Are Student Pilots Prohibited From Doing Stalls on Solo Flights?

It’s really a matter of checking on whether your CFI will allow them.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A student pilot being guided through flight by an instructor. [Credit: Unsplash]

Key Takeaways:

Restrictions on student pilots performing stalls or ground reference maneuvers solo are not due to the Part 141 modernization initiative.
Student pilots are allowed by the FAA to conduct these maneuvers solo if they have received the required training and hold the appropriate endorsement under 14 CFR § 61.87.
However, flight schools and individual instructors can establish additional solo limitations beyond FAA minimums based on curriculum, safety, or their assessment of student proficiency.
These specific solo limitations, such as weather or crosswind restrictions, are determined by the instructor and documented in the student's logbook endorsement.

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Question: I am a student pilot who just soloed. My CFI told me I could practice everything we’d done together except for stalls and ground reference maneuvers. Is this because the FAA doesn’t allow student pilots to do them solo as part of the Part 141 modernization initiative?

Answer: According to the FAA, “this is not related to the Part 141 modernization initiative. Students can conduct stalls and ground reference maneuvers during solo flight if they have received the required training and hold the appropriate endorsement from an authorized instructor under 14 CFR § 61.87.”