IFR rating or not

This is a great thread and hits home for me right now. I did an IFR ground school course last winter, took and passed the written in March, now I've just started the flying lessons. One thing I discovered on my first IFR flight is I was very rusty on my hand flying. The vast majority of my flying is 250+ nm cross country trips, so mostly direct to on AP. So does it make you a better pilot? For me absolutely, but that may depend on the type of flying you mostly do.

Now, for the question of do I "need" it. I don't fly much for work, but, my wife and I do need to get home for work after a weekend at the cabin (reason for the 250nm flights). So, for me probably don't have to have it, but it'll make our weekend getaways much more relaxing, which is what it's all about!
 
Getting my instrument rating was the best aviation money I've spent. Maybe it was coincidence, but my landings and radio skills improved dramatically. I'm a dentist, and coming back late from a weekend trip is expensive. The IR has given me soooo much more flexibility. I've still cancelled because of thunderstorms and really low ceilings, but my dispatch rate is much higher. An IR isn't a must have for everyone but I've loved having it.
 
I'm with Rykymus. I thought I'd wait a year after my PPL to start working on my IR, but the lovely southeast weather changed that plan after just a few months.

JOhnH said:
Very few people "need" an IFR rating, unless their job requires it. Short of that, it is good to have, but if you don't "Know" you need it, then you don't.
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I guess that depends upon how narrow "need" is defined. We live in a first world country, we're well beyond true needs, as in food, clothing and shelter.

I like traveling via general aviation. I also plan and like to stay on that plan, as much as that is possible in anything; i.e. one still has to roll with the punches. Whether that's Angel Flight missions or traveling with the family. An IR makes it much easier to stay on some resemblance of a schedule. Perfect? No. But then I've been delayed flying commercial as well as driving; multiple times each.

So no, an IR is not a need like food, clothing and shelter. Not even close. But then I'm well past worrying about meeting those needs. I do need it to satisfy my wants/desires though. We've departed or arrived in IMC plenty of times. We travel and some clouds or rain don't change our plans.
 
Sundancer said:
Just one guy here, but. . .I stayed VFR only for a long while, then got (and use) the rating. I'm not in the "it makes you a better pilot" camp, because it really doesn't. It makes you a better instrument pilot, for sure, but when VFR, no, not really. Just not buying that old saw.

Flying solely by reference to instruments you can learn pretty quick - it's just not that big a lift; most of the instrument rating work, the big lift, is in the rules, procedures, comms, . etc., - all the minutia that doesn't have anything to do with the basic flying-the-airplane-in-the-clouds; 90% of what you learn for the rating is mostly useless when VFR.

If you travel, which became my impetuous, it gives you more flexibility, lowers the stress - instead of scud running, you can file and not sweat the slightly too-low-for-VFR ceiling, for example. It can be fun, and a cool challenge, but when you blast off VFR, you aren't magically a "better" pilot for having gotten the rating.
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I respectfully disagree with most everything you posted here.
 
I think the IFR is a 'fun' rating. It's quite challenging too, but if you're into aviation then there's a ton to learn in the instrument and you truly get to fly "in the system."

From a practical perspective if you want to ever travel via flying then the IFR ticket is a huge plus as it gives you much more flexibility. Situations that will ground you if VFR only (like a 1000 ft overcast) are no big deal if you are IFR--just pop up on top to clear skies.

I do also believe it does make you a better pilot and certainly a more precise pilot. I know that even when VFR my tolerance for heading and altitude got much tighter after having the IFR ticket.
 
Vote for get the instrument rating. If you want to travel it's excellent insurance. Living at the beach it's a must, sometimes that low layer along the beach makes it interesting getting back home.

It's work, but rewarding to have that capibility available. Good luck!
 
Using the "instrument rating" often has nothing to do with weather.

For instance, if one is unfamiliar with the complicated VFR procedures, routes, and altitudes in the Los Angeles basin............Flying IFR is MUCH simpler.

All you do is twist different numbers in your radios and sit back and do the exact same thing you've done hundreds of times before.

Not having your IR, is like being in a foreign country and unable to speak the language. WITHOUT DOUBT, an IR makes you a better pilot.
 
brien23 said:
This is not quite what I thought the post would turn out to be. I thought more non IFR pilots would respond as to the reason they are not IFR rated.
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VFR only here (740 hours) ... not much use for it in my area and have to fly 4+ hours any direction to get to "flyable" IFR that doesn't have ice in winter or hail-thunder in summer. Also, the Tiger service ceiling is 13,800 ... most days in my area they're at 20K+. I will complete it sometime (basically complete except the written and would have to fly with a CFII again to knock off the rust).
 
Haze and 3-5mi vis is prevalent here late spring through early fall. I like being in the system and having another set of eyes helping me out.
 
Ravioli said:
I'm in the camp that it is better to get it.

Get the flame throwers ready for this, but relating certifications to levels of educational achievement I think it is something like:
Solo student = High School Graduate
PPL = Associates degree
IFR = Bachelor's
Commercial = Master's
ATP = Doctorate

Land/Sea, Single/Multi, Non-powered, Type certifications and the rest equate to 'concentrations' at each of the levels.

