Ifr training
Posted by Illustrious-Prior938@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 31 comments
Im probably going to be doing most of my ifr training at night, wondering if there is any negatives to doing it like this🤷‍♂️
phxcobraz@reddit
I did mine at night, as it was cooler/less bumpy, my CFI had a day job, and I had a newborn at home I was taking care of during the day while my wife worked(I was on leave).
It was pretty great, frequently got approaches unavailable during the day, and when we left the city it was a lot like real IFR, in that I couldn't see shit and forced focusing on the gauges.
SRM_Thornfoot@reddit
No negatives for the training. Just the standard night flying issues like airport noise restrictions and finding a suitable landing spot if your engine quits.
Be sure to get some day actual IFR because you need to see how cloud formations and shapes can be more disorienting than just a hood. If you come across a stratified layer of clouds that is at an angle and not actually level with the ground it can give you a very strong sense of the leans.
DanThePilot_Mann@reddit
IR at night is great for 2 reasons, one being added immersion to lack of outside reference, the second is the air is smooooooooth, which helps limit task saturation while youre learning it.
LeagueResponsible985@reddit
And at least here in SoCal, the airspace/radio is not as busy. It's waaay easer to get a practice approach after dark. It's also easier to see traffic at night, but that's the CFII's job.
Mega-Eclipse@reddit
One one hand, it's much harder to "cheat" and more realstic to actual. With any type of foggles, you can always gain some information based on where the sun is, and you'll get glimpses of the ground.
The downside(s) is that it's rarely as windy, bumpy, or busy. Navigating and approaches are much easier when you aren't being tossed around, riding thermals, and constantly be vectored for traffic and trying to fly an ILS to mins with a 10-15kt crosswind.
The hour are the hours...so wouldn't worry. But definitely takes some flights on hot, bumpy, windy days.
Also, if possible learn with dual G5 (or similar/better). Learning on a 6 pick of steam gauges is "cool" and the old timers will praise you...but when I switched to G5s..it is so much better and easier and more efficient.
CaptMcMooney@reddit
it's probably a good thing, much much closer to actual ifr flying. moonless night out in the middle of nowhere IS most likely ifr.
pilotshashi@reddit
iFR training in night is the best.
hunman2019@reddit
I been thinking of doing this too. Only thing is night single engine kinda scares me especially bc the area around my home airport is pretty populated.
y2khardtop1@reddit
Make sure your safety pilot is night current and comfortable in your plane at night. You need a lot of hours
ltcterry@reddit
CFII
y2khardtop1@reddit
That’s a waste of
makgross@reddit
Night current? Only the PIC needs to be night current.
Thomas-Ligotti97@reddit
It’s just good practice. I’d prefer my safety pilot to have good experience and recency with spotting traffic at night
makgross@reddit
The issues with night currency are related to landings. Spotting traffic is substantially easier.
y2khardtop1@reddit
That wasn’t legal advice, I wouldn’t want the person who’s eyes are keeping us safe being anything but 100% current, rated and proficient for 40hrs
PG67AW@reddit
Most of my IFR students were mostly at night this year. I don’t like mixing IMC and night though, so we planned day flights got getting actual IMC experience.
Emergency_Rhubarb_91@reddit
Bring a red light headlamp and extra batteries!!
CFI_Ben@reddit
To answer your question directly, there are ZERO negatives to doing most of your IFR flying at night. Try and get some flights in during the day when its hot and bumpy too since your checkride will most likely be during the day
Perfect_Insurance_26@reddit
How will you see the rivers at night? Kind of counter-intuitive.
cficole@reddit
I did a fair amount of mine at night. I liked it better, since I didn't have the same level of distraction from seeing motion in my peripheral vision. The hoods never had perfect blocking at the edges, and motion tends to draw the eyes.
Comprehensive-Try430@reddit
My first instrument training flight was at night and in IMC. Lots of fun wish I did it more at night
Odd_Entertainment471@reddit
Did almost all of mine at night. Smoother. Less traffic, so I had more of ATCs attention and support, cooler in the cockpit, and you don’t ever get to look outside anyways. My CFII let me peek once, on the approach into Orlando, we were over the Castle. That’s the only peek I took, and it’s not like you can see a lot anyways. Get as much night as you can.
acniv@reddit
Nope
Hodgetwins32@reddit
I did mine at night, it was winter, it’s more realistic. You’ll be better for it.
VrLights@reddit
no
DifferentIntern6311@reddit
I did mine mostly during the night (after work and during the winter). Practice area was quieter which made it easier to shoot approaches. Easier to get a bravo clearance too
LowTimePilot@reddit
In my personal experience it's significantly better to do your instrument training at night. Less "cheating", less traffic which means you'll get more practice approaches in, and you get to log more night time.Â
Send it.
Sleepy_Pylote@reddit
Nope you can’t see anyway. Only downside is it’s harder to spot a good spot to land if you had an engine failure, but your CFII will take care of that. Just make sure to turn on the lights
Biker1124@reddit
My CFIs all regret one thing, not doing more of their IR at night.
Sleepy_Pylote@reddit
I would give my instrument students a lot of night. I’d even get my commercial students in there too during the time building portion. Obviously not for all of it, but it’s a good skill
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Im probably going to be doing most of my ifr training at night, wondering if there is any negatives to doing it like this🤷‍♂️
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