Average number of Approaches at Checkride.

[MBDiagMan]

Interested in average approach number at time of checkride.

 

[asicer]

Looks like I flew 1.82 approaches for every hour of actual+hood time.

 

[AU_James]

My CFII started doing approaches with me from the first lesson. Obviously at the time I was just along for the ride and he briefed the plates, etc but I moved slowly toward doing it all myself. Though I'm still doing my training, I should have well over 40 before my checkride, and it may be closer to the 60 mark by the time it's over.

 

[MooneyDriver78]

3: GPS, VOR, and ILS most likely.


Tom

 

[Nathan Miller]

3: GPS, VOR, and ILS most likely.

How did you take your checkride after only logging 3 approaches? I'd sue my CFII!

 

[midlifeflyer]

Wow, your upper limit is way below my number. By the time I passed my instrument checkride, I had logged 103 approaches.

 

[PaulS]

Wow, your upper limit is way below my number. By the time I passed my instrument checkride, I had logged 103 approaches.

I had over 100 approaches too.

 

[DGlaeser]

The 3 approaches are typical ON a checkride. I believe the intended question was ‘how many approaches have you done in training prior to the checkride’
I’ve never counted, but my students have 3-4 per lesson, times 20-25 lessons...

 

[flyingron]

Looks like I had 36 approaches logged while I was actively getting the rating. I had around 30 logged prior to that.

 

[PaulS]

The 3 approaches are typical ON a checkride. I believe the intended question was ‘how many approaches have you done in training prior to the checkride’
I’ve never counted, but my students have 3-4 per lesson, times 20-25 lessons...

I think this is where students who are after their instructors to hit syllabus numbers and keep hours down miss out. While I understand that frugality is an absolute must for some or many students, and that is fine. Students who are just worried about not paying "more than they should" miss out. It took me longer than average to get my instrument rating, but I flew many, if not half my approaches in actual and pretty much covered all the normal situations, such as filing/ picking up clearances different ways, several actual missed and things like that which those who get a very time efficient ticket may not get. So I'm fine with it.

 

[IK04]

Instrument rating? Plenty.
ATP? Three...

 

[brcase]

While most of my instrument students take their check-ride between 40-50 hours of instrument time. I would guess 60 approaches is about the minimum number of approaches they have logged before the check ride.

I am one of the instructors that will introduce you to approaches on the 1st lesson, even if all you do is watch, you will learn a small amount about how approaches work and you can start building on that knowledge each time we fly. We have to go back to the airport anyway. You already know how to arrive VFR.
Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

 

[AU_James]

We have to go back to the airport anyway. You already know how to arrive VFR.

My first lesson when heading back we did two approaches. The first was completely without the hood to help me better understand spacially what we were doing and where we were and what it looked like the entire way from approach to final. Then I went back under the hood and did the exact same approach. It was a nice touch, honestly. I'm sure some students really benefit from that first un-hooded approach to help visualize what they're doing. Probably worth doing it again later if a situational awareness issue comes up.

 

[coblej]

84

 

[Ghery]

Including the ones during the checkride(s), 61.

 

[Nathan Miller]

My first lesson when heading back we did two approaches. The first was completely without the hood to help me better understand spacially what we were doing and where we were and what it looked like the entire way from approach to final. Then I went back under the hood and did the exact same approach. It was a nice touch, honestly.

This is an amazing ... approach.

But seriously, I'm about to start my IR training. Still selecting a double-eye. If s/he has a different method (and things aren't clicking), I'll certainly ask that we do this. Thanks for sharing.

 

[AU_James]

Absolutely. It's something I haven't heard of prior to that either and I can definitely see how it could help a student at any stage throughout training. He mentioned he will do the same thing again during checkride prep as he thinks it helps to have that one last visual reminder for the checkride.

 

[genna]

78

 

[Nathan Miller]

Is nobody going to say "42"? I'm disappointed...

For my answer - hopefully I'll be able to chime in around July / August I have 4 in my logbook(from 2009) .... with hopefully 38 more to go

 

[Rgbeard]

Fifty-one.

The Redbird Sim was a big help. I used the full 20 hours of allowed time in that.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

60

 

[ArnoldPalmer]

Just over 100. Some of those were with a safety pilot and my IR took about 3 years to finish...

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

I’m about 25 hours in, and we’ve done about a dozen and a half approaches, mostly just cuz we needed to land anyway after the lesson (4 were from 2 flights we took in actual). We are supposed to focus on approaches from my next lesson onward until the final 3 hours needed prior to checkride. I don’t know how many flights, hours, and approaches we’ll do from now ‘til the ‘ride.

 

[USAF-LT-G]

I had 15 total approaches logged by time of check-ride. The metholody isn't for everyone, but I did an accelerated IFR with start to finish in 5 days. I already had the written done, I had over 500 hours logged as a PPL already with lots of flight following experience, and 0 time doing any approaches, DMEs, etc.... 8 hour days over 5 days, with a checkride at the end of day 5. 15 approaches before Checkride, and then 3 as part of the practical with one of them demonstrating a circle to land.

 

[pnancoz]

I had 103 approaches logged before my check ride. About 20 of those were in a simulator.

 

[flyingron]

and then 3 as part of the practical with one of them demonstrating a circle to land.

This is the bare minimum. Three different types, at least one with vertical guidance, and one with circle to land. It's not uncommon for these to be the only ones on the ride. My DPE had it down to a science. The airport had an ODP which had a hold on it. Mine was something like: Takeoff, fly the ODP including the hold though I didn't really need it to make altitude, come back and fly the ILS to the reciprocal runway of departure, go missed, do airwork (intercept readials, unusual attitudes) on the way to the next approach which was RNAV/Partial panel. Go missed come back and do the localizer and then circle to land and park. Shake hands, get temporary certificate.

I did the PIC ten day course (really only eight in my cases) which is what I mean when I said 36 approaches while getting the rating.

 

[WannFly]

still doing a crap ton of practice VFR approaches that i cant log . hoping they will come in handy when i restart the training.

 

[Ryan F.]

I generally only ask for three approaches. Like flyingron accurately described, those of us who do checkrides "on the reg" do tend to get it down to a precise science. The goal is to do the whole ride as efficiently as possible.