Zach Halbert After His First Solo
Student Zach Halbert, with Certified Flight Instructor, John Rinaldi, just after his First Solo, which he completed in only 10 hours!
There are several traditions, a kind of ‘rite of passage,’ that have developed in the United States around "soloing,’ including drenching the student with water and cutting off and permanently displaying the back of their shirt.
In American aviation lore, the traditional removal of a new pilot's shirt tail is a sign of the instructor's new confidence in their student after the successful completion of the first solo flight. In the days of tandem trainers, the student sat in the front seat, with the instructor behind. As there were often no radios in these early days of aviation, the instructor would tug on the student pilot's shirttail to get their attention, and then yell in their ear. A successful first solo flight is an indication that the student can fly without the instructor ("instructor-less" flight). Hence, there is no longer a need for the shirt tail, and it is cut off by the (often) proud instructor, and sometimes displayed as a trophy. (cite Wikipedia)
For Safety in Motion, the shirt tail is clipped after the 1st solo flight and displayed at the flight school after being decorated with the student’s name, airplane soloed in, date of solo, and sometimes a goofy reference to some challenge they had getting to that point. Once they have passed the practical exam and earned their Private Pilot Certificate, they get to take their shirt tail home with them to be displayed in a place of eternal honor.
Every flight instructor re-lives their 1st solo every time they solo one of their students. Taking off in an aircraft by yourself for the first time is a moment in your life you will NEVER FORGET! Be sure to see all our pilots on our Student Achievement Wall of Fame.
