Is it rare for a ppl student to solo with ten hours or less?

[jschnurr]

What is the training aircraft you use Greg?

[AuxBatOn]

Back in my days, we flew the Slingsby Firefly (and we flew more solo flights). I think they use the Grob 120 now.

[flyingreg38]

Like AuxBatOn said, the Grob120A is used for Phase1 (basic flying training) nowdays.
A nice little airplane despite being a bit heavy for aerobatics...

Greg

[AirFrame]

Does anyone know a pilot under 60 years old that soloed with 10 hours or less?

I can think of two in addition to myself. For the two i'm thinking of, their first flight in a small aircraft was either their first lesson or a fam-flight before their first lesson. I grew up spending my weekends at the airport with my parents, so I had flown in a few dozen types of planes before I started my license. Most of the first 10 hours was spent teaching me things I never had to think about before, like talking to the tower.

Depending on how they fly, some civilian students do aerobatics pre solo as well

Um... I know I did. I did them post-solo as well, but not without my instructor. I had to promise I wouldn't do any solo aerobatics before they would let me rent the Aerobat... And I liked the Aerobat more than the regular 152 that the school had... It was lighter and I found it more comfortable.

[beaverbob]

It was 1969 when I learned to fly on the RCAC scholarship at the Victoria Flying Club and according to the scholarship rules you washed out if not soloed by 12 hours. We did leave the circuit during the pre first solo hours, but not nearly as much as now.
Bob

[lazyeight]

It also depends on what you've done for those 10 hours. I personally did a lot of practice area and didn't touch circuits until about 5-6 hours. It was just they way the school did it. Had I just gone up and done circuits for 10 hours, sure I'd probably would have solo'd sooner. I solo'd around 14-15 hours.