First instrument lesson

[Bill]

Had my first IR lesson last night, and he said we'd just review hood work from the private for the first night. It was somewhat windy, surface winds 16G21 and winds aloft 3000 at about 25, but it wasn't too bumpy.

After getting off the ground, once dep cut us loose to the practice area, I went under the hood, and he called out turns, climbs, and such as I got a feel for the hood again, and it went well.

Then he pulled out some old FAA patterns, pattern alpha and pattern bravo from an older version of the FAA IR handbook. Pattern alpha had a bunch of timed turns and straights to be flown as diagrammed. So, he had me hold the paper, and do the flying and timing using the aircraft's clock. Some of the first turns were not to good, but later I was getting most of the turns within 5 seconds or so, with an occasional perfect one as well as a few 10 seconds off.

Then we went on to pattern bravo, which added speed changes and decents and simulated missed approaches. Those went pretty well, did that pattern twice. Then, without the foggles on (VFR), we shot the VOR 33 approach to the missed point, then got vectored to join the ILS 02 approach, and shot that one to a landing on 02. It was good to shoot them without foggles, so I could get a good minds eye of what I'll later be doing under the hood.

My x-wind landings may be starting to come together somewhat, as wind was 35016G21 landing on 02, and after a few gyrations I put down a nice smooth landing.

The lesson ended up being longer than Ray wanted, 1.6 with 1.1 of it under the hood, but it was a good introduction. My homework now: study and know every symbol on the approach plates. Oh yeah, and my lovely study time with the Kings.

 

[Ed Guthrie]

Bill, this post is greatly appreciated and I would greatly appreciate it if you would continue to post the synopsis of each instrument lesson. I don't get much opportunity to compare lesson plan/syllabus with other CFI's.

Any comments you could add about good versus bad techniques would be greatly appreciated, too.

Thank you.

 

[glpilot]

Thanks for an idea of what to expect on my first IFR class in flight. I am working with the KINGS now but have not gotten into the airplane yet, and wont for a while, to do IFR training. Boooo... Theres always that powerball

 

[sere]

Great post Bill. IFR is such a fun rating and it looks like you are well on your way. It also looks to me like you have a good CFII. Keep up your posts of this training as it is a great reminder for all of us who have the instrument ticket too. Don't be to supprised if the quality of your landings changes a bit. lol Again have fun!

Larry

Had my first IR lesson last night, and he said we'd just review hood work from the private for the first night. It was somewhat windy, surface winds 16G21 and winds aloft 3000 at about 25, but it wasn't too bumpy.

After getting off the ground, once dep cut us loose to the practice area, I went under the hood, and he called out turns, climbs, and such as I got a feel for the hood again, and it went well.

Then he pulled out some old FAA patterns, pattern alpha and pattern bravo from an older version of the FAA IR handbook. Pattern alpha had a bunch of timed turns and straights to be flown as diagrammed. So, he had me hold the paper, and do the flying and timing using the aircraft's clock. Some of the first turns were not to good, but later I was getting most of the turns within 5 seconds or so, with an occasional perfect one as well as a few 10 seconds off.

Then we went on to pattern bravo, which added speed changes and decents and simulated missed approaches. Those went pretty well, did that pattern twice. Then, without the foggles on (VFR), we shot the VOR 33 approach to the missed point, then got vectored to join the ILS 02 approach, and shot that one to a landing on 02. It was good to shoot them without foggles, so I could get a good minds eye of what I'll later be doing under the hood.

My x-wind landings may be starting to come together somewhat, as wind was 35016G21 landing on 02, and after a few gyrations I put down a nice smooth landing.

The lesson ended up being longer than Ray wanted, 1.6 with 1.1 of it under the hood, but it was a good introduction. My homework now: study and know every symbol on the approach plates. Oh yeah, and my lovely study time with the Kings.

 

[Bill]

Bill, this post is greatly appreciated and I would greatly appreciate it if you would continue to post the synopsis of each instrument lesson. I don't get much opportunity to compare lesson plan/syllabus with other CFI's.

Any comments you could add about good versus bad techniques would be greatly appreciated, too.

Thank you.

Wilco, here is a copy of the bravo pattern, googled from a web site:
http://www.geocities.com/cfidarren/r-bravo.htm

I do think I need to go up and fly the Skyhawk and build a power setting/climb-decent/airspeed matrix so I can learn what I need to do for a given task.

