It looks like I have firm dates for redeployment, some money in the bank, permission from "the banker", approved leave from my commander, AND found a very good instructor for my IFR Training - Executive Flight Training from Mr. Doug Carmody.
Any advice you have as to preparation?
What do you wish you knew before you took lessons?
What do you wish you didn't overlook during lessons?
I completed the King instrument course and had the written out of the way before my first lesson with a CFII. In my opinion, it is the best bang for the buck in that you complete a major hurdle (written) quickly and expose yourself to most of the relavant topics pertaining to IFR. If you're really motivated, there is no reason you can't have your written out of the way within two weeks of receiving the King course. By the time you meet with your instructor, you will already have a good working knowledge of the IFR system and save yourself lots of time. Plus it demonstrates your motivation.
Secondly, I hope you have a tile floor. I found it very helpful to practice "flying" instrument procedures walking around in my home on a gridded surface using the intersections of grout lines as navaids, and the grout lines generally being north, south, east, and west. It is important to have a paper heading indicator you can hold in your hands while tile flying to rotate as you walk around. This technique is especially helpful in learning to establish holding patterns, intercepting courses, NDB work, procedure turns etc. You can lay a piece of rope on the floor to visualize a desired course. Kids and wife will think you're nuts, but it does help things come together.
Thirdly, I plastered the five Ts on the dash of my pickup and every intersection that required a turn, I went through the five Ts. My ten year old daughter learned the five Ts with me. Turn, time, twist, throttle, talk. Its important to place your hand on an object in the vehicle as you go through the list for example twist, touch the radio dial, throttle touch the gear shift selector etc. It was second nature before I flew with the CFII.
Finally, I would purchase "The Instrument Flight Training Manual" by Peter Dogan as a good general textbook. This text discusses the five Ts in detail.
I'm sure others will chime in, but don't discount tile "flying"
During your training, get actual if at all possible. See if your CFI will watch the weather and get you up in actual. You will find that most of the training will surround approaches. They will just expect that you can keep it right side up for en route. Do some actual night approaches along with daytime ones. Try to go on days where the ceiling is 1000' or a little less.
There is no foggle that can duplicate breaking out where you need to quickly transition from instruments to visual. Popping out at night is very nice and rewarding. Also, on a moonlit night... it is very interesting to be above an overcast layer, dive in, and then break out. Bright, dark, bright...
I fly with a WAAS 530, so as far as tile flying I think I am spoiled. I do have a healthy respect for weather and Murphy's Law... so I have NEXRAD in the cockpit and an electric backup AI. For single pilot IFR, I might suggest an auto-pilot too, although there are some white knuckled folks on this forum that might think I'm a wimp for that.
Have fun.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2008 07:04AM by flyguydon.
I was signed uptodo his IFR course this past june and before i went down he informed me that he was retiring from providing IFR training anymore. Have you checked lately? Maybe he pulled a Bret Farve?
I will second the recommendation for the King course. I got mine on Monday, called lasergrade Tuesday morning before I had even opened the package and made an appointment for Thursday AM test(I personally am a procrastinator so better for me to have a deadline to meet). I don't recommend this, it was alot of studying in 2 days but I got a 90 so there stuff works. Have fun with it! I still don't have mine done but at least the written is out of the way. JOE
I did the one-week wonder at GATTS in Kansas last year and highly recommend it if you can handle immersion training. You have to have the written passed first but there's still some ground school and lots of flying. It's intense and you're constantly focussed on flying -- not much time for anything else! I flew in on a Friday night, started the following morning, and flew home with my IR the following Saturday. Have had some pretty good experience in IMC since then and the training really works!
