Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Solo Pilot RW Lab-R44 (Face-to-Face)

PILT 1145-05

Course: PILT 1145-05
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Aviation Sciences
CRN: 33181

Course Description

This course develops basic aeronautical skills necessary for the student's first solo flight. Topics covered include airport operations, communications, aircraft start-up and shutdown, hover, taxi, take-off, landing, autorotation, various ground reference maneuvers, emergencies, and aeronautical decision making. There is a lab fee. (Flight Lab Hours: 35 Course Syllabus Flight hours; 12.5 Dual Training hours; 0.5 Solo Training hours; 7.0 Pre-flight/Post-flight Briefing hours; 2 Ground Training hours) (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): AVTN 1100 or instructor permission or department permission Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

  • Robinson R44 Raven II POH
  • Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25B)
  • Helicopter Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-21A)
  • Aeronautical Information Manual

Learning Outcomes

The student will be prepared for their first solo flight.

Course Requirements

Grading
Grades will be compiled from the following parameters:
60% - Final Stage Check
10% - Attendance
15% - Ground Knowledge
15% - Flight Skills

Stage Checks – A Chief, Assistant Chief or Check instructor will administer each stage check and end of course evaluation once all the required lessons have been completed for that particular stage. The student must attempt each stage check within 2 weeks of completing the required lessons. This evaluation will include both a ground and flight evaluation. Three attempts are allowed per stage check. Students must reattempt failed stage checks within 2 weeks of failure. If the student fails to meet standards they will receive a failing grade for the course.

Ground Knowledge & Flight Skills– Each ground and flight lesson receives a grade from 5-1. These grades will be averaged to provide this portion of the grade.

Course Outline

SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES:
  • Lessons 1 through 13 of the RW Private Pilot Flight Syllabus
  • Completion of all required stage checks

FLIGHT HOURS:
  • This lab consists of 35 hours of flight training and unlimited ground instruction. Every student progresses differently while learning the skills needed to fly the aircraft safely. Some students might need more time on normal approaches, while others might need more time practicing auto-rotations. As such, one student might spend more time on one particular lesson than another. At the end of the lab, the student will have flown the minimum hours required for each lesson for a total of 35 hour.
  • There are specific requirements outlined in the RW Private Pilot Flight Syllabus. These requirements include certain hours that must be completed under specific flight parameters. These parameters may consist of night hours, solo hours, cross country (XC) hours, instrument hours, etc. Once those particular hours have been complied with, the instructor and student may fly a variety of flight parameters. For example, a student could fly all of their flight hours as XC hours, even though only a few are required. Additionally, the student could fly many of their hours as night hours even though only a few are necessary.
  • If the student is not successful at completing a portion of the required maneuvers to the established standard, specific requirements will not be met. For example, if a student is not successful at passing a particular stage, they might never progress to solo flights.
  • There will be instances when the student does not fly exactly 35 hours. Unforeseen maintenance (MX) or weather can have an impact on these hours. For example, if the student starts the aircraft and during their taxi out finds an item of maintenance concern(carbon monoxide light, bouncing tachometer, bad magneto check, et.) SUU may choose not to count those hours towards the student's allotted 35 hours since they may not have received training. However, these hours are still valuable towards FAA certifications; therefore, they would still show in their flight log. Additionally, a flight might go over the allotted time by a few minutes due to traffic delays, un-forecasted winds, or other various reasons outside of the control of the instructor. None of these are issues created by the student. As such, SUU gives the benefit of the doubt to the student. All efforts are made to fly precisely 35 hours, but this is not always possible due to acts of God and human nature.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Any missed ground or flight lesson will require a make up lesson prior to course completion.

Attendance Policy

Attendance - Students are responsible for ensuring they are scheduled for sufficient flight and ground blocks to complete all course requirements. Students will be scheduled for two (2) set training blocks per week. Additional flex blocks may be required and should be coordinated and scheduled between the instructor and the student as needed. They are also responsible for making up any work missed by failing to attend a training block, even if the absence was approved by the University, necessitated by illness, or personal emergency. Student related cancellations will be divided by the total number of completed training blocks. This percentage will be used for this portion of the overall grade.

Course Fees

There is a course fee associated with this course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.