One of the most rewarding things as a CFI…

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Professional_Read413@reddit

I'm glad people are still doing this. My CFI said most of his students didn't care. I wanted the shirt cut for sure. Flying a plane by yourself is a huge accomplishment. There are very few people that get to experience that

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

For this solo event, the young lady had many family members at the airport to witness the event. Before applying scissors to shirt, I took the opportunity to explain the tradition and exclaim how proud of her I was (and I am.... she started off as the timid student and is becoming a force to be reckoned with). In my years as a CFI, I've figured out that when a student is happy and enthusiastic to fly, the learning happens rapidly and well. Me making a positive fuss over the student is one way to ramp up that happiness to 11.

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Apprehensive_Job4960@reddit

You wouldn’t happen to work at USAA at DTO would you?

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

No. I am an independent CFI. I live in Denton. Got my private pilot at USAA 1.5 decades ago in the Diamond 20 they had. Clients hire me direct. If you're needing something, please reach out.

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DE_FUELL@reddit

I've always wondered about what goes into being an independent CFI. I'm about to start my CFI journey, and see many instructors at school burning themselves out for little pay while the school gets a cut. Thank you for carrying on the shirt tradition! My grouchy old FI never did that kind of stuff. First solo was in 2006, still remember every second!

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

I’ll be hosting a CFI Ground clinic starting at end of month. Cover all that’s needed to do well on the oral exam and beyond. This will be via Zoom. If you’re interested in participating, share your real name and email. I’ll provide details when I get my prep done.

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Apprehensive_Job4960@reddit

I don’t need anything, was rather curious.

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PutOptions@reddit

Just before starting up for my solo, my CFI asks for my Log Book, takes out her phone and takes a picture of the endorsement page. "There. Just in case the log book is destroyed in the post-crash fire, we will have proof that you were legal. Three to a full stop, and don't fuck this up." She will always be my favorite instructor. Beat me like a rented mule.

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kmac6821@reddit

But what happened to the rest of the runway?!?!?

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

Short Field Landing.....

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ThomasShults@reddit

Looks like we might be a little high too, better go around.

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PropOnTop@reddit

It's beyond the hill. As is the weather sock.

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balsadust@reddit

Soloing students was my least favorite part. I was so happy when they were back on the ground.

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homeinthesky@reddit

My first student solo… man I’ve never been more panicked in my life. His first landing, 50ft above threshold, his wing dipped, and his nose pitched up, then down quite dramatically….. by the time I was yelling (to myself out of panic) “GO AROUND” his power was already up and he was climbing. That should have given be relief, that he made the right call at the right time and executed perfectly…. His next three approaches and landings were all, perfect. But god damn I was about having a mental breakdown.

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middleageslut@reddit

I think my instructor felt differently.

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imlikleymistaken@reddit

From an art standpoint, all the runway markings should be in perspective to the same vanishing point of the runway. I'm afraid of this was a final in middle school art you would have busted.

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

You gotta remember where I went to school. When I was there, word processing on a computer was becoming a thing. My sophomore history paper was one of the first things I created using Word Perfect on a PC. The learning curve about the program was steep. So steep, eventually I couldn't see the screen anymore because of all the whiteout I used.

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Miserable_Fig2425@reddit

Hard to not remember where you went to school TxAggieMike

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Murphysburger@reddit

Word Perfect 5.1 was such an excellent program.

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key_lime_vulture@reddit

This is awesome! I just did my first solo about a week and a half ago and got my shirttail cut and decorated too. Totally awesome experience. Glad people are still doing it!

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CharAznableLoNZ@reddit

Wasn't aware this was a thing people did. All my CFI's were pretty chill so they just said, "good job bro, when do you want to fly next?"

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

The tradition of cutting a student pilot’s shirt tail after their first solo flight is a rite of passage that marks their transition from dependence to independence: **Origin** – The tradition originated in early American aviation when instructors sat behind students in open-cockpit tandem aircraft, and there was no reliable method of communication other than pulling on the student’s shirttail. **Meaning** – Once the student demonstrates their ability to operate an aircraft solo, the instructor cuts off the shirt tail to show that the student no longer needs it. **Celebration** – The tradition is a celebration of the student’s accomplishment and entry into the fraternity of aviators. It’s common for the instructor and student to decorate the removed shirt tail with information about the flight

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DirtyEtzio@reddit

Interesting! I'd never heard/gone as far as to look up the origin. I'd always theorized the idea was on their first solo, the student would sweat through the back of their shirt, and you were commemorating the moment by saving that sweat-through shirt back for posterity (even as that's a little gross).

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TheOvercookedFlyer@reddit

One of the most rewarding things about being a flight instructor is that I get to talk about aviation like a porch-sitting geezer non-stop. It's something I never get tired from. 😁

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dumponeandhalfbackin@reddit

I feel like the recognition of these milestones is getting more rare by the day. Bravo to the CFIs that keep these traditions alive. Good job to you and your student, Mike.

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cmmurf@reddit

This tradition is alive and well at Franklin Co. Vermont (KFSO). Whereas ~35 years ago in Wichita KS, only my dad was asking about shirt tails. It never came up at the airport, by anybody, including my flight instructor. Little ironic huh? Air capital of the world? For all I know they did it everywhere except where I learned to fly - Colonel James Jabara (KAAO, formerly 3KM)

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phoenixatknight@reddit

We did not cut off my shirt tail when I soloed a couple years ago. It was mentioned as a thing early in my training but never brought up again

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JCBird1012@reddit

Yup same here - my CFI was an older guy who literally old me when I asked “I don’t do that kitchy bullsh*t here - your shirt is safe” - and I left it at that.

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jebarber@reddit

My shirt tail was cut out in 1994. Today it is in my flight bag.

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Good-Cardiologist121@reddit

I really hope your students show you the same love when they pass the checkride. I'm a welder by trade and have a CNC plasma cutter. My cfi got a metal sign with the logo of his alma mater.

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

Super cool!

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MangoKommando@reddit

The runway tapering with distance and the aim point bars not doing so is really some sociopathic art.

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TxAggieMike@reddit (OP)

I'm lucky I got the lines straight.

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Apprehensive_Job4960@reddit

I’m a student. I have my runway drawing!l from first solo! I finish stage 2 private in a week

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fatmanyolo@reddit

They got my chicken scratch and the date. Take it or leave it /s

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Commercial_Moose872@reddit

That approach seems a little high. I would think about going around.

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74_Jeep_Cherokee@reddit

Nah just prepping them for their future Southwest job doing the Texas 250 to the marker

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Magnoosen@reddit

Whoop! 👍

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity: --- …is when I get to exercise my art skills on a shirt tail. It is a wonderful celebration of a big milestone for a student and an I am always proud I had a hand in making it happen. --- Please downvote this comment until it collapses. --- I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. If you have any questions, please [contact the mods of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/flying).

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