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Are you a VFR or IFR pilot?


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5 hours ago, mike28w said:

Just a question for you IFR folks....    How many are  "C" owners ?  How do you fly in and around the Rockies ?  I have often considered an IR rating but am intimidated by the minimum enroute altitudes ( MEA) in my neighborhood.  A little bit of unexpected ice ( that I wouldn't be able to climb through) and fairly high enroute altitude literally would put me between a rock and a hard place .

 

  It seems that most of the avid IFR flyers are either using turbo'd engines or are based in the lowlands or both....

  Thanks for any advice !    mike ( Idaho)  surrounded by mountains on 3 sides....

I used to be a C owner. When I bought the C I wasn't IFR current but quickly realized I needed it if I was to get full use of the airplane. We have a place in Durango and have gone in and out of there many times in the C, IFR. We also took the C as far as Seattle, from Austin and then back across the northern Rockies, Idaho, Montana, Yellowstone, etc.

Granted... I sold the C and now fly a 252. ;-)

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35 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

I used to be a C owner. When I bought the C I wasn't IFR current but quickly realized I needed it if I was to get full use of the airplane. We have a place in Durango and have gone in and out of there many times in the C, IFR. We also took the C as far as Seattle, from Austin and then back across the northern Rockies, Idaho, Montana, Yellowstone, etc.

Granted... I sold the C and now fly a 252. ;-)

  Thanks !    How did the "C"  handle the MEAs ??   How high were the MEAs ?   mike

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10 minutes ago, mike28w said:

  Thanks !    How did the "C"  handle the MEAs ??   How high were the MEAs ?   mike

Well, you certainly have to be aware of the MEA's and flight plan accordingly.  I had my C as high as 17,000 and we were fully loaded. It was a struggle and took quite awhile to get the last 3000 ft. It seemed to handle 14,000 just fine though. And so I would try to flight plan where I wouldn't have to go over 14K.

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1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

I used to be a C owner. When I bought the C I wasn't IFR current but quickly realized I needed it if I was to get full use of the airplane. We have a place in Durango and have gone in and out of there many times in the C, IFR. We also took the C as far as Seattle, from Austin and then back across the northern Rockies, Idaho, Montana, Yellowstone, etc.

Granted... I sold the C and now fly a 252. ;-)

I bet you are really enjoying that 252!   My last trip was at FL190, and there is something nice about setting the altimeter once and not having to switch to approach control as you skirt a class c.  But I do tend to get an arrival procedure more often when I do that.  --Even if it does get modified as soon as I loose some altitude and get handed over to approach.

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Summary...

1) Statistics point to having more education and experience are 'better', one is not a substitute for the other... Get as much as you can of both...

2) VFR flight into IMC is deadly.  Having an IR can mitigate this.  Both the training and the currency is good for avoiding this simple challenge.

3) the engine croaking over hostile terrain... don't run out of gas, do use an engine monitor, and FF/totalizer... focus on the 'minimizing the risk' details.

4) IR pilots have ice and thunderstorms to contend with.  Have the knowledge and the equipment to avoid these.

VFR pilots top concerns are running out of gas and flying into clouds... according to AOPA...

IFR pilots top concerns are running into ice and thunderstorms... according to AOPA...

Being dead by falling out of an icy storm cloud is no better than being dead by flying into one...

The more you know, the better off you will be.

 

There was so much discussion around my house about how dangerous flying is.  Taking steps to minimize the known dangers went a long way to keeping the family happy.

the airplane allowed grandchildren to really know their grandparents.  Some decent equipment was purchased and some training to support the program was finished...  IR, MAPA PPP

 

There is no need to mandate the IR.  It is a want to have. Not a need to have.  This is a fine country. We get to decide how we are going to live and die.  What we are going to spend our limited funds on.

Some smoke cigarettes, some fly airplanes.... I prefer airplanes...

You all are PIC, you decide what is right for you, your ship and your family.

Just my PP thoughts, not a CFII...

Best regards,

-a-

 

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No law that you need IFR. Just common sense. It makes even VFR flying way less stressful. You can get into smooth air over scattered or broken layer and not worry that holes in clouds might close up.

