what personal documents and endorsements are you required to have before you fly solo?

There'southward nothing quite like signing your first student off for a solo flight. If you're anything like I was, both you and the pupil are nervous.

The pupil'due south nervous most the flight. You're non worried virtually the student - he's set up to go. It's the myriad of endorsements that accept you concerned. You're a pilot and CFI, non a lawyer.

The process is confusing for anyone - from a primary instructor down to a beginning-fourth dimension CFI. Everything y'all need to know is described in FAR Part 61, likewise equally Air conditioning 61-65E (Alter one). They tin can be complex, and so I'll break information technology down and - hopefully - simplify it a flake.

You lot can grouping endorsements into 3 sections:

1. Basic solo privileges needed for any solo flight
2. Cross-state flights and flights to other airports
3. Weird Stuff: flights into Course B airspace and dark operations

In this mail service, we'll talk about the first item, basic solo endorsements. We'll comprehend the other items in the coming weeks.

Student Pilot Certificate vs Logbook

One of the most confusing parts of endorsements is figuring out where to put them - sometimes you detect them on the student airplane pilot document, and other times they're in the logbook. And sometimes, they're on both. Awesome.

You lot can think of the pupil airplane pilot certificate as a permanent endorsement tape. In fact, even though the educatee pilot document somewhen expires, the endorsements on information technology never expire. Don't believe me? Check AC 61-65E, paragraph 12 (b). Make sure your student keeps every pupil pilot document with endorsements - even if the certificate's expired. Otherwise, you'll need to re-issue those endorsements.

What happens if another instructor issued the endorsements on the student pilot certificate? That'due south not a problem - the FAA doesn't care which instructor gave the endorsement. You lot don't demand to re-endorse a student pilot certificate when you take over a new student, or when the educatee's certificate expires.

Basic Solo Privileges

Any solo flight, whether local or cross-country, requires 2 basic endorsements identified in FAR 61.87:

1. A make and model endorsement on the student pilot certificate, which never expires; and
2. A make and model endorsement in the logbook that's valid for 90 days.

And then your student'south set up for his first solo flight and doesn't have any endorsements. What exercise y'all need to practice?

Training Required For Solo Flight

Get-go, you'll need to provide training on the knowledge items in 61.87 (b). Then, you'll give the student a pre-solo written test and review all incorrect answers with the student.

Ac 61-65E provides an example endorsement for the pre-solo written test, but the FARs never mention the endorsement. Hither'southward the AC's example:

I certify that (Offset name, MI, Last name) has satisfactorily completed the presolo knowledge exam of FAR 61.87(b) for the (brand and model aircraft).
/s/ [appointment] J. J. Jones 987654321CFI Exp. 12-31-05

Is the pre-solo written exam endorsement required? No. You tin can log the pre-solo written exam as ground training in the logbook, but y'all should clearly record that you gave the test and reviewed all of the incorrect answers with your student. You lot tin can besides add together the endorsement to the logbook - it'due south up to y'all.

You lot'll also need to provide (and log) flight grooming on each of the maneuvers and procedures listed in FAR 61.87 in the same, or similar, make and model as the solo aircraft. Yous'll brand certain that the student demonstrates satisfactory proficiency and condom in each of the maneuvers.

Educatee Pilot Certificate Make And Model Endorsement

Once you lot've given and logged all of the required preparation in the pupil's logbook, you can endorse the educatee'due south pilot document.

On the pilot certificate, you'll record the date and brand and model, then sign and enter your CFI certificate number and expiration date. One time given, this endorsement is good forever.

Logbook Brand And Model Endorsement

Next, you'll endorse your pupil'south logbook. This endorsement should state three things:

1. That your educatee's received the pre-solo flight training required in the make and model (or a similar make and model),
2. That you've determined he or she has demonstrated the proficiency required by 61.87(d), and
3. That they're proficient to make solo flights in the make and model.

Here's an example from AC 61-65E:

I certify that (First name, MI, Last name) has received the required presolo training in a (brand and model aircraft). I have determined he/she has demonstrated the proficiency of FAR 61.87(d) and is proficient to make solo flights in (make and model aircraft).
4/25/xiv J. J. Jones 987654321CFI Exp. 12/31/05

This endorsement expires after 90 days, only you lot or another teacher can keep information technology current by calculation this next endorsement.

The Logbook 90-Twenty-four hours Endorsement

While the student's endorsement on their pilot document never expires, the original logbook make and model endorsement expires after 90 days. To solo someday after that date, you'll need to update the student'due south logbook with another brand and model endorsement. Retrieve of this as a student pilot version of ninety-mean solar day currency.

Earlier you lot give this endorsement, you lot'll need to give the student training on the maneuvers and procedures identified in FAR 61.87, and decide that they're proficient in both the maneuvers and procedures and in the make and model. If you've taken over the student from another teacher, make sure y'all've evaluated each these maneuvers and procedures at some point and time.

Before yous endorse the logbook, bank check the pupil's pilot certificate for the corresponding brand and model endorsement. Y'all can't issue the logbook 90-twenty-four hours endorsement until the student'southward pilot certificate has been endorsed for that make and model.

If you can't find it, you'll need to re-endorse the student pilot certificate. You'll need to verify that you've given all of the required ground and flight training required for the initial solo endorsement - including the pre-solo written test.

Once you've verified the student's pilot certificate endorsement, you tin can add this endorsement to their logbook:

I certify that (Get-go name, MI, Final name) has received the required grooming to qualify for solo flight. I have determined he/she meets the applicative requirements of FAR 61.87(p) and is skillful to make solo flights in (make and model).
4/25/14 J. Doe 987654321CFI EXP 12/31/14

Adding Teacher Limitations

The FAA addresses limitations indirectly in the cross-land endorsements section of AC 61-65E, but they don't cover them in the FARs. Then, should you add together limitations to the student'south logbook endorsement?

I recall information technology's a good idea. Kickoff, it may help limit some of your liability as an instructor - yous probably don't want your student taking the airplane up solo in 30kt gusting crosswinds. Recall, after your student's endorsed, they don't demand to ask your permission to fly.

I recommend calculation a full wind and crosswind limit to your endorsement. Not only does information technology define what you feel is condom, information technology prompts both yous and your educatee to think about their limitations. You could add together the limitations to a logbook endorsement similar this:

I certify that (Starting time proper name, MI, Last name) has received the required presolo training in a (brand and model shipping). I have determined he/she has demonstrated the proficiency of FAR 61.87(d) and is skilful to brand solo flights in (brand and model aircraft).
Limitations: 25kts total current of air, 10kts crosswind
four/25/fourteen J. J. Jones 987654321CFI Exp. 12/31/05

If you need to increase the limits later, y'all'll need to re-endorse your pupil's logbook.

The Edifice Blocks

These endorsements are the offset solo endorsements your student will receive - and they're needed for every solo flying, even cross-countries.

Bank check dorsum next week - we'll cover endorsements for solo flights to another airport and solo cross-country flights.

brynerweent1960.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/cfis/basic-solo-endorsements/

Share this post