Last year, I started learning how to fly on instruments a while back in San Diego and it has been very challenging! First you have to learn the book knowledge and pass an FAA written exam. Then you need at least 50 hours of cross country PIC time after you passed your private pilot rating. I flew to Oregon and back with my dad to build time after completing my private pilot training. Some tips:
Learn to master the trim wheel! Learn how to quickly trim and retrim in climbs, descents, turns and straight and level. You need that without a good auto pilot to quickly handle approaches, holds and other maneuvers without blowing your heading and altitude talking with ATC.
Train in the plane you eventually will fly the most. Each aircraft is different in terms of ideal cruise and approach speeds. Fixed gear versus complex retract aircraft handle things different in the cruise, climb, approach, descent, and pre landing (GUMPS) procedures.
Find a good instructor who will get you actual time in IMC. Sad to say that many instrument rating students never get their experience ever flying in real clouds during training. Fortunately, I've been getting real actual IMC experience in my training. I realized wear sunglasses as the inside of clouds are BRIGHT and can easily disorient you.
So far flying instruments on IFR is like juggle balls, chew bubble gum and jump rope at same time.
lol juggling, chewing, and jumping rope at same time! I totally agree with that. Do you have any good method to master the trim? I had have bad habit to fly with trim wheel. I must get rid of that bad habit for IR.
ReplyDeleteHi TaeSeo,
DeleteYes, I do have tips on trim. First, set the yoke and power to what you want for altitude and heading. Then if you need to push on the yoke, use trim down. If you need to pull back on the yoke to maintain your altitude, use up trim. Be sure to check yoke and power setting before you use trim wheel. One other tip, once you set yoke and power setting, take hand off yoke for a second and see what it does. If it wants to go up, you will need to push down on yoke and then if you still need to push on yoke, then you need down trim.