[Joeaksa]

Matt,

If you are with a qualified instructor and he signs you off for solo then you are allowed to fly in the pattern while he/she watches. They they will do some more flying with you in and out of the pattern until they feel comfortable with you. You are then allowed to fly around the area solo until you do your cross country flights. You do one or more with the instructor then you are off on your solo cross country.

Question... how old are you? Its been years since I have been in the FAR's (fed aviation regulations) regarding the age issue and am on the road now so do not have any with me. I believe that it would all depend on the insurance policy that the school has, as well as their ground rules on age and being allowed to use the plane solo.

I am a corporate pilot, just like Michael and thousands of others. Have done airline, military, medivac, cargo, bank and corporate and it all has its good and bad parts but its all flying. In the old days if you got on with an airline you were set for life, however its not that way now. With United and Delta on the ropes and cutting their retirement to the retired employees the "shine" of working for an airline is gone. So far the only one that I know of who has not laid off anyone is Southwest.

One other issue you may face is that of instructors staying with you. The market for pilots is not as hot as it has been in the past but its still good. The last thing you want to have happen is to get 20 hours into your instruction and have the flight instructor leave to move up the ladder in the aviation world. I have heard of students who had 3-4 instructors while getting their private and each time this happens they have to break each other in, and its costs the student more money each time. Try to find a school who does not have much turn-over in instructors.

Just flew from NYC to LAX, then to Carlsbad today... somewhat bushed and getting up at 04:45 tomorrow for my last days flying for 10 days. It does get tiring at times...

Joe A