How much extra time for rusty student...

jsstevens

jsstevens

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jsstevens
TL, DR, Haven't flown in 11 months, need to finish IR before 19 March, want to use intensive IR school-with different airplane and G1000, how much extra time will I need to catch up?

OK, I was working on my IR for the third time the tail end of 2019 and early 2020. I've amassed 295 hours total, 79.1 XC, 49.8 Hours Simulated Instrument, 3.7 hours actual and was actually signed off for the check ride summer of 2019 (air plane broke, didn't get fixed, etc. etc.). I restarted IR with a club that had multiple airplanes late 2019 and into 2020. When Covid hit I stopped as the club planes were (and are) getting heavily used and I live with someone who is immuno-compromised.

Now I'm talking to a school (CRAFT) that does the intensive IR and they have openings in late Feb and early March (which would work for not having to take the written again). They essentially dedicate a plane and an instructor to me for the week so less chance of Covid. But, my instrument time has been in a variety of (mostly) C-172s and Cherokees with steam gauges and a little with Aspen and/or G5s. This school uses DA-40s with G-1000 exclusively.

So I know I'll need extra hours to 1) get back up to snuff flying in general, 2) get used to DA-40, 3) learn G-1000.

Realizing that none of you have flown with me or tried to teach me, how many additional hours would you guess I'd need to transition?

John
 
I've been told Steam to Glass is easier than Glass to Steam.
  • How much to transition to glass? "Price is Right" gaming here.... 445 Bravo said 3, I'll go 5. (Its about learning how to operate the glass as well as using it to navigate - suggest PC G1000 simulator time?) Can you get "glass training" with a local CFI flying VFR before you go so you can focus on IFR training?
  • Transition to DA-40? 2 (assume you study the POH, take they orientation quiz, etc.)
  • How much to kick the IFR rust off to finishing the practical test? Have no idea.
These opinions are complete swags, based on limited experience I had training on glass (as I learned on steam and had to glass train with a CFI), and doing a few new aircraft transitions.
 
Look at YouTube videos and tutorials on the G1000. Plug the plane in and learn everything about it. You don’t want to be fumbling around in IMC and not know how to get the information you’re looking for.
 
If you just focus on the basic instruments on the glass, and not get too involved with the 100 other things that can be done on the G1000, it doesn’t take that long.
 
TommyG said:
If you just focus on the basic instruments on the glass, and not get too involved with the 100 other things that can be done on the G1000, it doesn’t take that long.
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Except anything the G1000 can do is fair game for the DPE to ask for. But that can of course come once he’s familiar with it.
 
Anything that is relevant to an IFR checkout. For example, the DPE should not be concerned with whether or not you know shortcuts for entering a waypoint or how to use checklists on the G1000. Neither are part of the IFR ACS and neither will bring the successful outcome into doubt. There are many similar parts, so you should not feel like you need to know every piece of the system.
 
It will take as long as it takes.

Just like everything with flying...
 
Just another WAG, but I'd say 5-10hrs. I don't think the diamond will be a challenge, but I'm guessing it'll take at least 5 hours to be comfortable enough in it to take a checkride. The g1000 and rust could probably take the same amount of time, but I think all three clocks run simultaneously. I think the g1000 is probably the hardest part, but also the easiest to do outside the airplane. This is a situation where xplane could save you a lot of money.
 
They offered (and I will certainly take advantage of) both the POH and G-1000 documentation before I go. Flying VFR with a local instructor is currently off the table because 1) Covid concerns without a dedicated plane, 2) no access to anything with a G-1000 or a DA-40. Whatever flying I need to do, I'll have to do there.
 
It varies by pilot. A lot. Some pilots just have a knack for understanding these kinds of systems. Others have not yet figured out that the menus in Windows programs are 90% the same, and will need more.
 
Do you get a DPE to use over there, or do you have to find/schedule your own?
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
Do you get a DPE to use over there, or do you have to find/schedule your own?
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I believe they have a DPE they use since it's a 1 week IR and they list the fee to say it's not covered.
 
