Instrument rating passed

[rainman]

Today I passed the instrument practical exam.  I had several instructors over a two year period but was finally able to finish at a seven day finish-up program (Accelerated Flight Training) out of Long Beach.  The intense LA basin airspace was good practice and the instructors were very professional.  It wasn't cheap, and the days were long, but in the end I emerged a much more confident and capable pilot.  Go for it ,your Mooney is a cross country magic carpet!!!  Ray

[aerobat95]

That is awesome....I am really happy for you.  I believe this will make you a more precise and overall a much safer pilot.  Good job and enjoy.  As with all things don't be too eager to go out and fly in 200 and 1/2 just yet....and practice to keep your skills sharp. 

[DaV8or]

Hip Hip Horray!  That is happy news.  I know the training we have received so far gives me so much more confidence. Kudos to you for getting it done.

[PilotDerek]

Congrats!!

[Antoni Deighton]

Congratulations! It's one of the harder tests, but well worth the effort in my opinion. I remember my DPE made me promise, as he handed me the temporary certificate, not to fly in actual IFR at night until I had built up some experience. It was good advice.  Now you get the opportunity to learn about weather first hand.  Enjoy and take care out there!

[Mathew]

Congrats!  It takes persistence and a lot of work to earn that rating.  It should make you a more cautious and more precise pilot.  Fly in the system whenever possible, and stay current (I, on the other hand, need to regain currency because I have been spending all my extra time studying instead of flying...rats). 

This isn't Matthew, the log-on bug strikes again.

[231Pilot]

I'll try again:

Congrats!  It takes persistence and a lot of work to earn that rating.  It should make you a more cautious and more precise pilot.  Fly in the system whenever possible, and stay current (I, on the other hand, need to regain currency because I have been spending all my extra time studying instead of flying...rats).

[fantom]

Sierra Hotel!

Good lesson for other struggling IFR students!

[PTK]

Congratulations Rainman! The view is definitely much nicer with an IR!

[rbridges]

Glad to hear it went well.  Now that I've passed the written, I'm chomping at the bit to finish the rest of it.  It will be nice to be able to go somewhere and not let a few clouds scare me so much.

[co2bruce]

Great accomplishment . Congrats. Be wise. 

[kris_adams]

Congrats Rainman

[N33GG]

Congrats!!!

[TonyPynes]

An inspiration to those of us still working on ours.

[carusoam]

Congrats...

-a-

[rainman]

Thanks for all the comments.  I did fly back from California to Texas IFR and with some IMC weather to contend with. I used my new rating with caution.  The XM weather really helped me plan my route deviations and ATC was easy to work with. It may be a while before I fly in IMC at night! The DPE at Chino was very straight forward and fair.  I'm very pleased to have accomplished the training and the rating, but in the end it's all about safety and my hope is to be a safer more confident pilot.  I know I still have a lot to learn and I hope I never stop learning.  Ray

[Seth]

Congrats - It's amazing how often the no/go out of caution for a potential 2000 foot layer or unknown clouds enroute turns into a go decision simply due to the IFR ticket - file and fly IFR as much as you can to stay comfortable in the system.  Get an IPC regardless every now and then.

Take care,

-Seth

[TonyPynes]

Just began flight lessons for IR after passing the written a year ago.

Scheduling 2-3 sessions a week and hope to schedule flight sim time when ever possible to get it all to jell in my head.

This is hard work!

[David Mazer]

Congratulations!

[jnisley]

Great, it is hard work but very rewarding!

[1964-M20E]

great congrats It opens up a whole new world.

[jdrake]

Nicely done!