Accelerated Instrument Finish Up - Is one month realistic? (and if so, where?)

MarkH

MarkH

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MarkH
I have been working on my IR for over a year, but there has always been things slowing me down (CFI availability, airplane availability, personal distractions, etc).

I would like to just get it done, and I am considering going to a flight school and finishing up.

I currently have 24 hours of sim instrument, but I am not in any way prepared for the check ride because that training is spread out over more than a year.

If I were to fly 4 days a week (2-3 hour lessons) at a flight school, how realistic would finishing up in one month be? Ideally taking into account CFI availability, DPE availability and aircraft rental.

I have been looking at Sling flight academy in Torrance, CA because they have multiple newer planes, onsite maintenance and multiple CFIs. But is there any better place to consider for this? I am planning to travel and rent a room (or move my RV) to find the best place to just get this done.
 
I wen to CRAFT in Charleston, SC and knocked it out in 7 days including the checkride.
Some think its pricy but I didn’t have to spend months in training. Knocked out their prerequisites, went down there and had no problem with it.
You get a dedicated only to you CFII, Diamond aircraft and sim time.
I'm going back on the 15th for my accelerated commercial.
 
I had my written, long XC, and all the hours and knocked it out in a week down at Ryan Field outside of Tucson, AZ for most of the same reasons, life getting in the way.


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Your thought about Sling in Torrance is a good one, and you are right about what it has available in the way of planes and instructors. I rent there regularly and it’s a first class operation. The instructors there all are CFIIs, and they did their training and checkrides there, so they know what’s expected on a checkride. The planes are magnificent — equipped with G3X Touches and GTN650s, and there are a lot of them. Almost all of the planes are LSAs, so they can’t legally fly in clouds or fog. But there is one Sling TSi that’s legal in actual IMC. And Torrance should be near the end of its cloudy season soon, so now is a good time to make your plans. Talk to Wayne, Jean or Jan, and they may even be able to set you up with temporary housing.
MarkH said:
I have been working on my IR for over a year, but there has always been things slowing me down (CFI availability, airplane availability, personal distractions, etc).

I would like to just get it done, and I am considering going to a flight school and finishing up.

I currently have 24 hours of sim instrument, but I am not in any way prepared for the check ride because that training is spread out over more than a year.

If I were to fly 4 days a week (2-3 hour lessons) at a flight school, how realistic would finishing up in one month be? Ideally taking into account CFI availability, DPE availability and aircraft rental.

I have been looking at Sling flight academy in Torrance, CA because they have multiple newer planes, onsite maintenance and multiple CFIs. But is there any better place to consider for this? I am planning to travel and rent a room (or move my RV) to find the best place to just get this done.
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I also went to CRAFT in Charleston for my IFR. I used my own plane and in 7 days (actually less) I was finished. My instructor had an abscessed tooth so I had a partial day off in the middle. It isn't difficult to do the accelerated training if you are already comfortable in the plane. i did mine back in 2019.
 
NH_Moose said:
I had my written, long XC, and all the hours and knocked it out in a week down at Ryan Field outside of Tucson, AZ for most of the same reasons, life getting in the way.


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These guys popped up in my search. Would you recommend it? I considered the "finish up" option.
 
You can finish up your IR in a week to two weeks, certainly. But you'll want to start flying IMC pretty soon thereafter if you plan to use and maintain currency. If you are comfortable doing so, of course.
 
Did my IFR from zero in 13 days. More than possible
 
many do the accelerated. And the sim and actual is a good experience. But you need to have passed your written, and logged most (like 35+ usually) of your instrument XC requirements to go through the accelerated IFR programs like IFR6 and craft.
 
I've seen it work well and I've heard disappointment. Sometime attributable to the course or instructor; sometimes attributable to the student. The accelerated courses generally assume you have completed the knowledge test and have a decent, if not complete knowledge base. The more your head is already in the game, the more successful you will likely be.

So, some of the questions I would be asking myself are, (1) am I ready? and (2) What have I been doing to keep my head in the game during the breaks in training?
 
I did PIC back in 2005 or so. Did mine in 8 days (got two days off for good behavior). They can do even shorter "finish up" courses if you have solid stuff in the book.
 
I used CRAFT. I had been close to check ride twice before, had actually been signed off but the airplane broke and was never fixed. Then COVID and my mom's cancer (she lived with us). Since she was immuno compromised, we went into hermit mode.

My second written was set to expire in March, my wife said "Go get it done." So I called CRAFT, told them I hadn't flown in over a year, that' I had 0 DA-40 time and what my deadline was. They recommended a week (one extra day for the rust). I took a week off from work, drove to Charleston and knocked it out. In the end I didn't really need the extra day.

As has been said above, if you do it fast be prepared to exercise it ASAP or it'll go away nearly as fast. That said, in my case it was my fourth pass at the material, so it really hasn't been an issue.

CRAFT is professional, well equipped, they have ready access to a DPE, and they have a system. They are also pricey. But you'll get it done. Don't expect to keep up with work (or much of anything else) while doing it.

John
 
What did the week long finish up cost you? How many hours did you log?
 
if you have the time to dedicate, yes. as you know it's not overly difficult, it's just discipline and routines
 
I'll never forget one of Ron Levy's mantras: "That which is quickly learned and not quickly exercised is quickly forgotten."

I know a couple of guys who used Morey's West Coast Adventures and were very successful because after returning from the trip, they went and shot approaches together every weekend for months. Don't think that you can just do a quick course, check a box, and forget about it until next spring.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I'll never forget one of Ron Levy's mantras: "That which is quickly learned and not quickly exercised is quickly forgotten."
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…and, while this has always been true, in the modern era, another issue has become huge due to the complexities of our systems. There is so very much we don’t learn in instrument training. It is more than ever a “license to learn.” Getting up there helps us retain the little we have by giving it more context, while expanding both our skill and knowledge.
 
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MarkH said:
What did the week long finish up cost you? How many hours did you log?
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Not sure who you're asking but in case it's me. Today the CRAFT course using their airplane (DA-40 G-1000) is $9250. With your plane it's $6250. I don't remember what mine cost but I used their airplanes. Their cost does not include the DPE fee but they'll tell you up front what that will be (in cash).

Between sim time and flying, 21 hours. Actual flying, 14.7.

I had satisfied all requirements including cross country hours, actual long cross country instrument flight training and passed the written before I arrived. Passing the written and having the basic cross country hours (50 IIRC) is a requirement to use their accelerated program, though if you haven't got the flying time, I'd call and ask how they'd address that.

John
 
PIC charges a flat rate a day (it was $500 back when I did it). I signed up for 10 days, but they refunded me for the days I didn't use. You also have to pay the expenses for the instructor to come to you. I lucked out with mine because his daughter lived in the area, so he stayed with her (I gave him some extra gas money to go back and forth).
 
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