Respect the Limitations of the Solo

Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 07:32 AM ET

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You have just been entrusted with an airplane—that's an awesome privilege that you worked hard to get. [File photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

A flight instructor (CFI) bears significant accountability for student pilots on solo flights, necessitating clear communication and strict adherence to solo endorsement limitations.
Solo endorsements specify limitations (e.g., weather, aircraft type, flight school rules) that students are responsible for following, demonstrating their trustworthiness and adherence to instructions.
CFIs possess the authority to void a student's solo endorsement if limitations are violated or dangerous behavior and hazardous attitudes are displayed, ensuring safety and protecting the instructor's liability.

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Federal aviation regulation (FAR) 91.3 states: “The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to the operation of that aircraft.”

It seems pretty straight forward—unless the PIC is a student pilot on a solo flight, and they are flying on the endorsement of their flight instructor. If the student PIC makes a bad decision that results in an FAR violation, or an incident or accident, you better believe their CFI is going to hear about it.