solo flight
Pilot's independent milestone
A solo flight is when a pilot flies an aircraft alone, without an instructor or other crew aboard.
In aviation training, the first solo flight marks a milestone—the student has demonstrated enough skill to take off, navigate, and land independently.
The term extends figuratively to any undertaking done without guidance or assistance: After years of collaboration, she was ready for a solo flight.
- pilotOne who steers aircraft
- aviatorOne who pilots aircraft
- test pilotAviator who evaluates new aircraft
- cockpitPilot's control compartment
- open cockpitUnenclosed aircraft control area
wings · altitude · airborne · maiden · first · independent · alone · sky · courage · freedom · aircraft · takeoff · landing · license · log book · hours logged · cross country · propeller
- flightsdeparture, arrival, boarding, nonstop, one-way trip
- 1920s AmericaCharles Lindbergh, Jazz Age, Spirit of St. Louis, flappers, Prohibition
- flight trainingstudent pilot, ground school, checkride, simulator, aviation school
- aviation trainingpilot training, ground school, private pilot, commercial pilot, pilot license
- flight eventstakeoff, landing, liftoff, launch, descent
- recreational flyinggliding, hang gliding, paragliding, skydiving, ballooning