Making the most of VFR cross country flying

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Kevin Holbrook

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Hello all,

I obtained my PPL about 2.5 years ago; as of about one year ago, I had about 200 hours and was about to start intensive IFR training with my local CFII. COVID and a change in business led to a change in plans...

I am now working long hours, and am commuting in my airplane about 1.5 hours each way, 3-4 days a week. So lots of cross country time, but no time for flight training. I can expect to have some breaks in this routine later this year or early next year, and my plan at this time is to do an accelerated instrument course, such as PIC.

The Sporty's IFR course has been completed, and I have passed my IFR written. I read books about IFR flying, and feel as if I have a very good feel for the system and how to be a part of it.

I am doing everything I can to make the most of my current flying: concentrating on flying precise heading and altitude, learning my airplane's climb / cruise / descent parameters. I intercept and track VORS. I don't hold at published fixes or fly practice IFR approaches because I don't have a safety pilot in the cockpit and worry that there may be someone else sharing the airspace.

Besides what I am doing, any tips on what else I can do to make my flight time more productive?
 
Use flight following if you are not. I'm just PPL but it sure is nice to be comfortable with chatter on app/dep/center. Also if you are FF they will be radar tracking you and call out traffic.

If you are cloud averse maybe work in more flights that have you legally around clouds a bit more. I don't mean going above total overcast or any of that. Just getting more comfortable above scattered and talking to center on FF to inform them you will be changing course or altitudes for clouds or winds, etc. I envision one day, if I ever get IFR that I would have cases like that and want to ask for course or altitude changes, etc.

And more night flight. I don't do much night flight...about 15% of total hours by the android log. I wish I had at least double that.

...then again you might already be doing tall that!
 
Thanks to those who have commented so far!

I do use FF, forgot to mention that. I fly from uncontrolled airport to uncontrolled airport, so there isn't much talking, but I still do it.

One of the airports I use has no lighting, so I'm not getting to fly much at night. On a couple of occasions I departed just before night from the unlighted airport, but don't get to do that often.

I would love to have an instructor or even a safety pilot to fly with, but that is just not in the cards right now. When I leave for my job site, I may be there two hours or 3 days. It's not practical to try to find a CFII to go along with me. And I don't have time to fly / train outside of work. Stressful situation, but it won't last forever.
 
If you can't get a CFII or a safety pilot there's not that much more you can do. I guess you can call up approach and request some VFR practice approaches. Obviously no foggles and keep your eyes out side and back to the instruments. I don't know how much this would really help though. I guess it would get you more familiar with ATC communications but I would be worried that you wont be developing a good scan. You really need a CFII at this point
 
For IFR it's important to stay way ahead of the airplane and everything else. Get in the habit of setting frequencies, GPS, etc, as much as you can, on the ground. For radios: Comm 1 gets CTAF and on standby the departure frequency for FF. Comm 2 gets local ATIS and distant ATIS on standby. Once airborne and switched over to approach, set Comm 1 standby to next FF handoff or distant CTAF as applicable. Have your GPS programed on the ground with waypoints, etc.
If there is something on your radio or GPS you don't understand, now would be the perfect time to fiddle with it until you fully comprehend, then make it second nature.
 
Find another IFR student as a safety pilot.
 
Be a safety pilot for another instrument student or an instrument rated pilot maintaining his or her currency.

Insist on flying precise headings, altitudes, airspeeds, and a centered CDI. If you plan to fly at 8,500, don’t make excuses for yourself when you hit 8,450 or 8,550.
 
Pretty much covered by all the good comments posted above, sounds like you're definitely at the point where the next step is 'formal' training with a CFII. Flight following, for sure, the more you're used to talking and listening to ATC, the better. Precise flying, absolutely. You mentioned airplane performance parameters, yes, get used to flying "by the numbers" with your t/o, climbs, descent, approaches; that is an integral part of instrument flying. And, I'm sure you get thorough weather briefings for your VFR flights, and even though you're not flying in he clouds, try to look at every flight from the perspective if an IFR pilot, correlating wx forecasts (fronts, clouds, etc.) with what you see out the window. The more you become 'attuned' to understanding what goes on with weather, the better.
 
