How many have no intent on IFR rating?

One other minor ancillary benefit of flying IFR I haven't seen metioned: not getting frozen out of a Class B. Granted, it's not that common, but I've flown to NYC 6 times and heard the controllers deny VFR traffic entry on 2 of those occasions. Never have heard it in the other dozen or so Class Bs I've been in.
 
I have no intention of getting the IFR anytime soon. Flown almost 200 hours now with VFR only. Here's my thing, I dot want to work hard while flying and don't ever need to get anywhere when flying. If its a marginal day, I'll stay in the pattern and fly for practice. If its a bad day I'm staying home. If its nice, I'm going someplace.

It's also nice to look out the window and see things that a pretty. VFR only for me for now!
 
Martymccasland said:
One other minor ancillary benefit of flying IFR I haven't seen metioned: not getting frozen out of a Class B. Granted, it's not that common, but I've flown to NYC 6 times and heard the controllers deny VFR traffic entry on 2 of those occasions. Never have heard it in the other dozen or so Class Bs I've been in.
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Is that legal for them to do that?
VFR has as much of a right to be there, using the NAS.
 
jspilot said:
I have no intention of getting the IFR anytime soon. Flown almost 200 hours now with VFR only. Here's my thing, I dot want to work hard while flying and don't ever need to get anywhere when flying. If its a marginal day, I'll stay in the pattern and fly for practice. If its a bad day I'm staying home. If its nice, I'm going someplace.

It's also nice to look out the window and see things that a pretty. VFR only for me for now!
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I have less workload flying under IFR in VMC. Just the other day I was VFR into a stadium TFR and IFR out around a storm cell and big buildings. If anything the return trip was less stressful.
 
Martymccasland said:
One other minor ancillary benefit of flying IFR I haven't seen metioned: not getting frozen out of a Class B. Granted, it's not that common, but I've flown to NYC 6 times and heard the controllers deny VFR traffic entry on 2 of those occasions. Never have heard it in the other dozen or so Class Bs I've been in.
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In NYC, the only recent times I've heard of VFR traffic being denied into the Bravo were when:
(1) EWR Tower evacuated due to fire
(2) EWR Tower radar went down

Both seem like legitimate reasons to me. I've never been denied VFR into the NYC Bravo, and I fly it regularly.
 
I earned my PPL earlier this year, and purchased my Cirrus shortly thereafter. I've flown the Cirrus for 197 hours as of today. I could have used the IFR rating on SEVERAL occasions to get above layers, etc...

But I do fly alot. I do not do it for work, I do it for fun. I've had to sit many of times that had I the rating I could have gotten through a layer.

Studying for my written as I sit here :) To each their own.

My insurance agent told me last night (we're friends) that insurance underwriters see the rating as a more competent pilot. Is he right? Don't know - I am sure many here will agree and some will disagree.

I will use the rating alot, hence I'm getting it.
 
I get denied clearance into the dfw bravo about 25 percent of the time
 
EminiTrader said:
I earned my PPL earlier this year, and purchased my Cirrus shortly thereafter. I've flown the Cirrus for 197 hours as of today. I could have used the IFR rating on SEVERAL occasions to get above layers, etc...

But I do fly alot. I do not do it for work, I do it for fun. I've had to sit many of times that had I the rating I could have gotten through a layer.

Studying for my written as I sit here :) To each their own.

My insurance agent told me last night (we're friends) that insurance underwriters see the rating as a more competent pilot. Is he right? Don't know - I am sure many here will agree and some will disagree.

I will use the rating alot, hence I'm getting it.
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Well, your insurance will drop with the rating. Mine dropped about $500 a year.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Is that legal for them to do that?
VFR has as much of a right to be there, using the NAS.
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Sure. You can't enter Bravo without permission. If they always had to give you permission, then that wouldn't be much of a rule.
 
Bryan,

I had some of the same feelings as you about getting Instrument Rating. I def would say that getting complex, tailwheel, high performance endorsements would be more fun. I put off the instrument for a long time since i fly purely for pleasure and have no intentions of making a career out of it. To me the IR training challenged me more as a pilot and forced me to think much further ahead than any other flying would have done. Its challenging, frustrating and not always that fun doing the training but its really good to get it and will make you better in all aspects of your flying imo. I own a Mooney and do not have any intentions of going out and flying approaches to minimums in IMC but do plan to use it for getting above bumpy cloud layers and taking off in IMC flying into VMC.

Looks like you are also near the DFW area, if you decide to go for it send me a message and i will tell you how i went about it here. I researched it all for a long time and think i figured out a really good plan for going about it here that will cost you a lot less and get you done fast. Simulators are great for IFR training and helped me get ahead really fast.
 
