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New Student Pilot Certificate Rules Prevent Solos on 16th Birthday

Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 08:05 PM ET

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Flying the first solo flight on a pilot's 16th birthday is a time-honored tradition. Drew Gryder

Key Takeaways:

New FAA requirements, effective April 1, will prevent aspiring pilots from soloing on their 16th birthday, ending a long-standing aviation tradition.
This change is due to a new student pilot certificate process that requires applicants to be 16 and involves processing time for a physical certificate, including a TSA background check.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is asking the FAA to allow applications up to 30 days before a student's 16th birthday to ensure certificates are ready on time, although unknown TSA background check durations pose a challenge.

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It’s a time-honored aviation tradition that suddenly appears on the brink of elimination.