Kevin Holbrook said:
Hello all,

I obtained my PPL about 2.5 years ago; as of about one year ago, I had about 200 hours and was about to start intensive IFR training with my local CFII. COVID and a change in business led to a change in plans...

I am now working long hours, and am commuting in my airplane about 1.5 hours each way, 3-4 days a week. So lots of cross country time, but no time for flight training. I can expect to have some breaks in this routine later this year or early next year, and my plan at this time is to do an accelerated instrument course, such as PIC.

The Sporty's IFR course has been completed, and I have passed my IFR written. I read books about IFR flying, and feel as if I have a very good feel for the system and how to be a part of it.

I am doing everything I can to make the most of my current flying: concentrating on flying precise heading and altitude, learning my airplane's climb / cruise / descent parameters. I intercept and track VORS. I don't hold at published fixes or fly practice IFR approaches because I don't have a safety pilot in the cockpit and worry that there may be someone else sharing the airspace.

Besides what I am doing, any tips on what else I can do to make my flight time more productive?
Click to expand...

1. Use flight following. This gets you accustomed in the system. It is almost like IFR anyway.
2. Request and fly an instrument approach. I don't mean with your foggles. Its no different than a straight-in VFR approach. ATC will also help by pointing out any other VFR traffic in the pattern.
3. 6 hours a week is way way more than any other private pilot. If you plan it right, you should be able to take your checkride without a whole lot of additional training.
 
Country Flier said:
For IFR it's important to stay way ahead of the airplane and everything else. Get in the habit of setting frequencies, GPS, etc, as much as you can, on the ground.
Click to expand...

Very good advice. One thing you may learn once you start IFR training are the T's. My CFII added a last T to the list: Ticipate. Stood for anticipate, and the point was to always think of the next step and prepare for it as soon as possible.

Country Flier said:
Comm 2 gets local ATIS and distant ATIS on standby.
Click to expand...

I do have a bit of a quibble with this, or at least an alternative suggestion. I put 121.5 on the standby. Upon departure, I make 121.5 active and then set the destination ATIS on standby. That way I'm monitoring guard for most of the flight.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro[/QUOTE]
 
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Interesting radio management, always like to see how others do it.

On the ground, Com 1 is tower active w/departure in standby. Com 2 is ATIS over Ground; get the numbers then swap to ground active and the next logical wx goes into standby.
 
TCABM said:
On the ground, Com 1 is tower active w/departure in standby. Com 2 is ATIS over Ground; get the numbers then swap to ground active and the next logical wx goes into standby.
Click to expand...
Yep. This is how I do it. At work we usually have whoever we’re talking to on comm 1 since our VHF1 antenna is on top of the plane and gets the best reception and comm 2 is reserved for listening frequencies since VHF2 antenna is in the bottom
 
jimhorner said:
Very good advice. One thing you may learn once you start IFR training are the T's. My CFII added a last T to the list: Ticipate. Stood for anticipate, and the point was to always think of the next step and prepare for it as soon as possible.



I do have a bit of a quibble with this, or at least an alternative suggestion. I put 121.5 on the standby. Upon departure, I make 121.5 active and then set the destination ATIS on standby. That way I'm monitoring guard for most of the flight.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]
Good point, and I actually use com 2 during flight to monitor 121.5 as well. But, I don't think that is important, as we all have our own way of doing things. What IS important, is doing it with a plan that works for the individual pilot, and not just somewhat haphazardly putting in frequencies.
 
If you wanted you could add:
-descents on glide slope in visual conditions, maintaining proper airspeed, to get a feel for the power settings (flaps at FAF).
-practice writing down clearances (use internet for clearance recordings)
-step climbs, maintaining airspeed, then do it maintaining rate; descend, same thing.
-when on approach for landing, use flaps 10, cross 200 ft AGL at 90 knots, aim for the 1000 ft markers, and slow it down for proper touchdown (you’ll probably want to do a straight-in long final; might actually want to grab a CFI for this, if uncomfortable)
-practice A & B patterns visually

These will get you started so when you actually do them, you’ll know what’s up. It’s also nothing that will set up bad habits that your CFII will have to break.
 
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