There's my opinion. I'm working on my BA and plan to make MA.
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So you're going to say someone who does aerobatics with a low-level waiver is just a "concentration" of the Commercial? LOL...
 
I can do aerobatics with a PPL and a (very nice) plane some dude built in his garage. Doesn't even rise to an endorsement.
 
Instrument flying has its place and is useful, but I think if a person was honest with themselves they'd realize that most trips that are actually flyable in a typical light airplane can be made VFR. I've been to both coasts of the US and to northern Canada several times via light airplane and a good bit of that flying was done in airplanes only equipped for VFR flight. So far, I have always been able to remain on schedule with my trips.

In my opinion, having an instrument rating is simply having another tool in the toolbox. Sometimes it is the only tool that will work and other times it isn't the right tool for the job.
 
mondtster said:
Instrument flying has its place and is useful, but I think if a person was honest with themselves they'd realize that most trips that are actually flyable in a typical light airplane can be made VFR. I've been to both coasts of the US and to northern Canada several times via light airplane and a good bit of that flying was done in airplanes only equipped for VFR flight. So far, I have always been able to remain on schedule with my trips.

In my opinion, having an instrument rating is simply having another tool in the toolbox. Sometimes it is the only tool that will work and other times it isn't the right tool for the job.
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I agree. It still is nice being able to punch through OV010 and not let it ruin your day.
 
Many days at KVJI and the like where mountain obscuration keeps VFR fliers at home.
 
jordane93 said:
I agree. It still is nice being able to punch through OV010 and not let it ruin your day.
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Depending on the airplane and its equipment, plus the airspace, I'd possibly just fly underneath an OVC010 ceiling VFR. Sometimes it is just more hassle dealing with filing, especially when your airplane isn't equipped to do any approaches at your destination and/or the radar coverage is spotty so you can't get low enough to do a visual approach. I just did that this morning. Overcast at 1,000ish, I flew out to my destination and back at 7-800'.

But I agree. Sometimes it is nice (and the best choice) to just file and bust through that layer then cruise on to your destination.
 
mondtster said:
Depending on the airplane and its equipment, plus the airspace, I'd possibly just fly underneath an OVC010 ceiling VFR. Sometimes it is just more hassle dealing with filing, especially when your airplane isn't equipped to do any approaches at your destination and/or the radar coverage is spotty so you can't get low enough to do a visual approach. I just did that this morning. Overcast at 1,000ish, I flew out to my destination and back at 7-800'.

But I agree. Sometimes it is nice (and the best choice) to just file and bust through that layer then cruise on to your destination.
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Class G airspace is a wonderful thing! :D
 
This one is really simple.

Do you plan to travel by flying yourself? Then get the rating.

Sure, there are cases where the "travel" is Old Retired Guy With Cabin 50nm Away... But for the most part, if you start traveling short-ish (<200) distances for weekend trips, eventually you're going to want to do 400nm trips, and 800nm trips, because airlines and driving both suck.

And sooner or later, no matter where you're from, that means you're going to deal with weather.

The instrument rating is by far the most useful rating, if you're going to travel by GA.

Gonna go buy yourself a Pitts and turn it upside down as your flying fix? Well, then, don't bother. But that's probably a small minority of us.
 
MauleSkinner said:
Class G airspace is a wonderful thing! :D
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Honest question here...
Doesn't flying at 800' violate VFR minimums, making that illegal?
Unless your departure point, destination, and en route path are not in "congested" areas?
 
Adam Weiss said:
Honest question here...
Doesn't flying at 800' violate VFR minimums, making that illegal?
Unless your departure point, destination, and en route path are not in "congested" areas?
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I think you're confusing two separate regulations. VFR weather minimums for class g airspace and FAR 91.119 (minimum safe altitudes).

In my case neither were busted. I remained clear of congested areas and could easily find a place to land that wouldn't cause undue hazard to people. VFR weather minimums in class g are 1 mile and clear of clouds, both of which I followed.
 
I've had my PPL for 6 years, and my own C-182 for nearly 3 years. After the PPL, I planned on just enjoying the flying for awhile then get the instrument ticket when the mood struck. The mood still hasn't struck. I'm as content as I can be flying VFR for the time being. No profound reason for not going for it. I just prefer to fly when the weather is good. We don't do a ton of long XC flying, but we do some. VFR only hasn't hindered us much. Cancelled a few flights here and there, but wouldn't have wanted to fly in that weather anyway. I'll do it eventually I suppose, but I'm in no hurry for now.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Haze and 3-5mi vis is prevalent here late spring through early fall. I like being in the system and having another set of eyes helping me out.
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jordane93 said:
I agree. It still is nice being able to punch through OV010 and not let it ruin your day.
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^ Both of those

We've been on far too many trips where we departed and/or arrived through IMC. Often a thin lower layer. Other days we've spent significant time in IMC. Not bumpy or dangerous, just IMC. More often we climb through the clouds and fly in clear and sunny VMC up on top. Can't get there VFR when it's BKN or OVC though.

The southeast gets very humid and hazy during the summer. Too many days of low visibility, even with little to no clouds. Toss in 170-180 knots and that's not a lot of closure time. :eek:

If you live where it's dry like danhagan the IR is no where near as useful though.
 
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