MobiusOne

I was put into a bit of an awkward situation today and I wanted to ask the community about this. I was at my flight school today and I had a gentleman show up with his kid. He was a good friend of mine that had waited a few months for me to complete my training and get on with a field. Today is the big day, he shows up with his kid (12) and he's going to buy him a few hours and wants me to be the instructor. I show him the aircraft, and he leaves and tells me he'll be back with his kid.

So I get set to leave, they return with his flight bag and I'm getting ready to leave when I check with manifest. It was then, and only then, that I found out that they wanted any participants to be 18 and waivered, and that includes flight instructing. They run other operation out the airfield and they have a small plane that they want to do flight instructing with. So I was put in the spot of having to tell the dad that his kid couldn't fly because he wasn't 18 and they wouldn't do legal guardian consent either.

Has anybody ever encountered this before? I started flying when I was 14 and this kid was 12. I was just crushed because I really wanted to get this kid some time and then they just threw this 18 year old age limit on me at the last second it seems like.

Pilotpip

We'd have kids do that all the time. Kind of annoying. At that age they'd have intrest in it for about 5 minutes, then go to staring out the window. Fun for me because I actually got to fly.

I'd usually suggest to parents buy an intro flight, get them addicted and come back when they're old enough to get a student pilot certificate and solo. Chances are they'll lose intrest before they get to that point if they're 12.

Why 18? Isn't it 16 for solo and 17 for private?

MobiusOne

The only reason I can think of the 18+ waiver is because they run other operations out of there such as aerial tours, ride alongs and they drop off some sky divers. Any participant needs to be 18 and sign a waiver.

However, I do not see why they would have the same limit on flight instruction. That's why I'm wondering and If anybody can give insight into this.

CFIcare

That's kinda odd.

I had more than one "student" that was 12 years old. He actually flew once a week, knew he couldn't solo until 16 but didn't mind that. His dad bought him the books and didn't pressure him. The kid did a great job and as far as I know he did solo at 16.

Unless there is something in the flight school's insurance policy that states no one under a certain age can take lessons with or without parental consent...then I don't know what the deal is. I never heard of an age limit.

I'd be more apt to worry about the 83 year old who is wanting a BFR than the 12 year old wanting a lesson...

ryan1234

Maybe he can do some Young Eagles or Civil Air Patrol stuff.... cultivate a little more somewhere else

FlynPoPo

Speaking of 84 year old-I have a Japanese man who wants to get his PPL and everytime we fly he falls asleep in the plane. I have pictures of this because people thought I was exagerating. Incredilble...

choxy

post one of the pics if you can. thats always funny to see