Local Area Solo(s)

Objectives

• Practice leaving the pattern, navigating to the practice area, and returning

• Exercise skills in pattern exit and re-entry

• Practice maneuvers as directed by the instructor while in the practice area

• Practice flight to other non-X/C local airports

Session Details

This session gives the student the opportunity to exit the pattern and fly away from the airport solo. This session has multiple goals, one of which is to build confidence in the student’s overall abilities. Additionally, the instructor may request that a student practice specific maneuvers in the practice area.

Before leaving the pattern the student should be familiar with the following

• The boundaries of the practice area (shown here)

• How to identify major landmarks in the practice area

• How to find KTTA by dead reckoning

• How to contact ATC for assistance if disoriented

• How to use the Direct-To on the GPS if lost

These solos will be performed with the instructor available, and with a debrief at the end of the flight.

In addition to flights in the practice area, the student will perform solo flights to other local (i.e. closer than the minimum X/C distance) airports. Any airport used for this task will have been visited as a dual instruction flight first. The student will require explicit endorsements for these flights.

Resources/References

Lesson Plans

These are individual lesson plans, keyed to the ACS, which discuss the topics included in this flight lesson. Each of the references below will have further references to additional FAA documents which address the individual topics in depth.

• 6.A : Radio Communications and ATC Light Signals

• 6.B : Traffic Patterns

• 2.C : Visual Scanning and Collision Avoidance