Instrument training

I sometimes wonder about using NDB approaches. Believe it or not, many
charter airlines have to rely on NDB's to fly approaches into airports
below VFR. Instrument training is definately challenging but its worth
it if in fact you will use it. The best thing to stay current is
whenever you fly a cross-country, file it as an instrument flight plan
and bring a buddy along with at least a PPC in the same category,
class, etc. as a safety pilot. If its VFR out, great, you have
something besides pilotage to double-check your course and if there's
IMC ahead, then you know you're in the clear because you are already on
the IFR flight plan (excluding, icing, TS or any adverse weather). Even
in VFR, with a safety pilot you can practice Instrument Approaches
under the hood and maintain currency.

I'm exaggerating of course. It doesn't "suck" but its more fun to fly
when you can see outside. As a CFI I find instrument instruction *much*
easier than primary. Not only are the students more commited and
capable but its easier than actually flying IFR because you're not the
one trying to hold the plane right-side up.

-Robert, CFI

On 5/19/2005 1:23 PM, Robert M. Gary wrote:

I'm exaggerating of course. It doesn't "suck" but its more fun to fly
when you can see outside. As a CFI I find instrument instruction *much*
easier than primary. Not only are the students more commited and
capable but its easier than actually flying IFR because you're not the
one trying to hold the plane right-side up.

-Robert, CFI


Well, I am often hit with the realization that there is stuff to
see out there. For example, I often here "Wow, that sure looks
nice tonight..." to which I just respond "I really wouldn't know" ;-)

Perhaps my CFII is really testing me, to be sure I'm not looking ;-)

During one flight, there was a traffic alert, and the CFII was unable
to spot the other airplane. He finally told me to "head for that
freeway over there". I had to laugh. I told him "Well, I have no
idea where that is, but based on the reported location of the
traffic, I'll fly heading XXX until you decide where you want to
vector me" ;-)

Boy ... I really am having fun!

--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Student
Sacramento, CA

I got mine 2 years ago and found it sheer hard work all the way. The
payoff finally came when I made my first IFR flight on my own in actual
IMC and saw that runway appear over the nose and realized that it was a
trip that would otherwise have left me at home because of weather.

I live near Sacramento. After my IR I took the family down to Monterey
in the middle of summer. Not only was it great to get out of the heat
of the valley, but Monterey is almost always IMC in the middle of
summer. My first actual IMC was solo (with the family) in a rented
Bonanza flying the ILS in actual in Monterey. Not sure I would do it
that way again.

-Robert

Robert M. Gary wrote:

I live near Sacramento. After my IR I took the family down to Monterey
in the middle of summer. Not only was it great to get out of the heat
of the valley, but Monterey is almost always IMC in the middle of
summer. My first actual IMC was solo (with the family) in a rented
Bonanza flying the ILS in actual in Monterey. Not sure I would do it
that way again.

I did my first alone one a business trip to Logan. I figured I only
wanted to kill myself if I screwed up. I don't think I'd recommend
making a first IFR flight into an airport the size of Logan, however, at
least I was flying into improving weather and it ended up being even
better than forecast by the time I arrived.


Matt

I've got about 6 hours now and find it not the slightest bit
fun.

Can anyone remind me why I'm inflicting this on myself?

I assume your question is (only) partly in jest, and looking for
support. What kind of flying do you want to do? If all you want is to
poke holes in the sky and go for a $150 hamburger, then maybe you don't
need to do this. Ditto if you live in Arizona, where I don't think they
even have a =word= for cloud. OTOH if you want to get transportation
value out of the aircraft, or live where puffy white things would get in
the way of your aviation, =and= don't already have a (bad) habit of
looking at the cockpit instead of out the window(*), then an instrument
rating will allow you to fly when you otherwise could not, even if you
end up staying out of the clouds most of the time.

A perfect example came up a little while ago - I was going from Florida
to Cleveland, with a gas stop in Shelby (EHO - a great airport and FBO
BTW). After waiting out a thunderstorm that would send Thor to his
dugout, it was a little wispy (scattered to broken at 500 feet, nothing
above). I could depart IFR and then cancel if I wanted to. As it
turned out, the field went to 700 scattered while I was getting the
flight plan filed, so I abandoned that plan and departed VFR, flying
most of the way visually, climbing ultimately to 12,000 to avoid some
hills and the building clouds below, and navigating visually around a
few big thunderclouds as the sun was going down over the mountains. I
preferred to remain visual so I could see the thunderbumpers before I
bumped into them, and got flight following so that I could get a
clearance if I needed to. Most of the way I didn't. But descending
into Cleveland, it was overcast with tops at 4000, so I was going to
have to file. A quick call to Approach got me an ILS into CGF, which I
took down to minimums before breaking out. After about eight hours of
flying, it wasn't my best approach, but if I didn't have the rating, I
would not have been able to make the trip at all. Being stuck on top
with no rating would not be very comfortable.

Jose
r.a.s retained, though I don't follow that group
--
Money: what you need when you run out of brains.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Jose wrote:
What kind of flying do you want to do? If all you want is to
poke holes in the sky and go for a $150 hamburger, then
maybe you don't need to do this. Ditto if you live in Arizona,
where I don't think they even have a =word= for cloud.

**BIG** misconception about Arizona!

Shirley

xxx wrote:
I've got about 6 hours now and find it not the slightest bit
fun.

Can anyone remind me why I'm inflicting this on myself?


To get where you're going with a fair certainty of success. Without an
instrument rating, traveling more than than one day is a crap shoot.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

I always finished my lessons with a soaked shirt and a sigh of relief.
Nothing better!

xxx wrote:
I've got about 6 hours now and find it not the slightest bit
fun.

Can anyone remind me why I'm inflicting this on myself?