Officially started IR traing today

[MooneyBob]

I did a lot of studying that I really enjoy. Reading is my thing. I have passed few practice written tests with good results and I have built pretty nice home simulator that I am shooting approaches on.

My idea is to keep it simple and focus on ILS, LOC and VOR approaches. I will make " inoperative" my ADF so I don't have to use it on my check ride since I am not going to use it anyway. I will get a GPS approved for IFR but I want to wait until after my check ride. Again for simplicity reasons. I hope this is the right approach to get proficient with VOR and GS and pass the check ride. Then I hope to use the GPS most of the time as those approaches are popping up everywhere.

Anything wrong with this picture?

Any advices or points I should really focus on? I hope to get it done in few months, weather and schedule permitted.

[carusoam]

Do you have a flight instructor, or select a school?

Best regards,

-a-

[Cruiser]

I would suggest you focus on what your instructor thinks is important. There is a lot more to an instrument rating than "shooting approaches".

A few months should be enough if you master all the elements with precision. Your instructor will know, listen to his advice .

Now for my advice. Aircraft control is critical. Trim is your friend. Make sure your plane can fly straight and level hands off. Trim is your friend, the better/quicker you can trim to the desired flight configuration the better you will be. Trim is your friend.

[MooneyBob]

Do you have a flight instructor, or select a school?

Best regards,

-a-

I have two instructors at KBLM I worked with before. I will use them both probably as it will give me more flexibility and time windows.

[carusoam]

Developing your plan with your flight instructor will breed success.

Like the PPL you will need them to document your training and get their recommendation to move on to testing.

Best regards,

-a-

[Marauder]

Bob - I dumped my ADF after flying with it for 21 years and shooting 1 approach for real with it. I would pull the ADF and put in the GPS if you can afford it. Why? Because when you get your ticket, you will need to learn it anyways. Why not learn it during your training?

Flying IFR for 20 years with just VORs, it took me some time to learn GPSese. A lot more button pushing to set it up than twisting an OBS and setting a freq.

[Glenn]

I would suggest you focus on what your instructor thinks is important. There is a lot more to an instrument rating than "shooting approaches".

A few months should be enough if you master all the elements with precision. Your instructor will know, listen to his advice .

Now for my advice. Aircraft control is critical. Trim is your friend. Make sure your plane can fly straight and level hands off. Trim is your friend, the better/quicker you can trim to the desired flight configuration the better you will be. Trim is your friend.

I have only one thing to add to this good advice; learn the power settings for your airplane for each phase of flight (500fpm decent clean & dirty, gear speed in level flight etc.) so you do not have to hunt for them each time.  

[ToddDPT]

I have only one thing to add to this good advice; learn the power settings for your airplane for each phase of flight (500fpm decent clean & dirty, gear speed in level flight etc.) so you do not have to hunt for them each time.  

I would second this and strongly advise you to do this very early on in your training.  My instructor never recommend this and I believe it slowed my development.  Many on this forum recommended it to me (thanks everyone!) and I went up one day with a clipboard and figured out all the settings and taped it to my panel until I had them memorized and it really helped the process.  Less feeling/getting behind the airplane during all phases of flight.  It will help out greatly.  I also agree with carusoam.  Meet with your instructor and develop your plan.  This may be more difficult however with 2 instructors as they may have 2 styles and teaching strategies.  Good luck and enjoy the training!

[Danb]

Chris, you actualyl

did an ADF approach is real IMC....thats telling your age..mine was my radio for WIp long ago..

[Glenn]

I just noticed that you are doing your training at KBLM.  If you are using Eagles View, please tell Priscilla and Esther that I said Hi.  They are nice people.  

[Marauder]

Chris, you actualyl

did an ADF approach is real IMC....thats telling your age..mine was my radio for WIp long ago..

The one NDB approach I flew was a result of a VOR outage. I learned a lot on that actual approach - like I don't like NDB approaches (and I even had a rotating compass card). What got me to stop flying them was watching an idiot on my Field in New York fly a homemade NDB approach based on a local AM radio station. He appeared left of the runway and below the telephone lines between him and the runway.

He started a turn towards the runway and fortunately realized his stupidity and climbed.

Sent using Tapatalk

[mike_elliott]

Might I suggest you get a Mooney specific Instrument instructor and develop a personal syllabus based on your current plane, equipment and experience? I think you will be hours and dollars ahead. you are on the right track to knock out the written early on, and don't terry on completing the IR, as it is all but a done deal to change the PTS, and guess what? It wont be any easier with a lot more to cover.

Learning your power settings early on will pay dividends. Spend a LOT of time on needle ball and airspeed, it will save your life someday. Learn how to trim your plane early on. Busting altitude happens most often because of power changes with incorrect trim. This is the hardest rating to get for a reason, there is so much to learn and not knowing or having the skillset has very severe penalties. Make sure you get as much real IFR as possible in your training, it isn't supposed to be, but it is different than just hood time. Learn all you can about weather. Don't ever challenge Thunderstorms or Ice. They don't play fair, ever!

[flyboy0681]

As the newest minted IR pilot here, I echo everything that's been mentioned.

 

1. Ditch the ADF, although you will still need to know the mechanics of it because there will be questions on the written about it (just consider it a right of passage). 

 

2. Not only is trim your friend, it's your mistress. If you don't master it you'll find yourself busting the altitude while diverting your attention configuring for the approach or switching things around for an amended clearance. The sooner you can learn to ease up on the wheel while looking to the right side of the panel - the better. Fighting with the plane while busy with other chores is not a recipe for success.

