How can I get my IR (any instructors near KUIN?)

[cowman]

So here's where I sit... a little over a year ago I started instrument training. I got around 5 hours in and was just starting to fly approaches when a combination of weather, holiday activities, and the airplane needing it's annual done put things on pause. By the time I was ready to go again my instructor had moved on to a new job somewhere.

At present there aren't any CFIIs at our airport and I don't know of a close airport that has one... although I'm within an hour(flight) of the St Louis area and you'd think there would be something there.... or Columbia, MO or Springfield, IL.... just nothing I've been able to find in cursory internet searches. We do have a couple of regular CFIs who I can schedule time with pretty easily... but I assume that doesn't get me to my IR.

I thought I'd go with one of the 7-day IR courses but the ones I'm seeing require me to show up with my written passed(haven't) and 10 hours of instrument time(I have 8.1). I do easily meet the currency/cross country time requirements though.

I imagine I can schedule hood time with a regular CFI and get up to the 10 hour instrument requirement. I have some time coming up where I'm going to be stuck away from home with little to do... thought it would be a good time to sign up for an online course and study up for the written. But then I realize a problem.... I will need an endorsement or certificate of graduation to actually take the test!

Any instructors near me? Any good ideas on getting past these hurdles?

 

[mondtster]

You need 15 hours with an authorized instructor...

To make it a bit easier on you and your situation you might consider doing some simulated instrument time with a regular CFI or a safety pilot to get some experience. Then hopefully it would take close to the minimums for a CFII to finish you up. That could be done in a week or so (assuming good weather) at that point. I have a friend who is an instructor and lives near BRL who might be able to help if you're interested, I'd have to see how much instructing he's doing these days though.

As far as the written test goes, you can receive the endorsement to take the test via an instructor or by completing one of the online courses. Some of the courses will provide an endorsement to take the test upon completion but you're going to need to make sure that you get a course that will. Don't assume anything without confirming if it does or not.

EDIT: By the way, you might be able to push one of your local CFIs into adding the instrument instructor on to their instructor certificate. It's not a hard rating to obtain, nor expensive.

 

[muddy00]

We've got a couple CFII in Springfield that are in our flying club. If you need some contact info send me a message

also check IJX they may have a cfii

 

[MAKG1]

That 15 hours of instrument training must be with a CFII to count. All of the training items in Part 61 must also be with a CFII.

I wish I could help you directly, but perhaps you could get a suggestion from a local CAP squadron. It's hard to do instrument Form 5 prep without a CFII, so there ought to be one somewhere in MOWG.

 

[cowman]

I got a pretty good lead for the Springfield area by PM...

Anyone know if Sheppard air does the certificate of completion? Is a CFI (single I) able to sign off an endorsement for instrument written?

 

[muddy00]

They typically don't do the sign off but when I asked they said they might be able to arrange it if necessary

 

[jsstevens]

Most of the online schools have provisions to get your written sign off. Check the fine print. Sheppard does or did. Gleim does. Dauntless does. Those are the ones I am personally familiar with.

John