Gone solo? Now what?

There are some things that you can only do once in your life. Two things immediately spring to mind and one of them is doing your first solo flight. This gives you a tremendous feeling, as does the other thing as I remember, but after the euphoria has subsided and you’ve done it more than a few times, what’s next?

In the old days, after doing your A and B certificates there was a need to do a solo soaring flight of over 15 minutes to qualify for your C certificate. This entitled you to wear a very nice badge with the coveted 3 gulls symbol which features on most soaring achievement badges. After that came the Bronze C and for that you needed to do two flights of over 30 minutes, a written multiple choice test and a flight with a suitably qualified instructor, usually the CFI. It’s a bit different now. No more C certificate; which is a crying shame because that badge is one of the finest understated soaring achievement badges and the only example I’ve ever seen belongs to a friend of mine, and he’s not selling.

Nowadays to qualify for what’s now called The Bronze Endorsement you need to do a little bit more than in the old days but don’t worry, it’s achievable with a little bit of effort. The following has been borrowed from the Devon and Somerset Gliding Club website. I hope they don’t mind.

The Bronze Endorsement is the first step after soloing.  At this stage you will probably be keen to build your solo flying hours but it is only by flying with an instructor that you will be able to make progress towards your Bronze Endorsement. Bronze training takes you to the point where your flying is much more second-nature enabling you to fly around accurately while most of your concentration is focused on where you are going and how you can get there. It also covers a lengthy list of capabilities such as extensive stall and spin recovery and landing in confined spaces, perhaps off the airfield, which you may need some day.

To qualify for the Bronze Endorsement, you need to have completed 50 solo flights, at least 3 check flights with an instructor who will exercise your flying skills fully. A good theoretical knowledge is also required as you also need to pass a written multiple-choice examination with 10 papers. Air Law and Air Traffic, Human performance, Meteorology, Communications, Principles of flight,  Operational Procedures, Flight Performance and Planning, Airmanship,  Aircraft General Knowledge, and Navigation.

Completion of this Endorsement is a sign that you have really arrived as a solo glider pilot. The minimum age for Bronze Endorsement is 14years.

Crikey, that’s a lot to get your head around. Yes it is, but you’re not expected to know everything immediately. My advice is fly solo as often as you can and don’t worry when your instructor asks you to take a check flight, he or she is only making sure you can cope with the day’s conditions. All time in the air is good experience and flying with an instructor should always be treated as a learning opportunity. You have a target: 50 solo flights. When you can’t fly, that’s the time to do a bit of reading and revision, stare at those airmaps and see if you can make sense of all those lines, symbols and numbers. Take your maps to the club and ask instructors or experienced X-country pilots to explain about items you’re not sure about. Getting the Bronze C is a way forward to the X-country endorsement and then it’s X-country flying in pursuit of Silver C. Then there’s Gold C, then 3 diamonds but let’s not run before we can walk.

So if you’re feeling that your flying has stagnated a bit after going solo, don’t worry, it’s a common phenomenon and you’re not alone. Talk to others at the same flying level and see how they’re coping. A bit of friendly competition is healthy; who’s going to achieve those 50 solo flights first? Get hold of mock Bronze papers and see how much you already know. You’ll be surprised. Keep staring at your maps, they will make sense. Try and spot land when it’s safe to do so. And if you’re not sure about anything, ask. Before you know it you’ll be taking those Bronze C exams and thinking to yourself that you said you’d never, ever, ever, put yourself through this again after your ‘O’-levels. Good luck.