FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR Mark Jones of Corsicana, right, cuts off the tail of Brady Reavis’ shirt, a rite of passage marking Reavis’ first solo flight. The daring duo of father and son aviator wannabees Joe and Brady Reavis of Fairfield took their first solo flights last weekend and have the ripped shirts to prove it.

Reavis and his son Brady, 16, started flying lessons last year when wife and mom Theresa told the younger Reavis that flying lessons could be taken at the Corsicana Municipal Airport. Brady thought the idea sounded good, and Dad said he would also like to learn to fly. “My dad said it could be a father-son thing,” Brady notes.

The pair started their classes, eventually racking up enough hours with an instructor to make them eligible for their first solo flights.

Requirement is 12 hours with an instructor, Brady had 16 ½ and Reavis had 31 ½. Reavis says he has more hours because he flew while Brady worked last summer. Brady says his dad needs the extra hours.

WITH A FEW FINAL words of wisdom from flight instructor Mark Jones of Corsicana, Joe Reavis, right, prepares for takeoff on his first solo flight. Last weekend, the duo went flying, with instructor, and when they landed, the instructor told them it was time. Although they weren’t sure when they would solo, Brady says the instructor had warned them to start wearing cheap shirts.

Tradition says that after the first solo flight, the pilot has his shirttail torn, and the ripped piece is labeled with the pilot’s name and the date of the first solo flight. It is tacked to a wall at the airport.

Origin of the tradition is unknown, although one website said it’s from the old days of open tandem cockpits, where the instructor sat in the rear seat and the student sat in the front seat. To get the student’s attention, the instructor would lean forward and tug on the student’s shirttail. Solo flight equals no instructor, hence, no need for shirttail tugging.

The first solo flight is done within viewing of the instructor, who is on the ground. The student must make three take-offs and landings, one after the other.

Two more “supervised solos” must be accomplished in order to fly without an instructor.

Brady says he was a little nervous about his first solo flights, “But after I took off and got off the ground, I wasn’t,” he said. “I was flying in a circle and singing `Cotton Eyed Joe’.”

The pair say their flights went well. “I’m still alive,” Brady reasons. “A good landing is one you walk away from,” Reavis says. “A great landing is one you taxi away from.”

Brady says his landings were “all perfect”, as compared to his dad’s, which were “ugly”, Brady laughs. Reavis says his were good, he just hit a small snag on one his landings and jumped a bit.

A total of 40 flying hours must be recorded, including a night flight and a cross country flight, before a private pilot’s license is possible, a medical must be passed, and a ground school and Federal Aviation Administration test completed. Then a check ride is taken with a FAA certified teacher.

Students can study for the written test on the internet. Subjects include navigation, weather and safety. The test is taken at the FAA site in Dallas. Before the check ride, the FAA instructor can also drill students orally about all aspects of aviation.

A student can be 16 years of age to solo, but must be 17 to earn a license. Reavis qualified, well, a long time ago. Brady will be 17 in June.

As far as his first destination as a licensed private pilot, Brady says, “I’m guessing nowhere. My mom won’t even let me drive anywhere out of town.”

“He’s sure not going anywhere by himself,” Mrs. Reavis points out. She hasn’t accompanied either of the flyboys yet, but says she will go up before too long.

The pair of soon-to-be aviators agree that, with or without copilots, flying opens up a whole new world. “It’s awesome,” they say.