At what hour did you solo and when did you get your ticket? I might have an old battle hardened instructor, but he has trained 400+ pilots and he said he can't recall ANYBODY ever getting their ticket in 40 hours.... he knew Leo real well as they flew out of the same airport here in Middle Tennessee and Leo got his ticket at 45 hours.... 5 over the minimums... 40 seems short.

30 years ago, I got my private ticket at 42 hours....nowdays it will be closer to 100. I suspect this is due to higher liability issues and the fact that the CFI wants to be absolutely sure you are reasonably safe

Did mine in 44 hours...... I wasn't real comfortable on long cross-country flights but never got lost. I did come back to the airport with 35mph quartering cross-wind conditions. I landed on a grass cross-wind strip and 7 or 8 guys came out to help hold it down and walk it to a tie-down. I won't ever forget it..... My shirt was soaking wet when I walked into the hangar. That was back in 1970-71. I've got a little over 1200 hours since then but haven't flown regularly in a few years. (Kids do that to your flying budget!) I might take it back up soon but I am looking to get back into the job market in a different line of work so it might be a little while longer.
WT

I soloed at 8 hrs but wasted about 50 hrs cruising/mucking around instead of practicing before finally got serious and finished the license some 80hrs later.

DO NOT put that pressure on yourself, and DO NOT let anyone else do it either! It make not matter how long it takes to get a Private, or solo. Period. Some of my best students were the ones that took alittle longer. Once they got it, they got it. they made the mistakes with me on board and learned, others that do it fast, and make the mistake by them selves for the first time... not always a good thing!

I soloed in 7.4 hrs. and got my private in 42.5 I was at the absolute minimum skill wise to get it done and be safe. That was in 79.

Keep this in mind:
The 40 hr. rule is from the 1950's or so. Back then, you had slower easy airplanes, very little airspace issues, few navigation systems, basic flight instrmnts..... Today, you have many, many more rules, airspace issues and more complex systems and aiports to opperate in to and out of.

Also, asking how long it should take is like asking how long is a piece of string... If you fly once a month, it will take you longer.If you fly 3 times a week, it will take less time. That simple.
The national average right now is running about 75 hours, with solos in the 15 hr range. Again, this has no bearing on how good you are. Get a good CFI, fly as much as you can, at least until you solo, and dont stress over how long it takes other people.

Most of all, relax... have fun.. be safe and enjoy your CFI. He's your life line.

Good luck!

Matt

I soloed in about 12 hours in L.A. airspace and licensed in about 50 hours around 1986 or 87. Later I was an instructor and there was only one person in three years at that school that did their ticket in 40 hours. He flew every day and was exceptional in every aspect. Later he was the first person I knew to crash.....

40 hours is the minimum number required to license. The reality is that you don't test until your instructor has been convinced that you aren't going to run out and kill yourself. That covers judgement AND flying skills. No instructor wants to be saddled with the thought that they cut a student loose too early and the student and/or others later died because of it.

Every flight you take with that instructor makes you better in one way or another. Remember that once you have that private license you're just barely a pilot. You have a hell of a lot more to learn before you will be considered skilled and safe.

That's great advice! I soloed at about 15 hours and got my license at 70 hours or so. I was slightly behind the other guys in my class. (I went to Spartan School of Aeronautics) So we had a new class starting every month or so. Talk about some competition! I had a terrible instructor in the beginning, one of those guys who NEVER made less than 100% on any test and expected the same without any kind of instruction, he also had NO people skills whatsoever, that's what made him so bad was that he was so abrasive. No one got along with him. In the end I got a great instructor and aced my check ride! At that point I was very confident which made the ride go so much smoother... There's my life story....

I should have prefaced that I cant see how anybody gets the ticket at the minumum! I am flying as much as my CFI wants. I got an old school guy who I really click with. He said my skill level right now should put me at solo in 10-12 and getting signed off in 55-60. I was just curious as to how many people take their check ride at 40 hours. I want to do exactly what my guy wants for me... he knows best with 14,000 hours to my 8 !!!!

I soloed right at the minimum allowable. I got my ticket at 50 hours. I could have done it in less, but I was 18 at the time, and my instructor wanted to be 110% sure I was ready. Looking back, I am glad he held me that little extra bit. Some instructors around here have a habit of trying to hold students too long just to get the extra$$$$. There have been several cases of 70-80hr students getting checked out and have the check ride instructor freak out when they found out how many hours they had. Most all could have done it much much sooner.

I think if somebody solos at 10 and checkride at 40, they should be a pro pilot right? Or....... maybe their CFI evaluated one?

Soloed in 10 hours and took my check ride at 52.5. Never took formal ground school, but had sat right seat with my dad in our 172 for hundreds of hours. Took the "King" video tape course and scored 100% on my written-first try. I got my ticket when I was 18 and have loved every second of flying since then. Nothing beats it hands down. Following that, I sat front and later back seat in the Christen Eagle II my dad and I built. Flying is in my blood. Take your time, practice hard and do not let too much time elapse between flights or you spend time relearning previous concepts.

Mark

44 hours ticket on 17th birthday

As a CFI I can't recall anybody getting their ticket in 40 hours. Most of my students were in the 45-60 hour range. It depended on how often they took flying lessons.

Originally Posted by Matt Chapman

others that do it fast, and make the mistake by them selves for the first time... not always a good thing!

its downright scary how true this is. i soloed at ~11 hours and signed off at 45, certainly not a record but it definitely wasnt enough time to make some important mistakes. if your an hour a week Sunday flyer, thats one thing but if your flying a different plane every day or you fly for a living then your going to make a mistake hopefully its one that you are prepared for .

when i told my boss i was gonna be a pilot he said "so ya wanna starve huh" , he couldnt have been more right!

I got my private at a relatively high time around 80 hrs here at Riddle. But since the school has a specific curriculum designed by the FAA our minimums for the commercial tickets are not 250 hrs but somewhere around 130, so I now have commercial multi/single and instrument and have ~180hrs