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I have had some people ask why they cut Cody's shirt after his first solo. For those that dont know about this tradition, I thought it would be fun to post the explanation!
The tradition of cutting the back of a student pilot's shirt after their first solo flight is an aviation tradition that originated in early American aviation. In the days of tandem training, the student sat in front and the instructor sat behind them, with no radio communication between the two. The instructor would tug on the student's shirttail to get their attention and provide directions. When a student demonstrates their ability to operate an aircraft solo, the instructor cuts off the shirttail to symbolize that they no longer need the instructor's hands-on assistance.
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The student and instructor often decorate the removed shirttail with information such as: Tail number Student/pilot signatures Airport code Runway number of the landing Date and time Wind and weather
Never knew that. Mine was hanging in the aero club at Tinker AFB back in ‘67.
We are so excited to announce that we will soon have a You Tube Channel thanks to one of our dedicated members! Please click the link and subscribe. The page will be up and running soon! Thank you so much for your support!
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Future pilot Kaleb was so excited about visiting us today I could hardly keep up! Looking forward to seeing where this young aviation enthusiast goes! The sky's the limit Kaleb!
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Thank you so very much for a great tour! We had so much fun today and your hospitality was nothing short from amazing. You'll see us again! 🤗