Jim_R said:
Sure. You can't enter Bravo without permission. If they always had to give you permission, then that wouldn't be much of a rule.
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And if you are VFR, they are only required to handle you as traffic permits. So if you try to get in during a busy push, they most definitely can deny you.

One thing that a lot of people overlook about the IR and flying IFR is that it gives you more than the ability to fly through clouds. It gives you priority.
 
Martymccasland said:
One other minor ancillary benefit of flying IFR I haven't seen metioned: not getting frozen out of a Class B. Granted, it's not that common, but I've flown to NYC 6 times and heard the controllers deny VFR traffic entry on 2 of those occasions. Never have heard it in the other dozen or so Class Bs I've been in.
Click to expand...

Right, instead they will take you to east Jesus anyway if IFR unless you are landing there.
 
I was in same situation. Based here in mckinney and got my ir rating start of summer. I use the plane to take family/ friends on trips etc. I've been in imc on 3 out of four trips so far this summer during some aspect. I could have maintained vfr but it would have us descending into Dfw way out or delay departure for many hours. Lubbock was solid overcast for 2 days and the ir enabled us to get home. It's been very nice to have and with NEXRAD and waas, it's a nice addition to have.
Got it done fairly quickly and it's not that much if using your own plane.
 
There's more to the decision than XC flying, it's where do you fly and capability of the airplane. For those of us out here in the big hills, if the weather is IMC, it's not a good idea for any of us to be flying. IMC out here often means icing and/or tstorms.
 
...great thread.

My plan is continue to build VFR time (currently around 140 hours and almost had my PPL for a year) and leverage one the Partners in my plane who happens to be a retired SWA Captain to learn some IFR basics, fly in some crud, file IFR a few times in crappy weather and just get the experience. I don't have to have it right now...it would be nice of course but I worry that I won't use it enough to stay proficient.

Time is also an issue for me. When I do IFR, I'm doing the accelerated 10 day thing like Cap'n Ron runs. My guess is after getting through one of those you need to fly and be in the system a decent amount to really feel comfortable.

Once my kids are older and we're doing more vacations or they leave for school and we go to visit them or whatever, my IFR will be more of a priority. In the meantime, I'll be slumming on flight following. :)
 
I wonder if how well your plane is equipped might help influence your opinion?
I have way more equipment then I will ever now how to utilize, two sources of weather, traffic, and 4 GPS systems (my I phone makes the 5th). I feel pretty comfortable picking my way through scattered showers and overcast skies because I can turn on my AP and do nothing but listen to ATC and plot my options based on site airport conditions ahead.
If the weather gets too bad I'm not going regardless of my rating, I have no intentions of flying through thunder storms or adverse weather conditions, so I would probably set down with or without my rating.
Here is an example, We were traveling yesterday from DFW to Destin, and I was listening to a pilot that has traveling the same path I just came through. I had checked the ceilings and coverage and made the decision to go over the top knowing I had enough altitude and clear skies at my fuel stop. He made the decision to go under, he was down to 1400 ft. and a little bit of a panic talking to ATC looking for a place to set down. It was obvious he had no weather on board, and was relying strictly ATC for guidance. It was a very bad situation and one I always worry about getting into.
With today's technology you sure do get a great situation awareness of your conditions, and position and there is no way I would have made the journey I did yesterday without the equipment I have in my plane.
To answer the OP question, anything you can add to your pilots bag of tricks is a good thing, including you Instrument rating, But its not the solution to cross country, I have flown with IR pilots that had no business flying in IMC.

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Here in Arkansas, the "muck" turns to MVR or less due to limited visibility without a lot of warning. Its all the humidity in the air supplied from the gulf. So far, I've just been canceling flights.

I'm about to take the test. Then a few tweaks to my avionics and then more time with my CFI-I before the DPE.

Anyway, at 100 hours / year, I'm bumping into more situations where I have to cancel for very mild IMC... So the IR rating is (in my opinion) a must in Arkansas.
 
Like others have said, I did the ground school and about 20 hours of training but never really want to fly in the soup or worry about keeping current. It made me a better pilot so I do recommend the precision training of all the A, B, C, and D patterns but I'm not going to pursue it.
I have been delayed a couple times by weather but they have been thunderstorms and I would have sat them out even if I was IFR rated.
 
Got the same destin flight planned for sat. That will be my longest flight so far. Showing about 600 nm. With weather and mvfr showing most am, will file ifr for this one.
 
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