On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 11:25:57 -0600, Mitty wrote:

The hood is not actual. Fly actual whenever you can. Get a CFII or a good
instrument pilot to go with you and fly approaches whenever ceilings get low.
Or go alone if you are not in a TRACON environment as we are in Minneapolis. My
target range is 700-900 because my home airport doesn't have an ILS. My goal is
to stay current on a 3 month basis (not 6) strictly by flying actual, though I
can't always achieve this.

I strongly agree with Mitty above. Like Mitty, I long for those low
ceiling days, and like Mitty, because my home airport only has a VOR
approach, I cannot leave unless I am assured ceilings are 900 or higher for
my return home.

I had a great instructor who lived and breathed hard IFR and I took several
days off so I could get as much actual in. There was one lesson where we
ended up doing three missed approaches for the real reasons it was designed
for and diverting to another airport nearby that had an ILS. We went right
down to the ILS minimums. This was the absolute best thing that happened
to me as when I did my first solo in IMC, I did an ILS broke out at 1000
feet and felt like I had tons of time.

I fly at minimum once a month instrument approaches. I'd like to do it
twice a month. Even on a severe clear day when I do not log it as an
approach, I still want to fly approaches so that I can maintain that
precise feeling needed on approaches.

Yes. Re ice, my CFII and I flew in ice a couple of times during training (very
benign, above freezing below the clouds, good ceilings, and the layer only 2000
feet thick) and I have always been grateful to have gotten the experience,
regardless of what the FARs might say about it.

Never had icing, however, one lesson my CFI and I were in clouds right at
32 degrees. Water was beading up the windscreen, so as long as that was
happening, we were reasonably safe.

Allen