From: kerry@Ingres.COM (Kerry Kurasaki)
Subject: Re: Getting the IFR ticket
Reply-To: kerry@Ingres.COM (Kerry Kurasaki)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501
Date: 16 Dec 92 19:09:28 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.030637.21395@nmsu.edu> bboswell@dante.NMSU.Edu (Brent Boswell) writes:
>I am presently a student pilot (don't have my VFR yet) and I'm thinking about  
>going for my instrument ticket after I get my VFR ticket.

First of all, let me commend you on your attitude.  I am a big proponent
for getting the instrument rating even if you cannot maintain long-term
currency.  You learn things that help with VFR flight also.

>My questions are: 1) why are there so many more flight hours involved in
>getting an instrument ticket

Interesting question in that when I got my instrument rating, 200 hours
were required.  Quite honestly, I was somewhat skeptical about the
reduction to 125 hours (circa 1983?) but in retrospect, I believe that
it was a good decision by the FAA.

Here are some of my reasons why more time is required than the PP:

1.  Better aircraft control.  Approach minimums and tolerances
    require 10'-20' of altitude control and 1-2 degrees of heading.
    I know the PTS is +50/-0, but there are times when you won't make
    it in unless you fly the minimums and this is the way I train/teach.

2.  More decision making capability required.  IFR flight requires more
    decision making skills than basic VFR, and a considerable portion of
    that decision comes from experience.  Like the PP, the Instrument
    Rating is a ticket to "learn to fly in clouds".

3.  Better situational awareness required.  VFR, you can look out
    the window, and figure if you are upside down, left of course,
    right of course, etc.  Under the hood, you have to constantly
    be aware of where you are, where you want to be, deal with ATC,
    and fly the plane.

Some other food for thought.  I am a firm believer that you should not
progress to the approach and cross-country phase of IFR training until
you have positive attitude instrument flying skills in addition to
your basic VFR skills.  You should be able to perform most of the PP
maneuvers (except ground reference maneuvers) under the hood including
steep turns, basic stalls, fuel management, checklists, etc.

Now I don't mind doing an approach "for fun" at the end of an attitude
lesson, but I don't require *precise* tolerances or *absolute* pro-
cedures (5 Ts) or handling communications at this phase.

>
>2) what makes the instrument written so much more difficult than the
>written for Private Pilot-Single Engine Land?  I self-studied for the
>private pilot written and passed it on the first attempt, but several
>people have told me that it's much better to take a class for the
>instrument written...

If I recall, I did the PP at a local junior college, and self-studied
for the instrument written.  What I found more difficult was under-
standing the weather part.  The PP stuff was mostly engineering and
arithmetic (fuel burn, weight and balance) as was pretty trivial for me.
If you want to do the ground on your own, I can give a list of suggested
reading material.

Kerry
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.ifr