Instrument Rating - Materials to start reading?

CC268

CC268

Final Approach
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CC268
Hey guys,

Just finished PPL and will most likely start Instrument later this year (thinking maybe October). I figure for now I will start reading the Instrument Flying Handbook. Does this seem like a good start?

I may do my Instrument Ground School (King Schools) early like I did my PPL as I think it actually gave me a good advantage going into the flying portion - also made it more manageable (and allowed for easy review along the way!)
 
FAA publications are good. I'd say get some hours under your belt first. Get flight following on every flight and get real comfortable talking on the radio if you aren't already. Hold you heading, altitude, and speed precisely.
 
There's the Instrument Flying Handbook and also the Instrument Procedures Handbook. I'd hold off reading the TERPS right now though :)
I'd also make sure I totally understood everything in the Aeronautical Charts Users Guide that applies to IFR charting.

I'd read through Peter Dogan's book. Best book on doing the IFR "flying" part.
 
I agree with @jordane93. The knowledge stuff is easy enough to pick up during training (though there is a lot of it).

The harder part is the precise flying and "constant" communication with ATC. Get flight following as often as possible and try to hold heading and altitude as close as possible (I think speed control can come as part of instrument training as well). But I used to think "Eh, I planned to be at 3200' and I've slipped down to 3100'... so I'll just stay there now." Where now I tend to get annoyed when I mean to be at 3200' and I find myself at 3160' and am immediately working to correct the situation (vs accepting the deviation as the new normal). Same with heading.
But make sure that you're not fixating on the gauges to the detriment of your see-and-avoid responsibilities.

It's not as much "fun" as just flying around looking at the sights, so maybe mix in some "fun" flights with these "pre-instrument training" flights.
 
The reading is the easy part,it's now time to fly with precision .
 
Thanks guys! Good thing is I am very comfortable on the radios...in fact the examiner I took my PPL checkride with was very happy with my radio communications...I use flight following a lot and fly out of a busy airport..I will continue to do that.

Thanks!
 
CC268 said:
Thanks guys! Good thing is I am very comfortable on the radios...in fact the examiner I took my PPL checkride with was very happy with my radio communications...
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Now if he'd compliment you on the accuracy of your instruments...
 
Good thnking to start reading ahead. Whether you jump on the training portion in the fall, does not matter, the instrument books will increase your knowledge of understanding a lot. You will learn a lot more that you had do for your PPL. It is good to pre-learn, let it sink in and then come back to it.
In the meantime, definitely fly plenty, become one with the airplane. It will make it easier later when you have to fly her by instruments only. So go fly as much as you can, get in some cross countries, do breakfast hops, have fun. Fly some pups if you can.
But definitely pre-read the books now.
 
CC268 said:
Just finished PPL and will most likely start Instrument later this year (thinking maybe October). I figure for now I will start reading the Instrument Flying Handbook. Does this seem like a good start?

I may do my Instrument Ground School (King Schools) early like I did my PPL as I think it actually gave me a good advantage going into the flying portion - also made it more manageable (and allowed for easy review along the way!)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great idea since that is exactly what I did. I read the Instrument Flying Handbook and Instrument Procedures Handbook over a week. Then did the King course for the written the next week and took the written before I even started the flying. All that made the move to flying a really smooth transition.
 
I studied Jeppesen's IFR book. Most readable of anything I've found. Then I started taking practice tests. Understanding holds is the most difficult (and its not THAT hard), so be sure you UNDERSTAND those. You will need to know them for your oral and instructors and DE's like to make students fly them a lot, since they are the most difficult thing to figure out. Once you start getting 90's on the practice tests take the written and pass. If studying gets too boring you can watch the videos that King and others make. Find an instructor that understands the technicalities and you get along with. Pilot training is "vocational learning" as opposed to "formal college" training so its just a matter of learning specific, written down material. And its fun! Get the hours under the hood and take the practical. Good luck!
 
Rod Machado's Instrument Survival Manual was what I used. The PilotEdge workshops referenced above are ok but not particularly well-edited (since they were held live). I can say that since I did 'em. For an instrument refresher or ground school one step beyond that, I'd suggest the Real World IFR video linked in my sig. There is a brief, flight and debrief for a healthy number of IFR flights, covering towered and non-towered ops plus the instrument refresher. It's been well received by people who are you in your boat. Otherwise, if you'd rather not part with any $, the PE workshops are certainly there.
 
When it's time to interview instructors, here are a few things to consider:

 
I tried to get a jump start by reading the materials and studying for the written test, but it didn't click or make sense until I got a few hours and lessons under my belt.
So yes, start reading. But don't let yourself get frustrated and give up early.
There will be things you absolutely can not make sense of on the ground, but as soon as you're in the air it will just click.
At the same time there will be things you think you have down pat on the ground, but as soon as you're in the air you'll feel like a trailer in a tornado.
 
Yes. Start reading the instrument flying handbook. All the best for your aviation career.
 
Amazing omission in the questions is a failure to ask how often the instructor actually operates in the IFR system when not instructing. You definitely don't want a low time instructor who has never ventured beyond the flight school's normal instruction airports. If the instructor doesn't operate routinely in the IFR system more than 100 miles from your airport, run as fast as you can to find somebody else. You want experience as the most important criteria.
 
coma24 said:
The PilotEdge workshops referenced above are ok but not particularly well-edited (since they were held live). I can say that since I did 'em.
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I just don't like the fake accent. ;)
 
Are you a low life spamming scum?
Are you incapable of reading the forum rules?
Then yes, find every old thread on the forum that's even tangentially related to your product and SPAM it!
 
CC268 said:
Hey guys,

Just finished PPL and will most likely start Instrument later this year (thinking maybe October). I figure for now I will start reading the Instrument Flying Handbook. Does this seem like a good start?

I may do my Instrument Ground School (King Schools) early like I did my PPL as I think it actually gave me a good advantage going into the flying portion - also made it more manageable (and allowed for easy review along the way!)
Click to expand...

Seems like a great start. The AIM chapter 5 also, along with other publications that have been mentioned. Like some others have said, don't get to bogged down when things seem to not make sense. You're going to run across some new words and terminology. Keep browsing, things will make more sense when you take a second pass through them.
 
flyingron said:
I'd read through Peter Dogan's book. Best book on doing the IFR "flying" part.
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I used this book and it is a good one, easy to read and understand. The two FAA books as mentioned, AIM, and of course the FARs. Make a few visits to towers, TRACON etc.
 
I'd just get the king videos/program
 
If you read and memorize this, you'll be a long way down your reading list!!

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Chris172 said:
Sorry for bringing this old thread back up. Working on my instrument and noticed the new "Instrument Flying Handbook" says "For use in 2024". Does it really matter if we get the latest and greatest or can I just get a used one from ebay?
I recall getting "Private Pilot Manual" for $20 from ebay when working on my PPL and it worked fine for me.
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You will want the latest............for sure. Things change!!
 
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