 

3. Fly by the numbers. This will probably be ingrained in you if your instructor does what mine did, constantly telling me where the manifold pressure should be for each segment. 

 

4. I also used a PC simulator, X_Plane, and found an M20J panel for it that mimics my panel exactly. I also bought an add-on product for a Garmin 530W. Since the 530 is as close to the real thing as you can possibly get, it help immensely in my understanding of how to setup and shoot approaches (especially non-precision), fly the missed as well as holds.The use of X-Plane saved me time in the air.

 

Feel free to PM me with questions.

[Seth]

That's very similar to what I did.  But I didn't make my ADF inop - we just didn't shoot that approach.  I did a VOR, LOC, and ILS for my checkride in my former F.  I upgraded to a panel mount GPS in my Missile and got training for it after the fact.

 

The IFR rating gives you much more capability with your aircraft.  It's a great learning experience and makes you a better pilot as well.

 

-Seth

[larryb]

I also agree that you should do the panel upgrade FIRST and then the rating. Then you learn the equipment you will actually be using in your training. This is what I did. A lot of learning IFR is learning the equipment, how to program a route, airway, approach, missed approach, etc. Some things are completely different. For example, a DME arc in my plane (GTN 650, aspen) has to be flown on the magenta line. There is often no display of the DME distance the arc is based on. Generally I'll see both the distance to the next waypoint, which is where I leave the arc, and the distance to the destination. But no display of the distance to the VOR. So magenta line it is. "Turn 10, Twist 10" doesn't really apply here.

 

If you get the rating with your current panel, then upgrade, you'll need additional training to effectively use the new equipment. This will cost you more time and money. In addition, you may complete the training faster with the new equipment than a legacy panel, due to increased situational awareness.

 

Larry

[1964-M20E]

When I took my check ride my ADF was there and working fine but no NDB approach was requested.  However, I had Garmin 300 GPS and did a GPS approach in addition to the ILS and VOR approach.  I had my 3 approaches so no need to do the NDB.

[MooneyBob]

I just noticed that you are doing your training at KBLM. If you are using Eagles View, please tell Priscilla and Esther that I said Hi. They are nice people.

I will definitely deliver the message. I stop at the school almost evey day as I like those folks very much.

[MooneyBob]

I have only one thing to add to this good advice; learn the power settings for your airplane for each phase of flight (500fpm decent clean & dirty, gear speed in level flight etc.) so you do not have to hunt for them each time.

I have created my excel spreadsheet where I have some power settings I found on internet, next to it I have MAPA recommended setting and next to it is blank space that I will fill out during my first flights to get it as accurate as possible for my plane.

[MooneyBob]

I would second this and strongly advise you to do this very early on in your training.  My instructor never recommend this and I believe it slowed my development.  Many on this forum recommended it to me (thanks everyone!) and I went up one day with a clipboard and figured out all the settings and taped it to my panel until I had them memorized and it really helped the process.  Less feeling/getting behind the airplane during all phases of flight.  It will help out greatly.  I also agree with carusoam.  Meet with your instructor and develop your plan.  This may be more difficult however with 2 instructors as they may have 2 styles and teaching strategies.  Good luck and enjoy the training!

One instructor owns the Mooney and he is adventurist and he has a lot of actual IMC hours. Good for real life experience sharing.

Second one is very methodical, book smart, theory based and " close traffic " kind of guy that will not tolerate 50' altitude deviation.

I will keep them both busy and make proper adjustment in my training as we go.

[carusoam]

How's your radio skills, Bob?

Their going to get a work out soon.

Best regards,

-a-

[MooneyBob]

How's your radio skills, Bob?

Their going to get a work out soon.

Best regards,

-a-

Since the English is my second language ( I didn't speak a word 10 years ago) I have to listen carefully and I am not afraid ask for "say again". I use the flight following every time I can on my VFR trips and I listen to Live ATC in my car all the time. I have Sportys IFR communication app and Comm1 CD which is great since it is interactive. I am getting there. I know it will be more difficult under pressure but I am working hard to get there.

[carusoam]

Wow!

NJ can be tough because the speed of communication is quick compared to other less dense traffic areas.

Fortunately, the IFR communication is so well formatted, you know what's coming in what order. Until they give that "you are cleared.....

Enjoy the practice.

What other languages do you have?

Best regards,

-a-

[MooneyBob]

Wow!

NJ can be tough because the speed of communication is quick compared to other less dense traffic areas.

Fortunately, the IFR communication is so well formatted, you know what's coming in what order. Until they give that "you are cleared.....

Enjoy the practice.

What other languages do you have?

Best regards,

-a-

I speak Czech , Slovak ( yes, they have two different languages) Polish and Russian language.

[MooneyBob]

Wow!

NJ can be tough because the speed of communication is quick compared to other less dense traffic areas.

Fortunately, the IFR communication is so well formatted, you know what's coming in what order. Until they give that "you are cleared.....

Enjoy the practice.

What other languages do you have?

Best regards,

-a-

If I need them to be more patient with me I will politely remind them that they are paid from my taxes too and they are here to keep us safe. Can I do that?

[Seth]

How's your radio skills, Bob?

Their going to get a work out soon.

Best regards,

-a-

+1 Though it was easy to get up to speed, this was where I had the most difficulty during my initial training for the IFR rating.

 

-Seth