From: rcm@Apple.COM (Robert Charles Monsen)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation
Subject: Instrument Training
Keywords: IFR Instrument Training
Date: 26 Aug 92 17:52:48 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA


Having just completed my instrument rating, I've got a few sage words
of advice for the instrument rating 'wannabees'. 

You can use simulator time to your advantage in the initial stages
of instrument training, and its generally much cheaper than the real thing.
Do that ILS over and over and over and... I actually found that a PC
simulator helped a bunch with things like positional awareness, VOR and
NDB tracking, and getting familiar with the mechanics of approaches.
I have "Instrument Flight Trainer" for the macintosh, which is much better
than, say, Microsoft Flight Simulator (which also can work), because it
is really designed for instrument training, has a manual that is devoted
to it, etc. It also comes in a PC version.

You probably won't finish with only 40 hood hours. It takes most people
longer (I had 50 hours when I took my (final) checkride).

Use Jepps. They are much better/more convenient than NOS + Notams. Its
nice to be able to take out the pages and put them in a yoke clip. Also,
the revision service, although painful, is better than marking up your
charts when notams occur.

You should spread your training over a period of months, rather than trying
to get it done in 2 weeks or something like that. About 2 or 3 flights
a week of 1 to 1 1/2 hours worked well for me.

Shop for an instructor. Try out different folks, even if you have had the
same instructor since your private. They aren't all the same, and its not
necessarily true that an instructor who is good at doing privates will be
good at doing instrument training. Different skills. I know its painful,
but instrument training is a pretty expensive thing to do (it cost far 
more than my entire education at U.C. Berkeley).

Make sure your instructor has a well defined course syllabus. Don't let them
get away with having you fly ILSs or holds for 40 hours. The skills that
are required depend on one another, and so a logical sequence is required.
My instructor was an ex-american flyers teacher, so he followed their 
syllabus, which is excellent. There are lots of syllabuses floating around.
There is even one in the instrument training handbook put out by the FAA,
although its kind of confusing. Its better than nothing, though.

You should budget about $4,000 for the training. You might get by for less,
but if you run out of money in the middle, you are going to have to redo
a lot of it. I've heard that flying more often helps, up to a point. I
completed my training 3 months after I started.

Always use the same aircraft. You get used to the radios, used to the way
it feels, etc. Switching to another aircraft (mine didn't have an ADF)
right before the checkride contributed to my failing the first time. I 
took the second one in my own plane (I had passed the ADF portion the 
first time :-) and passed easily. 

You might want to look into either PIC or American Flyers. They are more
expensive, but have a generally better track record than many FBO
training operations. If you are going with an FBO (or an independent
instructor), try to get the names and numbers of a few 'satisfied customers' 
to verify that they received value for their dollars. I went the 'cheapo' 
route, hiring an instructor off the street, using my own aircraft, etc, 
and it still cost me (based on buying Jepps, Books, Sporty's Tapes, Flight 
Time, Instruction time, and checkrides) about $4,000. If my instructor was a 
goof, it would have been a really expensive mistake.

My final comment is that the instrument rating, like the private rating,
is really a license to learn. I've been taking it really slow, going up
with other people when going through actual (safety pilots). 

The first ILS to minimums in IMC is really fun.

Bob Monsen
Orion Network Systems
Berkeley, Ca

GLOSSARY

IMC		Instrument Meterological Conditions
FBO		Fixed Base Operator (flying school, aircraft rental, etc)
NDB		Non-Directional Beacon, a navaid
ADF		Automatic Direction Finder?? (Receives NDBs, and points 
		towards them.
Jepps		Charting options are Jeppeson-Sanderson Instrument
		approach 'plates' (charts), or NOS (like the sectionals).
		Your instructor will know where to get these.
ILS		Instrument Landing System
NOTAM		Notice to Airmen, publications or announcements that
		modify previous publications, such as IFR approach plates.