HERCULES FLIGHT SERVICE

September 13

IFR, First phase of training.
Greetings to all IFR candidates and CFII's out there.

Today I would like to write about one of the most important and overlooked aspects of IFR training. This concerns both sides of the fence here, CFII's and pilots alike. The need for precision flying. The pressure from pilots to rush into the "actual IFR training phase" of flying, like approaches, holds, ect. What new pilots to the rating do not realize, and have had misinformation fed to them either by other pilots or wherever, is the absolute need to master precision flying skills before learning to fly holds and holding entries, and the like.  I receive inquiries from new pilots, such as, "why do I have to spend all this time doing this? When can we move on to the good stuff?" and manner of questions like that. These questions, and questions like them are indicative of a pilot who truly has no concept or understanding of the absolute necessity to have this skill mastered prior to "getting on to the good stuff." As CFII's, it is our job to convince new IFR students that without this skill, probably, the most important skill in my mind, they will never make safe, good, IFR pilots. The acquisition of this skill will enable them to fly IFR safely, it will enable them to manage their IFR workload effectively and efficiently. IFR student pilots, embrace this phase of your training, learn to fly the plane precisely in any configuration, know how to trim the aircraft for a climb, for a decent, level flight, an airspeed. Trim skills are the most important. Once you have that skill mastered, it will make the rest of your IFR training much easier, rush it, and you will be fighting the course all the way through, wondering why your having such a hard time with it, and even becoming despondent and disillusioned. Most of the time you will need to have your hands free to perform other duties, you will be unable to do this if you are having to constantly input control to maintain the desired headings and altitudes. Inevitably you will fall behind the plane, and become frustrated. In smooth air your plane will be trimmed up exactly to maintain an altitude, your hands will be off the yolk and you will be able to maintain a exact heading with your feet on the rudder pedals. When your able to demonstrate these skills consistently, and competently, then you will be ready for the "good stuff."  You will soon realize during or after the this phase of training that you have indeed mastered a great skill, and are already head and shoulders above your VFR peers. As you progress into your rating and you are undertaking actual IFR flights, it will dawn upon you the importance of being able to maintain an altitude and heading. In busy airspace, Class B for instance, they take deviations in altitude very seriously, especially here in Honolulu, a deviation in altitude could get you violated. At the very least, a call to the control tower. "Instrument Flight Rules" is no accident.






 

















7:15 PM GMT  |  Read comments(6)

September 08

IFR Training
www.herculesflightservice.com


5:50 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

Instrument Flight Rules
Welcome everyone to my new blog on IFR training, as a new blogger, I have decided to catch up with the twenty first century by involving myself in IFR training on a global basis not just my local airport. This purpose of this blog is to assist  all you potential  IFR candidates out there who are thinking of throwing themselves into the IFR rating. Also anyone who has taken the checkride and failed, just plain does not understand concepts of IFR. We will be discussing them and more and getting you up to the standard you need to be to pass this check ride with ease. It does take a great deal of work and time and a strong desire to ace this rating, it is probably the hardest rating to get and is very unlike the other ratings in many ways. I will be writing a few e- books, reprinting articles and I hope when this becomes more popular, I will be training you through the internet on MS Flight Sim where you can log on to one of my instructor sessions and take real IFR training. I invite anyone who has thoughts, ideas, problems understanding IFR to post here and we can get started on your success as an IFR pilot.

Please visit my website and browse through and see what you think, drop me an email.

I should wish you blue skies, but since it's IFR, which is the whole point, I am going to wish you grey skies, turbulence, socked in whiteout conditions.


5:45 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)