Trailboss Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMuncy Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 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. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsengle Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 Instrument first, then commercial. imho Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldguy Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 +1 on IFR then COM. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 Put a few hundred hours in the plane, then start the rating which will give you more utility. Clarence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtVandelay Posted June 28, 2016 Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 IR saves money on insurance, commercial doesn't 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLCarter Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Peace Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 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..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Gravel Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisk Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkaye Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPetersen Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 After the IR, the commercial will be like dessert (fun flying). That is, if you like to fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N201MKTurbo Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 I got my instrument in '86, I got my commercial last night! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLCarter Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 2 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said: I got my instrument in '86, I got my commercial last night! Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailboss Posted June 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 Thanks for all the replies. I don't know why, but I thought there would be less agreement on the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midlifeflyer Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisk Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N201MKTurbo Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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