A STUDENT SMA PLT BECAME DISORIENTED. HE GOT A FLT ASSIST AND LANDED 150 MI FROM HIS HOME BASE.

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A STUDENT OF MINE WHO I HAD SIGNED OFF FOR SOLO FLT IN AN SMA; WAS PRACTICING MANEUVERS S OF ARLINGTON ARPT IN THE PRACTICE AREA. AFTER A FEW 360 DEG AND 720 DEG TURNS; HE BECAME LOST AND COULD NOT FIND HIS WAY BACK TO ARLINGTON ARPT. HE PROCEEDED TO FLY TOWARD THE NE; THINKING HE HAD DRIFTED TO THE SW. HE FLEW AROUND FOR ABOUT 2 HRS AND STILL COULDN'T FIND AN ARPT. FINALLY HE SQUAWKED 7700 AND DIALED IN 121.5 AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. ZFW RESPONDED; GIVING HIM VECTORS TO MCALESTER (OKLA) ARPT (MLC). HE LANDED SAFELY AND THEN CALLED ME AT HOME TO SAY THAT HE WAS OK. I TOLD HIM TO CALL THE FLT SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY; AS THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM AND THE ACFT. HE CALLED THE FLT SCHOOL; AND WAS TOLD BY A PERSON WHO WORKED THERE; TO FLY THE PLANE BACK TO ARLINGTON ARPT. I MYSELF; DID NOT KNOW THAT SOMEONE HAD TOLD HIM TO DO THIS. I DIDN'T FIND OUT TILL HE WAS ON HIS WAY BACK. HE FUELED THE SMA AND PROCEEDED TO FLY BACK TO ARLINGTON ARPT. IT WAS DARK BY THE TIME HE ARRIVED IN THE DFW AREA. HE WAS UNSURE OF HIS POS; AND PROBABLY PENETRATED ATA'S AT ADDISON (ADS); REDBIRD (RBD) AND THE TCA AT DFW; BEFORE HE MADE A LNDG AT ARLINGTON ARPT. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE STUDENT HAD KEPT BETTER TRACK OF HIS POS; AND NOT RELIED ON THE JUDGEMENT OF THE FLT SCHOOL; GIVING HIM PERMISSION TO FLY XCOUNTRY AT NIGHT WHEN HE WASN'T QUALIFIED OR SIGNED OFF.