← Back to Aviation Glossary
Solo Flight
A flight in which the student pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft. Before the first solo, the student must receive endorsements from their flight instructor certifying competence in the specific aircraft type and at the specific airport.
Related Terms
- Special Use Airspace (SUA)Airspace of defined dimensions where activities must be confined or where limitations are imposed on aircraft not participating in those activities. Types include prohibited, restricted, warning, military operations (MOA), alert, and controlled firing areas; status is often verified via NOTAMs and charts.
- StallAn aerodynamic condition where the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack and can no longer produce sufficient lift to sustain flight. A stall can occur at any airspeed, in any attitude, and at any power setting — it is always caused by exceeding the critical angle of attack.
- Standard BriefingA complete Flight Service weather briefing requested within about six hours of departure when the pilot has not already received a full briefing. It is the detailed package used to evaluate route weather, hazards, winds, and operational information before a go/no-go decision.
- Steep TurnsA private-pilot training and ACS maneuver in which the airplane is banked at approximately 45 degrees (or as specified in the ACS) while maintaining altitude and airspeed through coordinated use of pitch, bank, and power. Steep turns build division of attention and load-factor awareness.