How many landings before solo?

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vegabond1

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Vegabond
Everyone talks of how many hours till they solo. How many T/O's
and landings do folks have before they solo? I'm at 67 and will be soloing next week. I had a bit of a setback and didn't get up for 1 1/2 months, but am excited for next tuesday!
 
Ehh, well once you start working on takeoffs and landings, I’d average like one touch and go per 0.1hrs, average flight was like 1-1.5 at a quiet airport where taxi to takeoff was however long a run up takes you, plus the intro airwork before you just focus on pattern works, so off the cuff I’d say like 60
 
I dunno. It was 25 years ago and I didn’t keep track at the time. No way to answer that one. I guess it was enough since I didn’t crash. You an accountant?
 
From my experience it is how proficient you are. If you are expecting to solo next week you should be fine. There is no FAA regulation mandating T/O's and Ldngs, all up to your cfi.
 
As many as it takes for 1) you to be comfortable with TO and 2) for your CFI to be confident about your ability.
 
For me it was 36, including 6 the day I solo'ed. I remember when I was training thinking "I'm ready to land this on my own"... then going thru some not-so-good landings for a while... :)
 
For me? 53. (The wonders of MyFlightBook!) (And apparently 183 by the time I passed my checkride.)
 
The only landing that counts is the next one. I wouldn't worry about the past ones or bother counting them but do learn from them. Think about getting the next one down perfect whether it's solo or dual. It'll be solo when your instructor thinks you're ready and the conditions are right.
 
I was over 100. Getting the roundout/landing attitude was tricky for me. Once it clicked, no problem.
 
I never counted. I also never count for my students. Once we meet requirements in part 61 and they hit 10 in a row where I don't have to take my hands off my lap, they get a sign off.
 
I just looked at my log book and I had 59 landings before I soloed. I assume I had 59 take off's too but I didn't record those.
 
According to my log book 26 not counting the 3 solo landings at 9.6 hours. January 5th 1990.

<---- The plane is in my Avatar.
 
Congratulations! I can imagine how excited you are to solo on Tuesday, especially with a month and a half of setbacks. It happens and I would not be so concerned about the number of hours prior etc. It's more important that you feel comfortable and confident to fly the plane. If I recall correctly, I had over 20 hours before I soloed. Took my time with "life" between flying lessons. Best of luck to you and fly safe!
 
Then of course there was my dad. He didn't have that many take offs and landings when he solo'd, but since he had his own plane, once I signed him off he racked up around a hundred in the first week or so after that. By the time he got to private check ride, he had more t/o and landings that I did, and I had 500 some odd hours and 3 additional ratings!

I came back to do another lesson with him after solo, and he filled 2 more pages of his logbook with nothing but t/o and landing practice.
 
118

I actually track all my landings in MyFlightbook
 
The total number of landings isn't nearly as important as that it equal the number of takeoffs.
 
Half Fast said:
The total number of landings isn't nearly as important as that it equal the number of takeoffs.
Click to expand...

What if your instructor does some landings for you? Which probably happens early on with a lot of people.
 
EdFred said:
What if your instructor does some landings for you? Which probably happens early on with a lot of people.
Click to expand...

Fred, the next time you renew your medical, have the AME check your humor gland. I sense you might need an SI there.....



;)
 
Jokes are supposed to be funny. When they've been repeated 43,287.3 times, they sort of cease to be.
 
Its been so long I can't remember my number. It would probably be in the hundreds if you counted each bounce as its own landing though. :oops:
 
@vegabond1 the number of landings is not as important as being ready to go. I would caution getting too excited for next Tuesday, aviation has a way of disappointing you if you try to put it on a timeline. You may have a not as good day or the conditions may not be right. Hopefully you get to solo, but don't be too bummed if it doesn't happen, it will come. I'm waiting on an opportunity for an IR checkride, been cancelled once due to weather and next appointment not looking too promising, it always seems like that, just be patient, it will happen and you will be amazed at how quickly you get to pattern altitude without the instructor next to you.
 
As a student I don't know how many landings I attempted, or how many landings I did where the plane could be used again before I solo'ed.

As an instructor I liked to see a steady pattern of landings where I did not have to help out a little before I soloed a student. I pushed most of my guys and girls into soloing before they thought they were ready. Real confidence boost.

I never gave them a clue when it would be time to solo, but most knew it was close to the first time.
 
Most of my first time glider pilots average about 30 before they are cut lose for solo.
 
I’m definitely not concerned with number of landings or how many hours, I was just curious! I really am in no rush. If I fly with my instructor it’s just another $50/ hr... After I get my ppl it’s still $160 to rent the plane just to enjoy some flight time. So to me the certificate, while making it a little cheaper, is not the end all. If I don’t solo for another week, or a month, I don’t really care. It’s just fun to be up in the sky!
 
Just 12 according to my logs, which seems pretty wild and I wonder how I didn't bend anything and/or kill myself. *Edit* sorry, it's probably 12 and not 10, since 3 landings on the day of the solo probably meant 2 with the CFI prior.
 
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Congrats on your upcoming solo! I just did mine today. I haven't been keeping running totals in my head of hours or landings, but out of curiosity, I just now ran the numbers, and prior to today, I was at 45 hours and 105 total landings.
 
G-force said:
I was over 100. Getting the roundout/landing attitude was tricky for me. Once it clicked, no problem.
Click to expand...

I really needed to see this thread today. I was getting pretty discouraged because I am struggling with landings. But I only have 17 so far. It's surprising how nothing else I've done in my life translates to learning to land an airplane. I've just got to be patient...
 
Total landings before ready for solo? I'd say 50-60 would be a rough average. But just like hours, don't set a goal for when you should solo. Learn, master, then take the solo when the time arrives.
 
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