C: Student Pilots

Eligibility (61.83)​

  • The minimum age to hold a student pilot certificate is 16
  • They must read, write, and understand English
    • CFI must test to ICAO level 4 English (AC 60-38B)
  • Need a 3rd class medical, or BasicMed is some scenarios
  • Student pilot application will be submitted via IACRA

Solo Requirements (61.87)​

Pre-solo Knowledge Test​

  • Prior to solo, the instructor must give a knowledge written or online test, including:
    • Part 61 and part 91 regulations
    • Airspace rules and procedures for the airport where the solo flight will be performed
    • Flight characteristics and operational limitations for the make and model of aircraft to be flown
    • Note this must be given by the instructor doing the solor endorsement (it can't be inherited by another instructor)

Pre-Solo Training Areas​

Need training on the following maneuvers and procedures (the "15 things"), prior to solo:

  • Proper flight preparation procedures, preflight planning, preparation, powerplant operation, aircraft systems
  • Taxiing or surface operations, including runups
  • Takeoffs and landings, including normal and crosswind
  • Straight and level flight, and turns in both directions
  • Climbs and climbing turns
  • Airport traffic patterns, including entry and departure procedures
  • Collision avoidance, windshear avoidance, and wake turbulence avoidance
  • Descents, with and without turns, using high and low drag configurations
  • Flight at various airspeeds from cruise to slow flight
  • Stall entries from various flight attitudes and power combinations with recovery:
    • initiated at the first indication of a stall, and
    • recovery from a full stall
  • Emergency procedures and equipment malfunctions
  • Ground reference maneuvers
  • Approaches to a landing area with simulated engine malfunctions
  • Slips to a landing
  • Go-arounds
  • If the airplane cannot do the given maneuver, it is not required

Basic Solo Checklist​

  1. Student pilot certificate
  2. 3rd class medical or BasicMed, Driver's license for sport pilots
  3. Knowledge tests (finished + reviewed), AC 61-65 A.3 endorsement
  4. "The 15 things" proficient and safe, AC 61-65 A.4 endorsement
    • Note this can be in the make and model, or a similar make and model
  5. 90-day endorsement for make + model, AC 61-65 A.6 endorsement

Endorsement Limitations​

  • An instructor can include any limitations they desire
  • Endorsements are only good for 90 days
    • Renewing an endorsements requires a flight and the AC 61-65 A.7 endorsement

Night Solo​

  • Requires night training
  • Requires navigation training
  • Requires night-specific endorsement: AC 61-65 A.5

Limitations (61.89)​

  • Solo pilots have limitations
    • Carrying a passenger
    • Compensation or hire
    • Flight visibility > 3 s.m during the day, and > 5 s.m at night
    • If flight cannot be made with visual reference to the surface
    • Contrary to any instructor-given limitations

Solo Cross-Country (XC) (61.93)​

Prior to the XC endorsement​

  • They must stay within 25nm where they train
  • Landing at an additional airport must be endorsed:
    • They can land at another airport within 25nm, provided you:
      • fly with them to/from the airport
      • enter the traffic pattern
      • do takeoffs/landings
      • provide the AC 61-65 A.8 endorsement

Solo XC Training​

  • They must receive and log flight training in the following maneuvers and procedures (the "12 things"):
    • Use of aeronautical charts for VFR navigation using pilotage, dead reckoning, the magnetic compass
    • Use of aircraft performance charts pertaining to cross-country flight
    • Use of aeronautical weather reports and forecasts
    • Emergency procedures
    • Traffic pattern procedures that include area departure, area arrival, entry into the traffic pattern, and approach
    • Collision avoidance, wake turbulence precautions, and windshear avoidance
    • Recognition of hazardous terrain features in the geographical area where the cross-country flight will be flown
    • Procedures for operating all the instruments and equipment installed in the aircraft
    • Use of radios for VFR navigation and two-way communication
    • Takeoff, approach, landing procedures; short-field, soft-field, and crosswind takeoffs, approaches, and landings
    • Climbs at best angle and best rate
    • Control and maneuvering solely by reference to flight instruments, including:
      • straight and level flight
      • turns
      • descents
      • climbs
      • use of radio aids
      • and ATC directives
  • Following all the training above, provide AC 61-65 A.9 endorsement

Repeated Flights within 50nm​

  • After completing the XC endorsement, repeated flights to/from an airport within 50nm (but more and 25nm) are allowed, provided:
    • fly with them to/from the airport
    • enter the traffic pattern
    • do takeoffs/landings
    • have the AC 61-65 A.11 endorsement

Solo XC Flight over 50nm​

  • Requirements:
    • XC training complete: AC 61-65 A.9
    • Current 90-day endorsement: AC 61-65 A.6
    • Review the student's flight planning
    • Review the current or forecast weather
    • Endorse a student for a specific solo XC flight: AC 61-65 A.10
  • Note:
    • It is only valid for a single flight
    • It can be given by any flight instructor

Solo in Class B Airspace (61.95)​

  • Students can be endorsed to fly in a specific Class B airspace
    • Requires the AC 61-65 A.12 endorsement for flight in Class B airspace
    • Requires the AC 61-65 A.13 endorsement for flight to the an airport in Class B
  • Some airports require a PPL or higher (the "dirty dozen") to operate at the airport
  • Class B endorsements have a 90 day limit