After all, the goal is to have a flying budget left over for the personal flights, while still maintaining a safe level of skill. Unfortunately, instrument flying is a mental skill, and mental skills atrophy quickly. VFR pilots, of course, have no legal requirement to maintain proficiency on instruments. Instrument skills are not only useful, but they may also be necessary on a clear but moonless VFR night when outside references disappear. An airline pilot said recently that his instrument skills begin to weaken after two weeks away from flying.
Airline pilots face the same problem.
That barely counts as an approach and does little to maintain skills. It was a lot less expensive than finding a safety pilot and cruising around under the hood to meet the requirement for not only six approaches, but six hours of actual or simulated instrument time. Last year, the FAA changed that picture dramatically. Six hours of simulated or actual instrument time are no longer a part of the currency requirement. Every six months you need to perform at least six instrument approaches, holding procedures, and intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigation systems.