Instrument rating??

Thanks for all the feedback. The common theme is obvious: just know
your limitations, which should go without saying anyway!

I'll still be planning on that ticket. Whether or not I go for it some
time is relevant to me at the moment because I'm looking at the purchase
of a C150 or 152 and need to decide if I need IFR cert.

I think that was over quite a number of years. He'd been flying since
the 40s. Not sure if all were in the Cubs either but the two in a row
were. (He landed, looked things over, restarted, did a runup, looked
good, took off.. and ended up in the next field over.)

By the way, this guy must have had a terrible mechanic - nine engine
failures!

Michael

I think that was over quite a number of years. He'd been flying since
the 40s. Not sure if all were in the Cubs either but the two in a row
were. (He landed, looked things over, restarted, did a runup, looked
good, took off.. and ended up in the next field over.)


so what does that tell you about his judgment?

BT

Even if you never fly honest IMC, only VFR, the improvement in
your flying abilities (precision, accuracy, dealing with ATC, etc)
will be well-worth the rating.

"George" wrote in message news:i1w0c.19779

This kind of BS just plain ****es me off. You do not become more likely
to
kill yourself with an instrument rating and not flying 3 times a week.
This
statement is a perfect example of why hours do not necessarily mean
competence in aviation.


methinks thou doth protest too much......

"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message

Thoughts on this??

Definitely get the rating.

On the one hand, the added skills accompanying the Instrument Rating can
only enhance your judgment and abilities.

On the other hand, (at the risk of sounding elitist), he was right -- once
you've flown every day in the IFR system, earning your living on a schedule,
good weather and bad, you realize just what the difference between adequacy
and proficiency means. That doesn't mean that a 200 hr instrument pilot is
dangerous, simply that he operates in a world with a higher degree of
vulnerability than the daily professional. I'm speaking here of the
vulnerability of the skills to degradation through intermittent use.

One very important distinction to keep in mind is this -- the Instrument
Rating does not equip you to fly in bad weather; it equips you to fly when
you can't see. That's all.

Regards,

John Gaquin
B727, B747

IMHO, and, granted, spoken from the standpoint of a non-instrument rated
pilot, I think your friend of a friend is making some pretty gross
generalizations Paul. If he could back it up with real data, ok, *maybe*
I'd consider his point...depends on the data though.

without it. (Logic being, obviously, that the ticket will give me such
a sense of security that I won't be afraid of hard IMC even when I'm not
current enough to handle it.)

I'd have to agree that if someone was so confident that they could handle
hard IMC just because they were instrument rated, that's the first link in
the accident chain. And, sure, if they're not current enough to handle
*any* IMC, that's link number two in the chain. I disagree, however, that
just because someone has an instrument rating, they'll automatically have
such a sense of confidence with IMC that they'll make a bad go/no go
decision and end up flying when they shouldn't. Sure, some people are going
to do so but not everyone.

Anyway, just my 2 cents. Personally, I'd ignore the friend of a friend,
even if he has a zillion hours. Thanks for posting this though as I've
found this an interesting thread. I'm planning on starting my instrument
rating this year.


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

In article k.net, Paul
Folbrecht wrote:

Thanks for all the feedback. The common theme is obvious: just know
your limitations, which should go without saying anyway!

I'll still be planning on that ticket. Whether or not I go for it some
time is relevant to me at the moment because I'm looking at the purchase
of a C150 or 152 and need to decide if I need IFR cert

Having an instrument rating helps to reduce insurance costs. As your friend
stated you must be current, having an instrument rating does not make you an
instrument pilot. If you have poor judgement getting the instrument rating
isn't going to change the outcome, it'll just happen sooner perhaps. G

--
Dale L. Falk


There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.
http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

On Mon, 01 Mar 2004 00:53:29 GMT, Paul Folbrecht
wrote:

So, this is what he told me: unless I'm going to be flying 3 times/week
at least, getting my instrument ticket is a waste and possibly dangerous
as well. He thinks I'll be more likely to end up dead with it than
without it. (Logic being, obviously, that the ticket will give me such
a sense of security that I won't be afraid of hard IMC even when I'm not
current enough to handle it.)

In other words, the less you know, the safer a pilot you will be.

It seems his comments imply that you have/will have poor judgement, in
order to be true. That is probably more a commentary on him than on you.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

I've got to agree with the friend of a friend of a friend of a
friend, etc.

Listen to what he says and understand what he means.

In another thread on this News Group there was a discussion about
single pilot IFR and I'll paraphrase some comments 'You can get like a
one arm paper hanger'. The only way a one arm paper hanger can do his
job is to be proficient (or to say it another way, "Practice makes
perfect").

If you are going to fly hard IFR to minimums then you need to
practice all aspects of IFR flight often enough to stay proficient in
the manner you are using your license.

Remember you can only die once so plan your flying activities to delay
that occurrence as far in the future as possible.

The way to die, is in bed with your boots on (paraphrase) G

Big John



On Mon, 01 Mar 2004 00:53:29 GMT, Paul Folbrecht
wrote:

I had always planned on getting my instrument rating- within the next
year, probably. But last weekend I had a chat with someone who really
got me thinking about it.

This guy is a friend of a friend and is a retired 20,000 hour ATP.
Retired in the 80s flying 707s and I forget what else. Instructed in
Cubs for years. (Guy has nine count 'em nine engine failures in Cubs!
Two inside 20 minutes once!)

So, this is what he told me: unless I'm going to be flying 3 times/week
at least, getting my instrument ticket is a waste and possibly dangerous
as well. He thinks I'll be more likely to end up dead with it than
without it. (Logic being, obviously, that the ticket will give me such
a sense of security that I won't be afraid of hard IMC even when I'm not
current enough to handle it.)

Thoughts on this??