Pre IPC practice

ChemGuy

ChemGuy

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ChemGuy
Got rated a few years ago. Flew a bunch IFR and several hours actual. Sold share of IFR plane. Changed jobs, moved. Started flying again but obviously not current.
Just bought into a club with an IFR RV7A, 430W tru track 2axis AP w/ALT hold.

I am going to start flying this over the winter with the plan to do an IPC in a couple months.

Where do you guys suggest starting to brush up?
Fly with safety pilot under hood or go straight to CFII?

Any IPC tips too share?

Thanks
 
Save $$ and maximize training, find a CFI with a sim, hit the sim first, then go to the plane.
 
OK. Sounds like the consensus is to go to CFII.

Thanks,
 
All I have to add is if you want to fly approaches on your own VFR- without foggles or anything you can do that. It obviously won't count for anything officially speaking but if you just need to remind yourself of how it's done that's a choice...
 
ChemGuy said:
OK. Sounds like the consensus is to go to CFII.

Thanks,
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That's what they are there for (aside from initial training obviously). If it's been a couple/few years, you will probably be surprised at how rusty you actually are. I feel super rusty after a few weeks off in a plane that I have professionally flown for close to 10 years. I'd submit you probably would, with a little review/studying, be tight procedurally speaking.......but applying that in the airplane while trying to get your comfort/flow back in terms of actually wiggling the stick/yoke, turning things on, and pressing buttons, can take a little time. It will come back fast, but having a professional give you a detailed debrief (or real time feedback) is worth the small amount of $$ I think. Although I say this purely for the sake of actually getting you proficient again, I'd bet it would also give you peace of mind during the IPC as well.
 
If I were you I would load up Pilotedge on the simulator at home and dance through the I-ratings. Then show up to your IPC and it'll be mostly refamiliarizing with looking in the panel and getting reacquainted with disorientation. Easy, way cheaper than running an engine and paying an instructor for extra time finding more approaches
 
I was in the same boat. For me, there was a good 8 years between flying IFR. I did a lot of VFR flying between then, even professionally. What I did before my IPC, was just ask for practice approaches VFR, even solo. Yes I made mistakes, but it was all VFR and not much at risk. Track Victor airways, intercept them, pick a fix and enter holds, all VFR. I swallowed my pride and just did it knowing I might look like a fool on the ATC screen. But it all came back pretty quick. IPC took 3 flights, but i did pretty well in my opinion. Then, I filed every time for a year. 1000 mile vis, still filed. It lets me continue to make mistakes in VFR and hone the craft. Plus IFR in VMC adds the outside scan for traffic, which makes it a bit tougher.
 
Roughly same situation, I used Xplane flight sim software; bought a cheap yoke, and had at it. I got in quite a lot of practice in a compressed time period. Worthwhile supplemental prep for an IPC.

Caveat: Xplane's 172 was weirdly close to our airplane, and the GPS was nearly a dead-ringer for our G-530. I was hand-flying all the time, so the autopilot diffrences weren't germane.

The cheap yokes and pedals ensure the sims aren't all that great for VFR "play", but as IFR procedures training, they have high value.
 
Don’t discount sitting down by yourself to remember how to read a chart before you get in the air. So much stuff on YouTube these days, spend an hour or two on there getting a feel for IFR flight again.
 
So i discovered something this weekend. I originally did my instrument prep thru the shortys online course. And i can still access it. So im watching all of that again as a nice refresher.
And a local flight school has a redbird AATD (motion) for less than the cost of flying. Ill go there and get some practice in.
 
Sundancer said:
Roughly same situation, I used Xplane flight sim software; bought a cheap yoke, and had at it. I got in quite a lot of practice in a compressed time period. Worthwhile supplemental prep for an IPC.

Caveat: Xplane's 172 was weirdly close to our airplane, and the GPS was nearly a dead-ringer for our G-530. I was hand-flying all the time, so the autopilot diffrences weren't germane.

