Milestones in our lives, such as weddings, graduations, religious ceremonies, and significant birthdays usually involve a celebration. But I’d say nearly every pilot looks at their first solo flight as a major rite of passage they never forget. It marks the first time a person realizes they’re truly responsible for their own life.
Brush it off or not. It demands a sense of pride.

![Pilots Cherish Many Rites of Passage The author (far right) has cut off a few shirttails and plopped a few pies in the faces of first-solo pilots. [Credit: Martha Lunken]](https://tbh.express/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Pilots-Cherish-Many-Rites-of-Passage-768x433.jpg)