David Megginson wrote:
(Michael) writes:


That's basically the argument, and I've heard it before in various
incarnations. In its most virulent form, it suggests that single
pilot IFR without an autopilot is inherently unsafe, because the
pilot simply doesn't have enough spare capacity to deal with ATC,
keep a weather picture, monitor the systems, and all the other stuff
he needs to be doing.


I'm still new enough to IFR flying that I might just not have had
enough opportunity to be scared properly by IMC, but it could be that
different people just find different kinds of things nerve-racking.
For me, VFR, it's busy uncontrolled airports, with people cutting each
other off all over the place; for other people, it's busy controlled
airspace, worrying about negotiating with ATC.

I've always had trouble understand why some pilots will fly low or out
of their way just to avoid class B/C/D airspace, but they'd probably
be just as puzzled about my preferring to file flight plans and fly
into big controlled airports, even if I pay more for gas or parking.

I guess IMC is another example of the same kind of thing.


Too many people choose the wrong way. They simply assume that the
more demanding aircraft requires an autopilot (rather than more skill)
to fly IFR.


That's a very good lesson. I'll try to remember it in a few years if
I move up to something slicker than my Warrior.


I know some pilots who make it a point to not let their currency
lapse - they want to retain IFR privileges, and I think they know
that they wouldn't pass the checkride if they had to take it again
in the plane they're flying.


We don't have the choice up here in Canada -- we have to retake the
full IFR flight test every two years to stay current. On the other
hand, we don't get tested on partial panel or unusual attitudes, so it
probably balances out (the good side of that is that I was able to
take my IFR flight test in low IMC rather than wearing the stupid
foggles).

I've made sure that I can fly single pilot IFR without an
autopilot, but I also recognize that this is an extremely
high workload situation and that I don't want to routinely
be in IMC without an autopilot. I practice without the autopilot,
and get tested without the autopilot, but when I'm really
going somewhere in actual, I want the autopilot functional
so that if something happens I can let it fly while I deal
with other urgent issues. And I want more of my brain left to
think ahead and monitor the plane.

That said, I need to be in good enough practice to complete
the trip if the autopilot fails. But on balance I think I'm
better off using the autopilot to decrease my workload
in IMC so that I have more brain cycles to apply to other
aspects of the flight.

--
David Rind