Passed my Instrument written today!

[ragedracer1977]

That's a weight off my shoulders.  Now to finish up the air work and take the checkride.  Trying to be done by the end of January.

[DonMuncy]

Congrats. The instrument rating is tough, but well worth it.

[Lance Keve]

Congrats!  Let me piggyback...I passed mine last Friday. Excited to get started in the air. 

[Hank]

Congratulations! I really hated studying for that test, interpreting all those instruments I've still never seen! ADF, HSI, caged this, locked that . . .

Passing it was a real accomplishment, much more worrisome and difficult for me than the checkride.

[ragedracer1977]

Just now, Hank said:

Congratulations! I really hated studying for that test, interpreting all those instruments I've still never seen! ADF, HSI, caged this, locked that . . .

Passing it was a real accomplishment, much more worrisome and difficult for me than the checkride.

I had the most trouble with the HSI stuff.  I've never flown with one, there's not one in my plane, so the concept was initially difficult for me to grasp.

[cloud116]

Congrats. Opens up a whole new world. 

[DXB]

While we're at it, I finished my written a few weeks ago and am finally getting to the air work now.  I hope that part is more fun.  As someone without a great head for navigational stuff (VOR, HSI, ADF, etc),  I probably over-prepared for that part and was quite surprised to get really only 1 or 2 questions on it.  By contrast, I would also say there was a good 20% of the exam that was not all that familiar to me after my pretty exhaustive prep with practice questions - I guess because they don't release them any more.  

[ragedracer1977]

7 minutes ago, DXB said:

 By contrast, I would also say there was a good 20% of the exam that was not all that familiar to me after my pretty exhaustive prep with practice questions - I guess because they don't release them any more.  

Same experience here.  There were a couple questions I literally had no idea what the right answer was.  

I completed the Sporty's prep course and Gold Seal's Gold Method program. 

Edited November 30, 2017 by ragedracer1977

[DonMuncy]

Great job Dev. I wish I could tell you the flying part was easier than the written, but it is pretty grueling. But hang in there. It will work out.

[Hank]

There's no way I could have done all the studying and taken the written if I wasn't out flying it the whole time! Kudos to you guys, just wanted to point out that it's not the only way.

Also want to remind the struggling Instrument students that it is so worth the effort! Not just the huge sense of accomplishment, but there's a very real payoff at the end by being able to fly more. It's a great feeling to take off on a nasty, dark morning and quickly climb into bright sunshine. There are also fewer worries about weather changes enroute, but that never goes away completely.

[ragedracer1977]

I agree with @Hank  I'm a bit more than halfway through the flying part and actually doing a lot of the stuff made it much easier to understand in written form.  We're supposed to be doing my 250nm cross country this Sunday.  Then it's just fine tuning everything for the checkride.  

[Browncbr1]

While you’re doing the cc flying parts, make sure you design the missions so that they also satisfy the commercial experience requirements too, in case you want to do commercial later on.     That way, you only need 3 hours of cfi prep before your SEL commercial checkride.  

[ragedracer1977]

1 minute ago, Browncbr1 said:

While you’re doing the cc flying parts, make sure you design the missions so that they also satisfy the commercial experience requirements too, in case you want to do commercial later on.     That way, you only need 3 hours of cfi prep before your SEL commercial checkride.  

It was my understanding that the commercial long XC must be solo, so I'm not sure how you could structure it like that

[Browncbr1]

No, the FAR was rewritten at some point to add “OR” to the language.   It can be either solo OR with CFI.    So now you can use your night cc flights from your PPL to count toward the commercial.     

[ragedracer1977]

3 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

No, the FAR was rewritten at some point to add “OR” to the language.   It can be either solo OR with CFI.    So now you can use your night cc flights from your PPL to count toward the commercial.     

Sure enough!  Thanks.  I'll point that out to him and make sure we do that.  I am interested in pursuing my commercial as well.  The commercial XC is the only requirement I don't have currently met (other than I need 50 more hours of flight time).  If it wasn't for the Solo or with CFI, I'd be fine.  I have multiple flights that qualify, but I always had someone with me.  

[carusoam]

Congrats on the written!

There are a lot of questions/knowledge you may never use again depending on what’s in your panel...

Were there any questions on WAAS approaches?

Best regards,

-a-

[ragedracer1977]

I talked to my CFI about using it for XC commercial requirements.  he's going to look into it more.  He thinks you can't use it, because the CFII is PIC because the flight has to be flown filed as IFR.  I can't legally file and fly an IFR flight until I'm rated.  

