Definition
A formal endorsement made by a flight instructor in a student pilot's logbook (and on the student pilot certificate where required) authorizing that student to operate an aircraft alone. The endorsement certifies that the instructor has determined the student is competent and safe to conduct the specific solo flight, in the specific make and model of aircraft, under the conditions stated. It is required by 14 CFR Part 61 before any student solo, and it has limits on duration, aircraft type, and the conditions under which the solo may be flown.
Plain English
A written approval from your instructor saying you are ready to fly the airplane by yourself. Without this written approval, a student is not legally allowed to fly solo.
Context Anchor
You will see this in student pilot training records, logbook approvals, and instructor discussions about when a student is allowed to fly alone.
Derivation
The phrase 'signed off' comes from the practice of an authorized person literally signing their name to confirm something has been checked and approved. In flight training, the instructor's signature is the legal record of that approval.
Why Pilots Care
It is the required regulatory step that legally authorizes a student pilot to fly solo and ensures safety standards have been met.
Intuition Check
Do not read “signed off” as a casual “you’re good to go.” In this context, it means a required instructor approval for a specific solo flight or solo privilege.
Example Sentence 1
After several hours of pattern work and three full-stop landings with her instructor, Maria was signed off for a solo flight in the Cessna 172 she had been training in.
Example Sentence 2
The student could not depart on the cross-country until the instructor signed off for a solo flight following the required dual review.