On Mon, 3 May 2004 06:25:33 -0500, Journeyman
wrote:
In article , Roger Halstead wrote:
I agree with those who say that the instrument rating makes the
decision-making more complicated. I don't see this as necessarily a bad
I would not say it's more complicated although there are more things
to consider.
That's a definition of complexity.
I deal with complexity in my day job (software) and have some (mostly
stolen) insights about software complexity and how to manage it. None
of it applies to aviation, but I can recognize complexity when I see it
at least 2 out of 3 times. :-)
As far as the decision-making goes, you need to compare apples to
apples. ISTR being saturated just holding the airplane straight and
level. Eventually, you develop the subroutines to fly the plane
without getting saturated. Add talking on the radio. Throw in a
couple of extra controls (gear lever, prop, cowl flaps), and it's
like starting over.
OK, no one was asking about flying IFR Vs VRF. The question was simply
the no/no go decision. Certainly flying in IMC is more complex than
flying in VMC.
Roy Smith once posted that he knew he had his instrument rating nailed
when he was able to discuss baseball scores with his instructor while
shooting an ILS (not to debate the merits of a sterile cockpit at that
phase of flight). Not because the ILS becomes less demanding, but
because you develop the subroutines to deal with it more effectively.
IOW, when you fly, there's a point at which you get saturated. With
training and experience you learn to push back that saturation point
(and perhaps how to shed load as you approach it).
Again, has nothing to do with the original question.
Just because you've developed the experience to manage the added
complexity of the decision-making, doesn't mean it isn't inherently
more complex than VFR decision making.
Now you are making the decisions in the air, not the go/no go.
Sure, there's no-brainer yes, no-brainer let's go IFR (say, climbing
through a low marine layer into clear and 1e6), and there's obvious
no-go weather (say, Hurricane Andrew). The point at which yes and no
converges is where things become more complex.
Each decision is a simple, straight forward yes, or no answer... is it
above or below my minimums and the pilot should have a minimum for
every stage of the flight. IF the pilot is honest, and does not bend
ANY of those minimums because one is only a little below while the
others are fine it is a simple decision.
If any one of the answers to "Is it below my minimums?" comes back a
yes then the flight should be a no go.
If you compare the information needed to make that decision for each
stage of the flight there are only a few differences and again they
are pretty much cut-and dried. We are not talking about the ongoing
decision making process "in flight" once the go decision has been
made. Nor are we comparing the difficulty of VFR Vs IFR flight.
Flight in IMC requires more precision, more multitasking, better radio
skills, more precision flight planning in all stages including fuel
management but that is irrelevant to the original question, except for
the question, "am I proficient enough to make the flight?"
Considering we are making the go/no go decision and the pilot is
current that should be a given.
Once you have gathered the information it still boils down to a yes,
or no for each stage of flight. (before you even file the flight plan)
although if any times has passed prior to take off a re-evaluation is
in order just as it would be for VFR.
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
Morris