Where can I find what to learn for IFR flight?

TimRF79

TimRF79

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Tim
I got my PPL and want to build time towards my IR.
Wondering the whole time, what you actually learn in instrument training and what of this i can:

Learn flying VFR in plane
Learn on X-Plane (home simulator)
Learn will flying under the hood

Would like to get prepared prior to getting with a CFII, as this is what I did for my PPL and it worked well (did about 60 hours on X-Plane before ever getting into a plane; my CFI noted that it helped a ton)
 
X-Plane will not be much help understanding the charts, ATC, airspace, etc. Download everything you need to learn here:

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/

Instrument Flying Handbook (PDF)
Instrument Flying Handbook Errata Sheet (PDF) 12/21/2012 10/10/2014
Instrument Flying Handbook Addendum (PDF) 4/10/2015
Instrument Procedures Handbook Sept. 2017

What X-Plane will help with is your scan of the instruments and flying approaches (by watching the instruments).
 
As @murphey said, X-Plane will be helpful for developing a scan. With no biofeedback, it really becomes necessary to keep up a good scan. It will also help for practicing procedures. At one time, for example, I bought a set I'd make-your-own business cards and printed holding instructions on them. "Shuffle" the deck and pick a card. Fly it and see how you did.

The value of all that is descendent on starting lessons and having something to practice. Doing it on your own is more likely to develop bad habits than anything helpful.
 
I’m fairly certain you cannot fly under the hood by yourself. So unless you have a safety pilot, that shouldn’t be done.

I think reading and taking a course to work on your written will get you started then you can just start taking lessons. Don’t want to take a lot of time is instilling some bad habits.
 
Disable your autopilot whenever you fly VFR.
Hold altitudes within 50’ while VFR.
Hold headings within 5deg while VFR.
Fly all VFR with flight following.
 
FAR §61.65 "Instrument rating requirements" is another important reference. But you already know that, right? ;);)
 
murphey said:
What X-Plane will help with is your scan of the instruments and flying approaches (by watching the instruments).
Click to expand...

Yes, it can. But @TimRF79, caution needs to be applied, as it it easy to learn bad habits that then become expensive to unlearn.

Things you can do now that can really help are...
  • Go exercise your PPL privileges and do flights to airports at least 50nm away
  • While doing so
    • Always be on Flight Following so you practice radio comms and get ATC's help for a good flight.
    • Practice flying within ACS standards of +/- 100 feet of altitude and +/- 5° of heading.
    • Practice reviewing the weather charts and learning/comprehending what your looking at. Also get actual briefings from Flight Service by calling them.

Doing some of the PnP missions between Houston and Dallas will be really good opportunities to do all of this.
 
Other instrument students will likely be looking for safety pilots. You could volunteer, and get first-hand experience of what to expect. Talk with any CFII that you know - let them know you’d like to ride along and/or be safety pilot for their students. This is also a good way to preview what the instructor is like, and whether or not you might want to hire him/her. I’m in Pearland if you ever want to go flying. I just got signed off to take my instrument checkride.
 
I also bought the King course. That is excellent too. I did great on my exam and really helped me prepare for the checkride.
 
Practice copying down IFR clearances so you don't end up like this guy.

 
One of my favorite videos.... and have the link saved for a future IFR comms class that I might help teach.
 
I fly out of my area a lot since I fly Reno to Michigan each year and go a different route each time. Before calling for my IFR clearance I try to at least look at the departure procedures so I might have an idea what Hubbard and Quitman are. I'd have been tearing out my hair if I was next in queue to get my clearance, waiting for this guy to get it right.
 
The Jeppesen Instrument/Commercial book was vastly more useful than many others, highly recommended to begin with. Easy to read, comprehensive, self tests, great diagrams. Be sure to get the softcover version.

Agree with others completely on tight VFR tolerances and getting FF.

I used x-plane substantially in my training. It can help, but limited until you’ve flown a few approaches and have a general understanding of what’s happening. I find it harder to fly than the real airplane, so it helps with my scan and attention division. Once I had around 20 approaches done in the AC, I used XP to bang in the good habits by doing the same 3 approaches over and over until I could nail them. Then change the wind, add gusts and do it again.

However, XP can hurt, too. If your avionics don’t match the ones in XP, you might find yourself fumbling when you get saturated in the real thing.
 
Work with a CFII and then dial up PilotEdge.net with X-Plane. It will make a HUGE difference.
 
wrbix said:
Disable your autopilot whenever you fly VFR.
Hold altitudes within 50’ while VFR.
Hold headings within 5deg while VFR.
Fly all VFR with flight following.
Click to expand...
Why is it important to hold a heading?

I thought for all flying, but IFR especially you need to hold a course.

Which brings me to the question, do you hold course using the 430W or do you need to be able to hold course with other instruments?
(Though if the 430W goes down, so goes VOR1...)
 
TimRF79 said:
Why is it important to hold a heading?

