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3 Answers

Why won’t my instructor re-endorse my 90 day solo

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Student Pilot

My 90 day solo has recently ran out and I haven't flown for about two weeks sense. My cfi refused to re-endorse me but promised that after a "quick" flight in the pattern, he would. well after a 2 hour flight in the pattern Im still left without an endorsement. I am a HS student and my flight school is quite a drive away especially during the school week. pre-solo I was playing the same game with him resulting in 13 hours in the pattern and I'm certainly not waisting 13 more hours.

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3 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Jan 29, 2016

    There’s no way for any of us to tell without seeing what was actually going on.

    For whatever reason, unless he is jerking your chain (possible but unlikely), after your two weeks off he sees enough rust that he no longer feels you are safe to solo. Two weeks away from flying is a long time in the training life of a recently-soloed student pilot.

    That’s a judgment each and every instructor makes and some of us are more conservative than others.

    What did he =say= was the reason? You are certainly entitled to some specificity in terms of the tasks that he sees being done in a way that concerns him.

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  2. Bradley Donaldson on Jan 31, 2016

    This sounds like a conversation that you have to have with your CFI. You are paying them and you are expected to be the Pilot In Command! Be direct and ask why you are not endorsed. It is the CFIs responsibility to ensure your safety and compliance. They are the expert to assess your abilities. You don’t have enough experience to make this judgment. Listen to them, learn from them, take their assessment personally. The Internet will never be able to answer this question.

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  3. Christopher Ian on Aug 05, 2017

    The telltale is 13 hours in the pattern. 13 hours is close to 130 landings, but at least 80 or 90. Why?
    I could write the book on how not to doyour flight training.
    Have you heard the term, “time builder”?
    CFIs who are trying to build time to get to their next job.
    After my first school closed very close to soloing, “I want to see you do three very good landings in a row.” This was in a tail wheel ac, more difficult.
    I wasted 12 hours in a C172 w Kathleen who was building time to get into Jets.
    15 maneuvers required to solo, most of which are done just flying the pattern. We had not complete half of them jn 12 hours, plus I took a break forvseveral weeks and she said we had to do it all again. She was having trouble paying her rent at her sister and husbands home too. I eventually quit her, did an evaluation flight at the next airport, learned more in that hour and a half and eventually went to gliders after doing the odd kesson here and there w several CFIs.
    Agreed, your instructor takes responsibility for safety, your proficiency, and has no obligation to sign you for additional solo.
    He does have an obligation to explain precisely what is required for proficiency, a new solo endorsement, and continued flying.
    If any of that is not clear and sensible, switch instructors, go to another flight school.
    One of the two flight schools at my airport, my pilot mentor had over 100 hours and not soloed. Similar w many others, nothing but a scam.
    Every student should have records and any CFI should be able to pick up and continue w that student seamlessly.
    Two weeks off is not a long time. Sufficient to fly an hour, demonstrate most of the solo maneuvers, steep banks, stalls, 4 or 5 landings, slow flight and sign you off.
    If you have been flying solo for 90 days, assuming around once a week, solo, you should be proficient.
    In single engine, i was signed off to solo fir one day. Three take iffs, full stop.
    Then 4 or 5 more hours w her before signing me off for either 30 days or 90, not sure.
    She was way to cautious, would not endorse me flying to other airports without a lot more time. Regs require instruction to and from other aiports, but does not say we must fly the entire route, so we could leave toward an airport, fly to another, return part way, divert again. Most CFIs know flying to and from other airpirts is a huge plus in training. So, all I could do was fly the 25 mile radiys circle around my airport at will, but nit land anywhere else.
    Talk to your instructor.
    Starting up w a new CFI, does not require 10-12 hours of flying.
    You can demonstrtate all 15 required maneuvers for solo easily in 1 1/2 hours.

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