I usually recommend a minimum of 10 hours in the airplane you are going do the checkride in, unless you have been flying similar GPS Equipment.
IF you have been flying Garmin GPS's it will help.
would recommend spending some quality time learning the G-1000 on something like X-plane. Ideally with at least a good instrument pilot looking over your shoulder or better yet a CFII. Don't worry about flying the airplane, let the autopilot do that, you just want to know how to get what you need from G-1000 to fly the approachs, holds and missed approach procedures
I would also guess 2-5 hours VFR just learning how to fly the DA-40.

Like mentioned you don't need to know probably even more than 20% of what the G-1000 will do. you just need to know how to get what is needed for the approach reliably. ie. failure to get the correct information out of it is one of the primary reasons for failing Instrument Checkrides. How to load and use a flight plan on it might be helpful but is not a task on the instrument checkride.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
Study the g1000 tutorial video,you should be comfortable after a few hours.
 
Because mine expired and if I’m going to go train and take a check ride I need some kind of medical. If you’re asking “why not basic med?” Then I knew I’d pass the 3rd and I have an AME that I already have a relationship with.
 
Bob Noel said:
It will take as long as it takes.

Just like everything with flying...
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Best answer right here. Keep in mind an accelerated course is designed to take someone from nothing to checkride. You’re way ahead of the curve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
To update this:

I’ve signed up for intensive IR with CRAFT in North Charleston, SC. Scheduled for second week in March. They have added 1 day for rust & other factors. I’ll be learning in a DA-40NG so I’ll get to experience the diesel single lever engine for myself. Now I’m absorbing the Diamond material to be followed by the G1000 stuff in prep. My written expires on 3/19/21 so this is close... checkride scheduled for the 15th.
 
Cool, let us know how it goes. I did the PIC course back in 2005 or so. I took and let expire my written three times before I actually decided to sign up with PIC and get it done. Taking the written again isn't a big thing (other than the fee).
 
I’ll try to do a thread on it.

Retaking the written (this is my second) is a royal pain in the neck, though some have a lower opinion of it.

Taking a test is not so bad but remembering all the flat out arbitrary stuff I just hated.
 
Good luck, and please post about your experience. I just started IFR training and am more than a little curious about the accelerated courses.
 
Unkljohn said:
Good luck, and please post about your experience. I just started IFR training and am more than a little curious about the accelerated courses.
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I will. But I wouldn’t be doing just an accelerated course if that’s all. I’ve got nearly 50 hours of simulated instrument and been signed off for the check ride once. I’m just finding a way to get ‘er done.
 
I did my IFR training in 5 weeks...I feel like that is pretty accelerated. It’s a lot of work and extremely mentally draining. But do-able.
 
Did anybody explain that....Flying is not a destination, but a journey. Its a constant learning experience that never ends. So if it is a destination or, the only goal is a PPL, don't bother.
Plan to never end the spending on new skills, and proficiency.
 
jsstevens said:
To update this:

I’ve signed up for intensive IR with CRAFT in North Charleston, SC. Scheduled for second week in March. They have added 1 day for rust & other factors. I’ll be learning in a DA-40NG so I’ll get to experience the diesel single lever engine for myself. Now I’m absorbing the Diamond material to be followed by the G1000 stuff in prep. My written expires on 3/19/21 so this is close... checkride scheduled for the 15th.
Click to expand...

I expect you'll like the diesel Diamond. Some of the systems associated with the engine are a little quirky compared to the gas powered version but I don't feel it will really change the workload for instrument training.

Learning the G1000 shouldn't be too bad if you are reasonably comfortable operating a GNS430/530 or GTN650/750. The menuing is pretty typical for Garmin but there are some differences to learn.

That leaves getting comfortable with the airplane and flying in general again. It's hard to say how long that will take but remember that airplanes fly like airplanes and the DA40 isn't anything magic. If anything, the diesel powered version will probably be easier to adapt to because it flys more like a Cessna or Piper does than the gas version.
 
jsstevens said:
My written expires on 3/19/21 so this is close... checkride scheduled for the 15th.
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As with anything FAA, it's calendar months. So you're still close, but you're good until 3/31/21.
 
KaiGywer said:
As with anything FAA, it's calendar months. So you're still close, but you're good until 3/31/21.
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Thanks. I saw that on the paper after I had written the other post.
 
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