The cheap yokes and pedals ensure the sims aren't all that great for VFR "play", but as IFR procedures training, they have high value.
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I would concur with this. Get Xplane and VR goggles. The visual realism is quite stunning. The exact flight model is not too important because for IFR you are mostly looking for the procedures, and where to reach for things in the cockpit.
 
sarangan said:
I would concur with this. Get Xplane and VR goggles. The visual realism is quite stunning. The exact flight model is not too important because for IFR you are mostly looking for the procedures, and where to reach for things in the cockpit.
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Glad someone else is using XP + VR. I have been doing this, too (I am just starting out IR training doing mostly ground stuff). I am pretty good on the radio already thanks to filing SFRA plans with clc delivery and talking to ATC from the clearance to ground to tower to departure and then I almost always get flight following. So I am good at radio handoffs... anyway back to the point - I have been using XP to practice SIDs, short en-route then approaches by setting the conditions to overcast down to about 300'. Oh and I bought something called Pilot2ATC that is a really good plug in to simulate ATC. Tells you which approach to expect, gives you vectors to final where appropriate, etc. The immersion is really good and has been good for me since the plane I train in is still down for annual.
 
@sarangan @Deelee

Just curious what goggles you have and the general specs on the rig?

I’ve been using flight sims for a while, particularly FSX during my private. Currently using XP11 with my home built mid-range rig. i5 with 16 gb ram and middle of the road graphics card.

I’m working on instrument now and really all I do is set the clouds to minimums for the airports. I wouldn’t think vr would be particularly useful for flying with a blank screen?

And for the OP, I consider having a home sim invaluable for practicing IFR procedures. At a minimum yoke, rudders and TPM.
 
I would consider flying some approaches without a view restricting device to get acquainted with the buttonology in your current ride before jumping into some practice flight and approaches under the hood. Then use your IPC as some final brushup.

That's what I'm doing for transition training with brand new G5s and a legacy autopilot, with an IPC coming up later this month.
 
I've done a number of IPCs, actually did one today to get current and here's my process. I might simplify it too much but in general I use the age old Aviate, Navigate, Communicate to determine what I need to focus on. Also should note that I start out my IPC prep by watching the Sporty's IPC video, it's about a 2 hour watch.

Aviate- I've been flying my plane since February and am extremely comfortable with all flight maneuvers and phases of flight. If you're struggling with this just go fly!

Navigate- The all glass cockpit I gradually learned and got used to over 100 hours of flying. Basic navigation wasn't an issue, but it did take some time to learn the systems and sequencing of everything involved. My old plane had a GTN 650 so I was ahead there, but the G3X, 3-axis autopilot and all the menus and what not I just learned through regular VFR flights or practice approaches. I did start playing XP11 with a Dynon emulated setup, that helped but games and real equipment always varies. In the end I'm very proficient now at getting everything set up and making changes throughout the flight. Sounds like your RV-7 is steam with a 430. Just make sure you know it... if you don't get someone more familiar, or sit in the hangar and press buttons.

Communication- I've never struggled with this. Maybe cause I did comms in the military, or because I get flight following, land at towered fields or whatever. I don't seem to panic or get flustered. Someone mentioned Pilotsedge which I've used, but not quite the same thing if you're trying to task saturate yourself. Something I've done is watched IFR flight YouTube videos, follow along and pause it and try to guess what the pilot will say and what ATC will come back with. Even just randomly watching videos now I'll repeat instructions back out of habit.
 
@ChemGuy So, do you have the damn thing done yet or not, Dan? Do I have to come up there and whip you into shape?
 
Dave Theisen said:
@ChemGuy So, do you have the damn thing done yet or not, Dan? Do I have to come up there and whip you into shape?
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Have you seen the weather up here. Ugh.

Plus traveling a lot. Getting on shuttle from NRT right now

Might take till spring....might be easier to fly it down to PDK and meet up.

And the partners are talking about doing full GRT so....
 
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