First flight in actual IMC...

S

snglecoil

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Charlotte, NC
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Chris
...and it was AWESOME!

I'm about 28 hours into my instrument training and was getting a little worried that I wasn't going to get any actual before the checkride. Finally today was a nice overcast between 800 and 1000 AGL. Wow, what an experience! Sorry to come here and gush...I just still feel like I'm on top of those clouds. :biggrin:
 
snglecoil said:
...and it was AWESOME!

I'm about 28 hours into my instrument training and was getting a little worried that I wasn't going to get any actual before the checkride. Finally today was a nice overcast between 800 and 1000 AGL. Wow, what an experience! Sorry to come here and gush...I just still feel like I'm on top of those clouds. :biggrin:
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Hmmmm... you should feel like you're IN them if you did it right... ;)

Congrats! Looking forward to reaching that point this year myself.
 
I am actually calmer in clouds than IFR in VMC....... Dare I say the workload is less.
 
In only had .2 in actual before my checkride. None since. Where I live, IMC often includes icing. Not that I wanted a bunch of forest fires this year, but... :)
 
Dave Arata said:
In only had .2 in actual before my checkride. None since. Where I live, IMC often includes icing. Not that I wanted a bunch of forest fires this year, but... :)
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I live in Reno and have 10.2 hours actual... 10 of which is from flights east of the Mississippi.
 
Hi5, I was in the same situation a few weeks ago. My instructor has made it clear, for stage 3 of my instruments curriculum (cross country), he is fine with us flying through clouds, based on my proficiency. Weather will have to be pretty poor for us to cancel.
 
DesertNomad said:
I live in Reno and have 10.2 hours actual... 10 of which is from flights east of the Mississippi.
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I listened to a podcast with guy going through ATP in Las Vegas. He said he had the same situation. There was never any actual IMC to get experience in.


Dave Arata said:
Where I live, IMC often includes icing.
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Yeah, no thank you. Don’t blame you. Icing is one thing I’m not ashamed to admit scares me.
 
Excellent. Get as much actual IFR experience as you can. It will serve you well when you go out on your own.
 
Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Fly in the clouds in a Cessna 182 and the plane will sing to you.
 
I guess it just blows me away that during IR training that you wouldn't have to have some training in actual. I'm going to start my training at some point, but I'm going to make sure that I do some actual before being on my own. And, I have lots of it here.
 
FlyBoyAndy said:
I guess it just blows me away that during IR training that you wouldn't have to have some training in actual. I'm going to start my training at some point, but I'm going to make sure that I do some actual before being on my own. And, I have lots of it here.
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In the Mountain West, flyable IFR can be a thousand miles away for much of the year. It’d be a real hassle to require actual if you can’t get it without a multi day trip to go find it.
 
I couldn't wait to get into actual. First opportunity came when my instructor and I were up can rain can hauling a** in. We picked up a clearance and shot a couple of approaches. He told me to look up and when I did I took off my foggles like, "Don't need these!" Racked up just under five hours in actual before my checkride. Fun stuff!
 
FlyBoyAndy said:
I guess it just blows me away that during IR training that you wouldn't have to have some training in actual. I'm going to start my training at some point, but I'm going to make sure that I do some actual before being on my own. And, I have lots of it here.
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Sez one who lives in the Rickets Belt! :D The CNY summer in the 80s it was cloudy and pouring rain EVERY weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day drove me to getting an IR. I think I managed a whole 17 hours that year. I had my IR the next year and could get outta here for the weekend as needed. Lake Ontario can be a pain when the wind is out of the WNW, making low clouds and sometimes gnarly ice rule.
 
FlyBoyAndy said:
I guess it just blows me away that during IR training that you wouldn't have to have some training in actual. I'm going to start my training at some point, but I'm going to make sure that I do some actual before being on my own. And, I have lots of it here.
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IFR can be effectively trained for in VMC. IFR does not imply IMC, just as a commercial ticket does not imply you have to get experience flying passengers for hire. I got my IFR in the mountain west where we had 350 days of VMC with the other 15 days of ice. When I moved east I started flying in IMC. I don't recall it being particularly challenging or difficult.
 
I fully understand. For me though, I'd like to be in IMC with an instructor for the first time.
 
An important reason to get some actual during training, if at all possible, is to obtain some practical experience in weather and ice avoidance. It's a little easier now, with all the cockpit WX info available today, but there is nothing like real life experience with a knowledgeable instructor.
 
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