Instrument Training

The length of the instrument rating is more predictable training than the Private Pilot license.  This is because Instrument Students do not have to wait for good weather to practice solo landings and solo cross countries.  Once smooth control of the plane is attained, while demonstrating an ability to brief and execute an approach in flight, most candidates are signed off in the required 40 hours or close to that number.

Once again, an ideal training rhythm is to fly once to twice a week.  Flying once a week is a perfectly feasible option for many clients who are limited by time, money, or family obligations thanks to two excellent resources.  The first is the home PC or laptop flight simulator.  Students should spend at least an hour a week shooting approaches at home, preferably re-flying their previous lesson.  Today's simulators are excellent for strengthening your instrument scan, your approach preparation procedures, and your briefing techniques.  This simulator study session should be completed after reviewing the second resource, which is the in flight DVD recording.

Unlike in the private pilot lessons, all of the important information that the camera needs to capture is focused on the instrument panel and radio console.  Thus reviewing the MiniDVD is even more useful.  In fact, it is virtually like flying along beside yourself, and is even good for building your instrument scanning techniques.

There is no requirement for flight in actual Instrument Meteorological Conditions (or "IMC," meaning clouds) in order to obtain the rating.  The student wears a view limiting device during most lessons, while in Visual Meteorological Conditions, that is called a hood.   Unfortunately the hood does not exactly recreate the demands of flight into IMC.  While we will make every attempt to acquire training time in the clouds, there is no guarantee that we will encounter IMC during training.  Ultimately, true instrument skills have to be developed by a candidate's commitment to proficiency well after getting the rating.  These skills have to be obtained by gradual increasing exposure to instrument conditions.  The CFII's job is to show the student how to think in the instrument system, and how this system operates from a regulatory and procedural standpoint.  This process will give the candidate a clear understanding of what the demands of instrument flight are.  New instrument pilots need to gradually expose themselves to IFR flight without exceeding the envelope of their capabilities, and without taking unneeded risks.  A solid understanding of weather hazards is essential.