[Browncbr1]

1 hour ago, ragedracer1977 said:

I talked to my CFI about using it for XC commercial requirements.  he's going to look into it more.  He thinks you can't use it, because the CFII is PIC because the flight has to be flown filed as IFR.  I can't legally file and fly an IFR flight until I'm rated.  

You are PIC on all IR training.  You have the PPL already.  My understanding and that of my CFI and designated examiner, is that the instrument cross country DOES NOT have to be flown IFR in the system.   Fly it VFR under the hood and its perfectly acceptable.  I know several IR pilots who had zero IMC time upon getting their rating. 

[ragedracer1977]

My CFII thinks it has to be filed.  He's researching it and reaching out to local DPE's.  

Edited November 30, 2017 by ragedracer1977

[Seth]

Glad you got it done!!

[Deb]

14 CFR 61.56

d) Aeronautical experience for the instrument-airplane rating. A person who applies for an instrument-airplane rating must have logged:

• (1) Except as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, of which 10 hours must have been in an airplane; and

  (2) Forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed in paragraph (c) of this section, of which 15 hours must have been received from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating, and the instrument time includes:

  • (i) Three hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in an airplane that is appropriate to the instrument-airplane rating within 2 calendar months before the date of the practical test; and

    (ii) Instrument flight training on cross country flight procedures, including one cross country flight in an airplane with an authorized instructor, that is performed under instrument flight rules, when a flight plan has been filed with an air traffic control facility, and that involves--

    • (A) A flight of 250 nautical miles along airways or by directed routing from an air traffic control facility;

      (B) An instrument approach at each airport; and

      (C) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems.

[ragedracer1977]

Sounds to me like my CFII is correct.  You have to be 'in the system' on an IFR flight plan.  I can't be PIC as I'm not rated, so it can't count for the commercial XC.  

[carusoam]

When I did the IR...

There was an opportunity to combine some hours of the IR with the commercial rating.  The books had two sections...  as if it was a normal procedure to combine them together...

On your way to ATP, trying to minimize hours duplicated, it may make sense....

Just doing an IR, it may not make any additional sense to combine them...

It may be just a few hours of savings.

It may make some sense to see if the IR flights can be used to get the CR shortened...

Seeing what @deb posted above and reading what your CFII said....  

 

A lot of MSers have gone on to get their CR as part of their continuous improvement training.

How is that? I answered a question you didn't have, without answering the one you did... 

PP speculation only, Not a CFI...

 

Best regards,

-a-

 

[ragedracer1977]

@carusoam I don't particularly have a plan to go for ATP, but who knows.  I've still got 25 years of ATP flying time available.  

However, I do at least want to go to CFII.  Something to do on the weekends or what not whenever I finally put down my tools.  

[Deb]

45 minutes ago, ragedracer1977 said:

Sounds to me like my CFII is correct.  You have to be 'in the system' on an IFR flight plan.  I can't be PIC as I'm not rated, so it can't count for the commercial XC.  

From: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/learn-to-fly/legacy-pages/aviation-subject-report-logging-pilot-in-command-pic-time

"... A pilot, whether acting as PIC or not, may log PIC time anytime in which he/she is sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which he/she is rated (FAR 61.51). This is true regardless of weather conditions, whether VFR or IFR, simulated or actual.

Rated, by FAA interpretation, means that the pilot has the appropriate category, class, and type (if required) privileges on his/her pilot certificate for the aircraft being operated. Period. Note that "rated" does not require the pilot to have an instrument rating, a current medical, recency of experience, flight review, or required endorsements (such as tailwheel or high performance). 

(...)

For example, if you are a non-instrument-rated, private pilot with airplane, single-engine land privileges, you would be considered appropriately "rated" to log PIC time anytime (in VFR or IFR conditions) you are sole manipulator of the controls of any (high-performance or tailwheel) single-engine airplane configured for takeoff and landing on land (unless, of course, the airplane required a specific type rating, which is required for jet aircraft and aircraft with gross weights over 12,500 pounds). Remember, although a pilot may log flight time as PIC under this provision, there must still be someone in the aircraft who is legally acting as PIC.

The same holds true for instrument instruction. If you are receiving instrument instruction in an aircraft for which you are rated, the time you spend as sole manipulator of the controls is loggable as PIC, whether you are in actual or simulated instrument conditions."

Edited December 1, 2017 by Deb
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