I thought for all flying, but IFR especially you need to hold a course.

Which brings me to the question, do you hold course using the 430W or do you need to be able to hold course with other instruments?
(Though if the 430W goes down, so goes VOR1...)
Click to expand...

You have to hold a heading to hold a course, it keeps you from chasing needles. So for instance, if your course is 180 but you've got a wind correction of 5 degrees, you'll fly a heading of 185 to hold your course of 180. This especially is important when flying a localizer otherwise you'll be making S turns all over the place.
 
labbadabba said:
You have to hold a heading to hold a course, it keeps you from chasing needles. So for instance, if your course is 180 but you've got a wind correction of 5 degrees, you'll fly a heading of 185 to hold your course of 180. This especially is important when flying a localizer otherwise you'll be making S turns all over the place.
Click to expand...

The initial comment was regarding disabling the AP when flying VFR.
On a cross country you will have various different winds and hence my thought about holding course and not heading

On approach, wouldn't the attention be divided between heading and course deviation indicator?
 
TimRF79 said:
The initial comment was regarding disabling the AP when flying VFR.
On a cross country you will have various different winds and hence my thought about holding course and not heading
On approach, wouldn't the attention be divided between heading and course deviation indicator?
Click to expand...

On a cross country you'll almost never have a 0 degree correction so you'll be flying a heading and cross-checking against your CDI. If your needle starts to drift then you pick a new heading.

Same concept on the approach, only magnified. You'll dial in the final approach course on your CDI fly that course/heading to see what the needle does (unless you already have an idea what the wind is doing which you should). After identifying the wind correction angle, you'll fly that heading to maintain course on the localizer. If your needle moves, you'll adjust your heading and cross-check to see if the needle is correcting. If you fixate on the CDI, you'll end up chasing the needle. Pick a heading, cross-check, and correct. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Point is, you fly a heading to maintain course.

wrbix provided you with solid advice.

wrbix said:
Disable your autopilot whenever you fly VFR.
Hold altitudes within 50’ while VFR.
Hold headings within 5deg while VFR.
Fly all VFR with flight following.
Click to expand...
 
TimRF79 said:
Why is it important to hold a heading?

I thought for all flying, but IFR especially you need to hold a course....
Click to expand...

isn't this barebones, VFR 101 basic flying knowledge? how do you have a PPL and not know the difference between heading and course?
 
eman1200 said:
isn't this barebones, VFR 101 basic flying knowledge? how do you have a PPL and not know the difference between heading and course?
Click to expand...
Obviously I know the difference, hence I ask why someone would want to hold a heading?
As the holding of a course seems to be more relevant.
 
TimRF79 said:
Obviously I know the difference, hence I ask why someone would want to hold a heading?
As the holding of a course seems to be more relevant.
Click to expand...

it's not obvious to me that you know the difference.
 
TimRF79 said:
Why is it important to hold a heading?

I thought for all flying, but IFR especially you need to hold a course.

Which brings me to the question, do you hold course using the 430W or do you need to be able to hold course with other instruments?
(Though if the 430W goes down, so goes VOR1...)
Click to expand...

No. Well, yes, but no. Some of the time. Having just a 430W would meet the requirement for IFR. A 400W or 420W would also. So would any WAAS capable GPS. If your GPS is not WAAS then you have to have VOR also. A 430 covers this, it has VOR. Most planes have a second NAV source, usually a good ol’ NAV/COM. Some have two GPS’s, usually ones with VHF NAV built in like Garmins 430. If you had two 430’s and one of them went down, you would then use another instrument. Well not really, it’s not a different kind of instrument, just another of the same. And blah, blah, blah...At the end of the day, the answer to your question is Yes.
 
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TimRF79 said:
Obviously I know the difference, hence I ask why someone would want to hold a heading?
As the holding of a course seems to be more relevant.
Click to expand...

Yes. The holding of course is relevant. It’s really all that is relevant to being where you are supposed to be. What’s relevant about heading is that heading is what you use to stay on course. I have to agree that you have a fundamental misunderstanding to even ask such a question

EDIT: I think I get what you mean. When you say “why someone would want to HOLD a heading” you mean hold it and keep holding it even if you start drifting off course. Of course you don’t do that.
 
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First step....main step....

Learn the knowledge. In 36 years as an air traffic controller and incident investigations with the FAA and 40 years as an instructor pilot I can give you this...the biggest failure of instrument pilots ( and any pilot for that matter) is improficiency or incompetency in the academics. Academics is not fun or cool. It’s hours of serious study.

First step...pick up the books and make sure you know your stuff. I don’t know you but I know you are not where you need to be. Almost no one is. I’m about as proficient as one can be only because I teach and use this every day hours a day.....AND I STILl FIND STUFF I DONT KNOW or have missed.

The best thing to make yourself a good pilot is to turn off the TV, get your books together and study and become expert. The airplane is a small part of the skill sets.

Tex
 
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