The leans and looking outside

[AU_James]

So I'm a handful of hours into my IR training and yesterday I experienced two pretty incredible feelings.

First, I got the leans for the first time as using goggles doesn't actually simulate actual very well. I think it was just the mixture of a slow heading change, then straightening, then another slow heading change in the same direction, plus the tiny bit of peripheral I could see out the low far side of the goggles was the Gulf and the sun was relatively low, etc.

For about 5 minutes I could have sworn we were still banking and that my engine was working too hard for straight and level. I know that I was working too hard for straight and level but all the instruments were saying I was indeed straight and level at normal cruise RPM and airspeed. My instructor wasn't correcting me or warning me about anything, but wow. I definitely want to experience that as much as I can with the instructor and we did talk about it after.

Second, we ended the lesson with an approach down to a touch and go and then a trip in the pattern visually. Climbing and turning in the visual pattern felt both awkward and incredible after almost 2 straight hours with the goggles on. I had to remind myself to look outside and turn my head and take in the beautiful early evening, see the C-130 on final and the landing lights of the jet behind it. It felt great to move my neck muscles and enjoy the scene.

The first sensation I expected to feel eventually. In fact I wanted to feel it. The second sensation was one I did not realize would happen. I'm not sure I've had quite the same appreciation for visual flight like I did last night, even though I've taken VFR flights during my training and plan to continue to do so.

It all serves to make me that much more excited to progress toward IR!

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Yes, it’s a wierd dimension of flying, IFR is.

I’m about 2/3 done with my training. I’ve gotten to where when I’m under hood and the instructor wants to teach me something looking outside the cockpit, I almost get more disoriented and distracted looking out!

We’ve looked at the wings, tires, windshield for the start of icing; looked at and discussed virga, and the development into rain and associated down drafts we felt due to our downwind location; looking at the development of that scraggly bottom into an area to avoid; and using ground shadows from the clouds to assess storm movements and velocity that you can see looking up. In all cases I was ridiculously and inexplicably bent on getting back on instruments, lol. Weird stuff this IFR thing.

 

[RingLaserGyroSandwich]

I completed my IFR training (at least as far as earning the rating) without ever experiencing the leans or noticing any other disorientating illusions (despite spending some time in actual, and a bunch of hood time obviously)... it actually worries me because I'm sure I'll experience it sooner or later, and I likely won't be with an instructor.

 

[AU_James]

In all cases I was ridiculously and inexplicably bent on getting back on instruments

I think I have experience a little bit of that as well. I just want to make sure everything is centered and on track and I'm correcting for things that I know are going all wrong every second I spend looking outside!

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

I think I have experience a little bit of that as well. I just want to make sure everything is centered and on track and I'm correcting for things that I know are going all wrong every second I spend looking outside!

LOL!

Just wait til you have to program a NAV/COM/GPS or brief an approach just one button or one element at a time, lol. Jotting the ATIS can be interesting too...do I want it read faster or slower? Quite a circus, for me at least.

CFI now likes to give me “amended” ATC instructions right before the moment I’m supposed to be doing something that I was prepared to do to stay ahead of the plane. “Standby” is my magic word.

Sounds like you’re doing early lessons on approaches too, same as me...might as well, since we gotta land. It’s a lot to learn when included with the other stuff that you have to get good at too, so don’t get discouraged about not nailing approaches at hour 15-20. I have maybe 1-2 more focused flights to go on holds (more so on interpreting the ATC request and entering them rather than actually flying them which has become fun), then we will focus on approaches.

Folks on POA coached me earlier this year that it would click at some point and it actually finally has during May.

HAVE FUN!!!

 

[AU_James]

Thanks for this. I'm definitely still early but I really like that I'm getting familiar with approaches already. I've only "briefed" one completely on my own so far and I had PLENTY of time to do it.

It's funny you mention recording information or pressing buttons one at a time. I've encountered moments when I press a button, check the instruments, press another, check the instruments... and I feel like "oh this is no big deal, I can just enter the entire route." Then on the same flight I'll press a single button and I feel like I turned 15 degrees and lost 200 feet in those 3 seconds.

I've also just learned that even if the leg prior required a 700 fpm descent to meet the altitudes, it doesn't mean that I have to continue that rate when I have 5 miles to lose another 300 feet... It's like they expect us to have spacial understanding and recognition when I can't look outside or something.

The early flights have given me confidence that I CAN do this which is good because I know my instructor will now start putting a lot more tasks on me.

 

[Bill Watson]

My favorite action pre-AP was dropping my pencil. Learned to keep 3 or 4 golf pencils available but at annual time I got scolded a bit.

It’s fun stuff. The training is harder than doing it for real on a real trip... until something unexpected happens, then the training and proficiency work is golden.


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