 

[Larry Liebscher]

Wilco, here is a copy of the bravo pattern, googled from a web site:
http://www.geocities.com/cfidarren/r-bravo.htm

I do think I need to go up and fly the Skyhawk and build a power setting/climb-decent/airspeed matrix so I can learn what I need to do for a given task.

That is an absolute must. IFR is flying by the numbers and you have to know the numbers.

The reason for the pattern is to ingrane those specific profiles. Straight and level. Standard rate turn. 500 fpm climb. 500 fpm descent. Put them all together in whatever combination is needed and you have IFR flight.

 

[jdwatson]

Here's what we use in the 172R:

                         RPM   PITCH  AIRSPEED   VSI
------------------------ ----  -----  ---------  ----------
CLIMB                    FULL  7°     79K (VY)   ≈700 fpm
CRUISE                   2400  0°     115 K         0 fpm
CRUISE DESCENT           2000  2.5°   115 K       500 fpm
APPROACH                 2000  0°     95 K          0 fpm
APPROACH DESCENT         1600  2.5°   95 K        500 fpm
NON-PRECISION DESCENT    1400  2.5°   95 K       ≈700-1000 fpm

 

[spiderweb]

Sounds like you are having fun, Bill!

 

[AirBaker]

I had a 'final exam' before we started shooting approaches which was something similar to that bravo pattern. I think it took roughly 30 minutes to fly the whole thing consisting of climbing 360s, turns, etc. When you were done, you were over the top of the spot you started at a given time.

The instrument rating is a lot of fun. It's intimidating until you get the confidence that your training and these little paper charts will keep you safe.

 

[Ed Guthrie]

Wilco, here is a copy of the bravo pattern, googled from a web site:
http://www.geocities.com/cfidarren/r-bravo.htm

I do think I need to go up and fly the Skyhawk and build a power setting/climb-decent/airspeed matrix so I can learn what I need to do for a given task.

I have the old FAA instrument manual complete with Pattern A & B. They are good training routines.

With respect to learning speeds I would agree that a table of approach speed configurations and power settings is useful. When a table isn't available for the aircraft or you can't remember the correct number today, a useful rule of thumb is that 1" Hg manifold pressure (or 100 RPM in a fixed pitch) power change will approximate 100 fpm decrease/increase in rate of climb. So, if you have it configured at 90 kts and want to start a 500 fpm descent simply roll off 5" Hg manifold pressure. Works as a great starting approximation in just about anything I've ever flown including most light twins. The corollary to this is that you really only need to know two power settings; one for approach speed, level flight, clean configuration and one approach speed, level fight, approach configurations (gear down, approach flaps). Everything else can be approximated using the 1" Hg/100 fpm rule.

 

[Bill]

With respect to learning speeds I would agree that a table of approach speed configurations and power settings is useful. When a table isn't available for the aircraft or you can't remember the correct number today, a useful rule of thumb is that 1" Hg manifold pressure (or 100 RPM in a fixed pitch) power change will approximate 100 fpm decrease/increase in rate of climb. So, if you have it configured at 90 kts and want to start a 500 fpm descent simply roll off 5" Hg manifold pressure. Works as a great starting approximation in just about anything I've ever flown including most light twins. The corollary to this is that you really only need to know two power settings; one for approach speed, level flight, clean configuration and one approach speed, level fight, approach configurations (gear down, approach flaps). Everything else can be approximated using the 1" Hg/100 fpm rule.

Thanks, Ed, I'll try it out. So, for fixed pitch, reduce 500rpm to get a 500fpm decent? Cool.

 

[jdwatson]

That's pretty close to what I posted in the above table. In the 1500rpm and pitching for 90 kts will get you real close to 500fpm descent in our 172s.

As for videos, I couldn't get into either sets (King or Sportys), so I went old-school and got the Jeppesen Instrument/Commercial Manual, Rod Machado's Instrument Pilot Survival Manual and Bob Gardner's Complete Advanced Pilot. The repetition was great. I used Ground School from http://www.dauntless-soft.com/ to prepare for the written. I only got one question wrong, I wholeheartedly endorse the software. I test poorly, so I was estatic with my score.