From: saml@col.hp.com (Sam Lee)
Subject: Re: Logging time for the Instrument rating
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 20:14:08 GMT
Organization: HP Colorado Springs Division

We used to say that the personell department had a standard answer
for all such questions as you ask - "It depends"       


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I did my instrument ticket much as you are suggesting.  I flew with a
friend as safety pilot on multiple 7 hr cross countries under the hood
the whole way on trips I was making with the family anyway. (My friend
really likes to fly at any excuse, even to the point of taking personal
vacation time to go).  Studied for the written without any commercially
available courses, but read the FAA publications from cover to cover 
multiple times. etc.  Worst comment the examiner made to me on the practical
was that I should try harder to make full stall landings (I took the
exam in a Cherokee Six!).

Should you do it that way - It depends --   do you research the purchase
of your stereo equipment that way?  - do you decide what car to buy that
way, do (did) you decide what profession to pursue that way ?   If your
personality type is one where you BY NATURE like to learn through your
own research - rather than by someone else's prepared material - then
you are a candidate.

Secondly, how much of a natural feel do you have for flying the airplane?
Does it come naturally to you (not necessarily the same as easy).  For
instance, can you REGULARLY make "greaser" landings.  Can you easily
project whether you are too high or low on the approach to a night landing
at an airport without a VASI?   Is there any part of the private practical
exam tasks which you just squeaked by and still haven't mastered?  Do you
get frustrated and rattled when too many things dont go right?  If your 
instructor says you need to pay more attention to holding altitude, does
your mind/body "figure out" how to do it "somehow"?



If you like and regularly practice independent learning, and you have
a reasonable touch for the airplane, then you will enjoy pursuing the 
self study approach.  Find yourself a person to befriend who has a CFII
but instructs for the fun of it and does not make a living by instructing.
(Mine flew S2's in the Navy as well as instructed.  Engineer by current 
profession).


Otherwise - get into some kind of structured program where the syllabus will
insure that you are exposed to every nook and cranny of the art and science
of instrument flying, and have an instructor to talk you thru the material 
and manuvers until you move from memorizing to understanding.  

In neither case can you count on 9 hours of (additional) flight instruction 
being enough!

Make a list of the tasks in which you need to be proficient from the practical
test guide.  Get a copy of the syllabus from someone's instrument course and
review all the lesson plans.  You may be able to average 3 practice ILS 
approaches per 1 Hobbs hour.  If you have an instructor take you through
each task in the airplane, and then you do all your practice with a safety
pilot, you will still need more than 9 hours of dual instruction.

I did it the independent way and enjoyed it.  When my wife starts on hers
she will be in a school.  She loves the independent learning, but doesn't have
the feel for the airplane to do it without an instructor who can study her
and teach her how to fix the problems in her performance (most instructors
point out the symptoms of your problems - "Hold that HEADING!").

That's my nickle.

PS  I just completed my multiengine rating in a syllabused program at an FBO. 
    Kind of Half structure and Half ad hoc. We spent more than half the time
    working on instrument proceedures under the hood.  My instructor found
    that I had a tendency to practice partial panel flying, even though
    all the instruments were available.  He helped me NAIL heading and
    altitude control.  Now I can hold +/- 5, 50 even in moderate chop.  It
    took him several hours of watching me to identify where I needed change.


Sam Lee @ col.hp.com
Newsgroups: rec.aviation