If someone owns a J3 cub I don't know that I'd recommend an IFR rating... but a Mooney ???

Let me ask a slightly related question..."Are there any IFR pilots out there who regret getting the rating?'

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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Let me ask a slightly related question..."Are there any IFR pilots out there who regret getting the rating?'



Absolutely!* Since getting the IR my fuel bill has tripled. And now that we're zipping across the country my wife is longing for the added room and utility of an A36 (she now wants to bring friends along with us and the pooch).

Since that's not in our retirement budget I'm looking to work out a rental deal for access to the big Bo or a Saratoga.

If I was still flying LSAs this wouldn't be an issue.

*Written in jest but with a hint of truth.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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5 hours ago, epsalant said:


Let me ask a slightly related question..."Are there any IFR pilots out there who regret getting the rating?'

 

I sure don't. Even though as I posted above, I haven't been current since 2006 and no longer fly IFR, I think the experience and knowledge is valuable. I do not believe that an IR is required to enjoy flying, nor do I think it is necessary to be a "real" pilot, but you do learn a lot and if nothing else, you learn the instrument scan and that is a useful skill even for a VFR pilot. If you have the time and the money, I would urge any PPL holder to pursue the IR even if you never use it. I'm glad I went through it.

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40 minutes ago, teejayevans said:

The longer your trips get, the more likely you might need it.  A lot can happen 600 miles away, and 4 hours later unless you just have the total freedom to deviate to VFR location that may be a long way away.

This is very true. If you are making a lot of long cross countries like that, the IR can really help sometimes. On the other hand, the IR can sometimes lull pilots into thinking they are now an all weather, any time, on time airline captain. Even with the IR you had better be ready to deviate, or stay on the ground an extra day. Our Mooneys can't even come close to competing with a B-737, or A-320 for on time trip reliability and sadly, some forget this, then over promise and get trapped in got-to-get-there-itis scenarios.

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4 hours ago, DaV8or said:

This is very true. If you are making a lot of long cross countries like that, the IR can really help sometimes. On the other hand, the IR can sometimes lull pilots into thinking they are now an all weather, any time, on time airline captain. Even with the IR you had better be ready to deviate, or stay on the ground an extra day. Our Mooneys can't even come close to competing with a B-737, or A-320 for on time trip reliability and sadly, some forget this, then over promise and get trapped in got-to-get-there-itis scenarios.

When the weather's good, I go VFR.

When the weather's not so good, I go IFR.

When the weather's bad, I go CAR.

After all, that's how I always traveled before getting the Mooney . . .

Edited by Hank
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PPL in 1983, IFR in 2010 1600+hrs, fly about 150hrs or more a year on average and a fair amount in IMC and some smaller amount in hard IMC but fortunately in West Texas it's not overwhelming.  Seldom take off without being on IFR flight plan.  Have a 2nd home that's a about 500 miles so that trip is fairly frequent and often contains weather conditions would prohibit VFR flight when conditions are still otherwise safe to fly.  Have made several cross crountry flights from CA to Florida and about 3/4 of the rest of the USA.  Still want to fly up to the North East US & Bahamas / Carabeian & Alaska are all on my bucket list!

I flew for years without the IFR rating and while the initial training and the continuation of training does make you a better pilot it does not just make you a better pilot just because you have the rating!  For me the IRF rating has allowed me to have a much greater utility and use of my flying opportunities.  Would do it again for sure!

1st plane was a turbo Saratoga, the 2nd the Mooney Rocket.

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I have flown almost 2000 hours all of it VFR.  After almost 30 year I added a night rating for the challenge and training not that I want to fly at night, I know what keeps these things flying!

I have equipped my plane for IFR flight, with a new autopilot, WAAS GPS, (thinking of adding a second one) active traffic, ADSB compliant.  If I want to go IFR I take a buddy who is rated.

I fly a tail wheel RV 4 in which I'll learn aerobatics and may do a multi rating for the challenge as well.

We all fly our airplanes for different missions and needs, none worse or better than the rest of us.

Clarence

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