IPC Recommendations

[Flyhound]

I got my instrument rating way back in 1989. I used it frequently back then and racked up a fair amount of time in actual IFR conditions (I lived in the Seattle area at the time). My career got in the way of flying for a while and then I made a move to New Mexico. When I got back into flying, the only IFR was violent thunderstorms, so all of my flying in the SW was VFR and I didn't maintain currency. More of life's issues with career and family came along and I stopped flying for another decade. I've been really active again for the past 5 years, racking up over 120 hours/year but all VFR. After dodging weather all the way from Seattle to Northern Virginia on a delivery flight last summer, I'd like to get IFR current again. Does anyone have recommendations for an IFR program that offers a thorough IPC for badly rusted pilots like me? I'd like to spend a week or 2 in concentrated effort rather than doing this piecemeal. The last time I flew actual IFR, the GPS hadn't been invented yet...

 

[flyingron]

I believe you're close enough for CapnRon to come over and give you a good workout. He's in Salisbury and instructs for PIC.

 

[poadeleted20]

Serious, intensive instrument refresher training is a specialty area for Professional Instrument Courses, the company for which I instruct. If you're not familiar with PIC, please see the company's web site http://www.iflyifr.com. One of the standard courses we offer is a 3-day instrument refresher program including ground, simulator (we bring our own), and flight training in your airplane. Your post suggest you think you might need more than three days to get back up to snuff, so we can tailor a program to your needs, whether it takes 4-5 days, a week, or whatever. Since we normally plan a 10-day program for those with no prior instrument training to get their instrument rating, I would not expect you to need two weeks of training, but we can address that after evaluating your instrument knowledge and proficiency on the first day.

If you would like to give this a shot, call Donn Heikkila at 800-I-FLY-IFR. If you'd like me to be your instructor, please tell Donn that when you call (as well as telling him I sent you even if another instructor will be assigned). Of course, since Northern VA is just across the Bay from me, it's likely I'd be assigned on a geographical basis if you don't request a specific instructor.

BTW, what is this airplane you just picked up that you flying now?

 

[Flyhound]

Ron: I'm flying a Maule MX7-180. It is a 2002 model, and yes, it is a taildragger. It is not your typical IFR platform, but it has a nice panel. I have a Garmin 430 with waas, and an Apollo NavCom with 2 CDIs both with glideslope. The rest of the panel is standard steam gauges. There is no autopilot, so all flying is by hand. I don't want, or need to fly hard IFR, but I do want to be able to punch through a layer of scud to VFR on top and then be able to fly back through a layer for my landing. My personal minimums will remain higher than published, partially because of the plane I fly and partially because I've become more risk adverse as I've aged. I also have the luxury of becoming a retiree (in 6 months) so schedule pressures will disappear

My plan is to do some solo refreshing on regs and procedures then get professional help to polish me off. Can your outfit do the training and the IPC check ride?

 

[poadeleted20]

Ron: I'm flying a Maule MX7-180. It is a 2002 model, and yes, it is a taildragger...

...My plan is to do some solo refreshing on regs and procedures then get professional help to polish me off. Can your outfit do the training and the IPC check ride?

Yes, PIC can do that. Call Donn for details.

BTW, while I'm legal as a TW pilot, I am not proficient. I've given instrument training in a Maule before, but would not do anything else (primary, TW endorsement, flight review, etc).