Commercial or IR first (Will do both)?

[Trailboss]

I'm curious on which one people feel gives a better understanding of your airplane.  I have about 20 hours in my Mooney, and can't say that I'm 'comfortable' with it yet.  Knowing that an instrument rating will help with 'precision' while a commercial rating pushes the pilot/airplane unit towards the edges of the envelope; which one would you conquer first?  The current plan is to get both...but looking for input.

[DonMuncy]

IMHO the commercial ticket is mildly helpful, and the instrument rating has a value of about 15 on a 1 to 10 scale.

Unfortunately, the effort to achieve them is proportional.

[gsengle]

Instrument first, then commercial. imho

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[Oldguy]

+1 on IFR then COM.

[Guest]

Put a few hundred hours in the plane, then start the rating which will give you more utility.

Clarence

[gsxrpilot]

Start your IFR now.... then get back to us.

I like what Don said... it's worth 15 on a scale of 1 to 10.

[ArtVandelay]

IR saves money on insurance, commercial doesn't

[RLCarter]

IR then CR is the standard progression, a CR without an IR is very limiting. There are prerequisites to both so read the FAR's, the one that comes to mind is the 50hrs of x-country for IR, so doing IR knocks out some for the CR as well.

[Jim Peace]

you can do both at same time and get both ratings in same check ride....at least it used to be that way years ago.....

 

 

[Ned Gravel]

On 6/28/2016 at 0:38 PM, DonMuncy said:

IMHO the commercial ticket is mildly helpful, and the instrument rating has a value of about 15 on a 1 to 10 scale.

Unfortunately, the effort to achieve them is proportional.

I agree with Don.  The important one (and more technically demanding) is the instrument ticket.  Getting commercial done after it should be easier (so I am told).  I do not have a commercial rating - only an instrument rating.  

[chrisk]

The IR is personally useful.  The commercial is fairly useless by itself.   --So, get the IR first.  When you have recovered and want to build your VFR skills back up, get the CR. --I'm actually curious if one could find a job with just an IR and CR?   --Maybe as an ag pilot if you have lots of tail dragger time, but otherwise, I don't see it.

[donkaye]

The precision in aircraft control required for the instrument rating easily transfers over to the Commercial Rating. The Commercial Rating is just an advanced Private Rating requiring tighter tolerances and 4 new tasks; 1. Steep spirals, 2. Chandelles  3. Lazy Eights. 4. Eights on pylons.  Also, a power off landing to a designated point and touchdown within 200 feet of that point.

[BDPetersen]

After the IR, the commercial will be like dessert (fun flying). That is, if you like to fly.

[N201MKTurbo]

I got my instrument in '86, I got my commercial last night!

[RLCarter]

2 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I got my instrument in '86, I got my commercial last night!

Congrats

[Trailboss]

Thanks for all the replies.  I don't know why, but I thought there would be less agreement on the issue.

[midlifeflyer]

3 minutes ago, Trailbossauction said:

Thanks for all the replies.  I don't know why, but I thought there would be less agreement on the issue.

There's a long history of standardization on this one because the IR has way more immediate utility.

But other than that, I have always thought the standard progression of IR then commercial is so the instrument pilot will learn how to fly visually again. I recall flying years ago with someone after he just got his IR - couldn't find an Interstate below us in CAVU with 100 miles visibility without taking VOR cross-radials  

[chrisk]

13 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I got my instrument in '86, I got my commercial last night!

Congrats!  I'm assuming you used your Mooney?

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, chrisk said:

Congrats!  I'm assuming you used your Mooney?

I did.

I couldn't get a check ride in Arizona and I had to go to Hillsboro (Portland) OR this week to do some work at Intel, so I called around up here and got a check ride. So I flew the Mooney up here and did it.

The examiner said that he has never given a check ride to someone with their own plane, or someone with 6000 hours (actually 5271). He said I was his 52nd check ride in the last 90 days.

[Bob]

6 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I got my instrument in '86, I got my commercial last night!

May be a great subject for a new thread!  Interested in hearing the rundown on what the examiner had you demonstrate and what was included in your oral.