E186 - Are you ready for your SOLO?

E186 - Are you ready for your SOLO?

From Behind the Prop by Bobby Doss, Wally Mulhearn

January 26, 2026 · 32 min · Episode 192

About this episode

This episode discusses what makes a student ready to solo, emphasizing judgment, consistency, and safety in flying.

This episode of Behind the Prop dives into what truly makes a student ready to solo, focusing on judgment, consistency, and safety. Bobby Doss and Wally Mulhern explain why knowing when to cancel a solo flight is just as important as knowing how to fly it. They discuss the role of firm personal minimums, thorough preflight inspections, and performance awareness in preventing avoidable mistakes. The conversation also highlights traffic awareness, clear communication, and calm emergency handling in busy training environments. This episode challenges instructors and students alike to move beyond checklists and build real decision-making skills for safe solo flying.

People in this episode

Hosts: Bobby Doss, Wally Mulhern

Topics covered

  • student readiness
  • solo flight
  • judgment
  • safety
  • decision-making
  • preflight inspections

Keywords

  • solo flight
  • student pilot
  • safety
  • decision-making
  • preflight inspections
  • traffic awareness
  • emergency handling

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