wrote:

: shiny-side up and executing precision airwork with minimal concentration required.
: Approaches are a natural byproduct of precision airwork, with just a couple more
: things thrown in (i.e. convertning the symbols on the plates into the required
: precision airwork). It's mostly about constantly cramming more workload onto yourself
: until you can function automatically on the basics and have some CPU cycles left over
: to do other things.

Let me agree with Cory. I started with a pretty basic IFR setup, and I have
added to it as my needs increased. I would say that a marker beacon is
also important, unless you've got some other way to identify the OM for an
ILS approach (VOR triangulation, ADF, whatever).
I found the hardest thing in IFR training was mental prep for approaches
one right after another. We have a VOR that has approaches to quite a few
airports starting over it. Frequently in training we'd start over that vor
and shoot five or six different approaches, each missed approach going back
to the VOR. We'd do six approaches in 1.2 hobbs hours. It sure helped to
get all of your paperwork out of the way and your charts organized
beforehand!
--
Aaron Coolidge