Passed my ppl checkride!! Best steps to get into IFR?
Posted by IssueSignificant5170@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 23 comments
Thank you all for your lovely oral ppl exam stories… next question in everyone’s experience what was best way in getting into ifr training and getting it done quickly? Thanks!
Different_Hour2257@reddit
For the ground part, make flashcards about your aircraft systems, what you can do, the types of approaches like these ones : https://www.instagram.com/p/DN2ywy0M2fU/?img_index=1 It will save you !
rickmaz@reddit
Congrats!
CaptPaulie@reddit
Congratulations!
TxAggieMike@reddit
Start flying more to build experience.
Try to make as many flights as possible be cross country. You need 50 hours XC PIC as part of eligibility for checkride.
During these flights, use FlightFollowing to refine your radio comms with ATC. Try to fly more precisely, staying within +/- 50 feet of altitude and +/- 5° of heading.
Review FAR §61.65 and the Instrument airplane ACS.
Use Sheppard Air to prepare for the knowledge exam. Follow their study guide to the letter and don’t vary.
Start interviewing CFII’s to determine who gets your time and attention. Discuss how training would flow and what the syllabus is comprised of.
Don’t skimp on dual training. Regs say you only need a small amount with CFII, but this is the sort of flying that you can get in over your head in a big hurry. You have much to learn and it needs to be learned properly.
Sequence of training once started should be - reinforcing instrument scan - developing pitch/power/performance numbers for your aircraft. Having this on a card in an easily referenced table allows you to “fly by the numbers” and stay with or ahead of airplane. - ground lesson discussing how to make holds simple followed by sim sessions to practice and reinforce good techniques - ground sessions learning approach plates and rules for the different approaches and discussing how to execute the approaches. Follow this with sim sessions to practice and reinforce good techniques - ground discussion and sim sessions for unusual attitude recovery. - back out to the real airplane for sessions to practice everything introduced in the sim. - begin checkride prep phase by flying with the purpose of checking the remaining boxes required by §61.65(c) & (d) - final checkride prep.
. . .
The above is my flow of making someone ready for the IFR world. And it has worked well. So hopefully this answers the “what should I expect” question and gives you a point of reference when discussing training with CFII’s.
. . .
Some additional references to know about
CSGOTRICK@reddit
I did all of my 40 hrs with an instructor. (granted, one who’s also a part owner and instructs for an occasional meal), but I can’t understate how helpful it was to be constantly flying with someone who was pushing my limits during those 40 hours. I also did my IR in my twin since I already had my multi, so single engine approaches were more than common during my training.
AGroAllDay@reddit
To add onto this, watch mock checkrides on YouTube as well further on in training. Gold Seal has a really good mock, as well at Cheese Pilot
johnisom@reddit
You should not go up with a random safety pilot, until maybe later. First, study an online ground school. Then do lessons with your instructor. When you’re at the time building phase, offer to let him safety pilot for free, so you only pay for the plane and not him. It’s the best, safest way, while not being too expensive.
jumpseat320@reddit
Hmm offer an instructor to come for free as a safety pilot? Wouldn't they rather get paid instructing another student? I get that you can ask a IR pilot building towards CPL to come along for free.
johnisom@reddit
My instructor actually offered it to me, to be my safety pilot. The only caveat was instead of splitting costs, he wanted to come along free.
Win-win.
jumpseat320@reddit
Nice!
ashtranscends@reddit
Get Sheppard Air & start studying for the written. Follow the study strategy they give you.
Read over the PilotsCafe IFR sheet as an intro to everything. The IFH is pretty dense, I recommend using an online ground school program to help you get to the point.
TxAggieMike@reddit
In addition to
https://www.pilotscafe.com/IFR-quick-review-guide/
Flight insight IFR sheet: https://www.flight-insight.com/ifr-pdf
Gold Seal instrument “Cheat Sheet” — https://goldseal.link/ifrcheatsheet
VSL.aero ACE Guide
Adventurous_Bus13@reddit
Passed my IR ride last week. Flight insight was a massive part of just getting a general understanding of the IFR world. Couple that with some deep diving in the handbooks/acs and its not too bad!
__joel_t@reddit
In addition to always getting flight following to get used to ATC comms, listen to the Opposing Bases podcast if you're not already. It will give you a LOT of insight into what ATC is doing.
TxAggieMike@reddit
Take my upvote!
__joel_t@reddit
Kind of fun story -- the first flights I took after my PPL checkride were checkout flights with the club I joined. I told the CFI I did eventually want to get my instrument rating, so on one flight, we did a practice approach back to my home airport. When I got the PTAC, I read it back smoothly and without hesitation ("Right 210, 3000 until established, cleared RNAV 24"), and the instructor was like, "You've been studying ahead." In my head, I was thinking, "Actually, I've just been listening to this one podcast."
TxAggieMike@reddit
AG would have been proud
blueBaggins1@reddit
Studying the written, sign up for IFR, get your simulated and cross country hours done.
AlexJamesFitz@reddit
If you're doing Part 61, I recommend getting a decent amount of PIC XC time first. Get flight following and go to Cs and Ds to get experience working with ATC. Will pay off big time in IFR land.
Kentness1@reddit
Fly a lot. Like a lot.
smrcostudio@reddit
This is where simulators are great—you can learn all the instruments ahead of time, especially if you know what the setup is in whatever you’ll most likely be flying. You can use your training dollars on practicing the (many) things the sims can’t give you, but not waste them on having your CFII teach you what buttons and menus to use. I’m not instrument-rated, but I used sims to learn the nav stuff I needed for the PPL. My CFI never had to teach me how a VOR or ADF worked (yeah, I’m old) because I knew how to use them before my first lesson. It gave a lot of focus to the skills I couldn’t learn on a sim, which helped me save a lot and be a better pilot (since I wasn’t devoting attention to remembering how to use the systems).
spacedropper@reddit
Find someone to split time with to build XC hours and foggle time.
rFlyingTower@reddit
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Thank you all for your lovely oral ppl exam stories… next question in everyone’s experience what was best way in getting into ifr training and getting it done quickly? Thanks!
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