On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 14:48:17 -0500, Journeyman
wrote:

In article L6Bjc.54148$_L6.4226739@attbi_s53, Jay Honeck wrote:

I've flown for almost 10 years, and almost 900 hours, VFR. Throw in another
500 hours with Mary as PIC during that period. There have been some times
when I wished I had the rating, but -- more often than not -- when I've been
grounded due to weather, an IFR rating wouldn't have helped. My plane is
simply not capable of handling ice, snow or thunderstorms -- and that covers
95% of the times I've been on the ground, cursing the weather gods...

Okay. I think that's probably true for most places. When I decided to go
for my instrument rating, I was living on the Puget Sound, and all I needed
from the rating was to climb a few thousand feet to get above the marine layer
into clear and 1e6-mile visibility.

Here on the other Sound, coming home from FL last month (with my new plane!),
the trip was 95% VMC, but I couldn't have done it without the instrument rating.

That said, while the rating does have its utility, it definitely makes the
go/nogo decision harder, not easier.

It's certainly a longggg way from a blank check, but it adds greatly
to the utility of the plane and like you, it allows me to make quite a
few flights that I'd not otherwise be able to try.

I'd be a lot more comfortable with a nice big MFD with both a strike
finder output, weather RADAR displayed via satellite, AND GPS, but I
try to be careful and avoid those areas where "things" are happening.

As far as getting the rating it makes the applicant practice flying at
a precision not required for the PPL and it makes the pilot far more
conscious of the weather and what it will probably be doing well after
you reach the destination. It also reinforces the "have a way out"
type of thinking not normally present in VFR only flying.

To me it doesn't make the go/no go decision more difficult, but it may
require much more input that for VFR on many occasions.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com


Morris