Unless you’re able to devote a lot of time to flying and studying, you will probably fall into the average time range of 60-70 hours to get your pilot license. If your average is higher than that and your instructor is not signing you off for your checkride then there is a reason. These reasons usually fall back to the basics.

One example would be holding altitude. There are many students out there that still can’t hold their altitude without losing or gaining more 100′ after over 40 hours of flying time. Instructors will remind them over and over about holding altitude but the students will continue to let it exceed allowed limits.

Not maintaining limits in airspeed, heading or bank is also a problem. Can you hold airspeed during a climb? Do you lose airspeed when you descend? Do you still struggle with radio communication or entering the pattern at unfamiliar airports? Lack of knowledge in areas that you should know without looking up, such as; Airspace, Emergencies, Basic Problem solving or Weather are problem areas too. You need to study these to the point of knowing it all without help. You need to know the limits in the practical test standards so when you fly, you practice holding those limits.

How many times do you have to be reminded to use right rudder or use your checklist before it finally sticks? Many of these things can only be fixed by you. If you have a problem losing altitude every time you get onto the 45° entry or on downwind and you know it, then do something about it. Make it a priority to control your altitude! When you’re out soloing, then pay extra attention to your altitude if you know it’s a problem. Make every flight count. If you’re off by only 20′, then correct it right away because if you don’t, then chances are pretty high that you’ll be twice as far off the next time you look at it. Before you know it, you will be off more than 100′.

Many people lose altitude on downwind when they slow down to land. When they take power out to slow down, they lose altitude because they don’t do anything to compensate for it. Think back to your slow flight maneuvers and how you stopped losing altitude as you slowed down. Any power reduction will need additional lift to hold altitude and your pitch must be increased. When you put in flaps, you get lift. Lift makes you go up. If you know this much, then anticipate that you will go up when you are putting in flaps to land and push forward slightly to prevent the plane from going up when putting them in. Don’t let it balloon up 50′ and then correct for it.

Some people end up high or fast on final because they powered back to descend too late. If you know you are supposed to power back at a certain point and you don’t, you will be behind the plane. Do you know where to power back? If you do, then why aren’t you doing it? This is another thing that only you can fix. Remember when to do it, and then do it. If you are busy and miss the point you should have powered back, then compensate for it. Power back more than you usually do until the plane is back where it should be.

At some point you have to say to yourself, I AM THE PILOT! I am going to do this without anyone reminding me of what to do. I know what to do because I’ve done it 100 times before. I’ve heard my instructor a million times saying the same thing and there’s no reason I can’t remember it by now.

When I was learning, my big thing was holding altitude. I got so frustrated that I was repeating the same mistake that I finally made it my number one priority and goal for that flight to hold it within limits and figure out exactly what I needed to do to make sure it was never a problem again. I nailed it on that lesson, figured out exactly how to correct, and where to position my nose in relation to the horizon to fix the problem. I corrected when it was only 10′ off instead of being happy leaving it where it was.

It all comes down to making your weak areas a priority and studying, asking questions to clarify and fixing it once and for all. Flying is a lot of hard work and many drop out when they get frustrated. Don’t give up. Pay attention to your weak areas and do everything in your power to fix them right away so you don’t waste money and time. The sooner you fix the problem, the easier it will be.