Typical IFR training

[ShawnR]

What is the typical amount of hours in plane to get an IFR rating? I know it is a difficult question, dependent on many factors but wondering if those that have worked with several candidates could put a number range out there....? I have, technically, enough IFR "hours" I believe, in my book, but am nowhere near ready on flying skills alone, to do it.I will need to tighten things up. I have very little Garmin 430 time (but not none). Those hours are just through CPL and PPL training. Mostly ascents and descents at given rates, VOR exercises, etc,probably typical CPL stuff, but not IFR rating oriented. Just putting in the requisite time to get through the CPL test. Is the inflight stuff task oriented ie holds, approaches, etc and the precision flying comes with it? Or would I be better off to spend time, on my own, flying with the intent of tightening up my flying before even starting IFR training?

I only passed my INRAT a couple of weeks ago and now am considering the inflight portion. Wondering what I might expect.What is the worst (hardest) part for most students? I hear of costs of about 10k to complete being typical, so at say $250/hour (plane and instructor), it sounds like about 40 hours in plane.....

I should add I am an older guy, been flying for fun for 20+ years. The CPL was a retirement plan, but still figuring things out. The IFR rating would just make me marketable, maybe, if decide to apply to local operators.

[CpnCrunch]

If you have a PC, buy a copy of FSX and the Garmin 430 add-on module from Reality XP, and it's a pretty realistic simulation of the procedures, helping you get everything cemented in your brain. (I also have FS 2020, but I think FSX is a bit more useful for practicing instrument procedures).

Fly the same routes that you will flight on the flight test (with different takeoff/landing runways), and go through everything on the sim as you would in the real flight, including checklists, checking instruments, programming the 430, estimating fuel for hold time when you accept the hold clearance, doing the hold, setting up backup nav instruments, etc.

If you practice enough in the sim, there's no reason why you can't get the instrument rating in fairly minimal time.

The hardest part is generally the non precision approach, as there are just so many things you need manage. Make sure to be constantly thinking of what you need to do next, in terms of programming the GPS, doing checklists, backup nav instruments, etc. And if you self-navigate (rather than getting ATC vectors), don't try to crowd yourself by turning inbound too quickly. Give yourself lots of time and space.

[ShawnR]

Thanks CpnCrunch. I do have X-Plane and used it for the CPL. It did help. I will set it up and do some scenarios on it.

Thanks

[Big Pistons Forever]

My 02 cents

1) You have to have the knobology down cold particularly with the older GPS’s like the Garmin 430/530 system. Buy a good manual ( I like the pilot workshops.com manual), download the free Garmin sim and practice using every function.

2) Using a home sim is good to practice what you were already taught in your flight school sim dual lessons . Playing with a home sim first just reinforces bad habits

3) Don’t go to the airplane unless you are totally comfortable with a full IFR flight in the sim. Spend a little extra on the sim pays off triple times when you get to the airplane.

4) Flying the airplane has to be automatic as you need most of your brain capacity to keep SA and manage the IFR procedures. The best thing you can do on your home sim is pure instrument scan procedures. Figure 8’s with climbs and descents. Straight and level with increasing and decreasing airspeeds, climb and descents at specific rates etc etc. The good news is even the best home sims fly like crap compared to the airplane, so if you are an ace with your home sim instrument scan you will be a skygod in the airplane.

5) Finally there were 2 kinds of instrument rating training I taught. The first is the most common and is designed solely to pass the ride. It is intended for commercial pilot wannabes and assumes you will be taught how to fly IFR in the real world by your Captain in your first job. The second was for private owners who wanted to fly their airplane single pilot IFR. All of the training was in the airplane and there were a good variety of real world A to B flights to different airports and an attempt to maximize actual IMC flying. Once I felt they were safe to fly IFR on their own I finished the course with some pass the ride training. I am assuming that the OP is in the first category.

Total time in the airplane varies with what you bring to the table. I did my MEIFR in 11.1 hours including the ride. However I had about 700 hours and was an active instructor flying everyday. 25 hours in the airplane would IMO be the average.

[BGH]

I have to agree with big pistons,get everything down cold in the sim.
Try to get at least one sim session a day- I can handle two with a break but no more as I get tired & make mistakes but at least when I have tried a third session it has helped me recognize my fatigue level.
Once you start keep at it every day if possible.Know how to use the nav systems so you don’t have a lot of what’s it doing now.Lots of good training stuff on the internet to help.
My first run single engine was two weeks once a day after regular work & then a week in the Cessna & then the ride.
I’m about to retire as well & decided to upgrade to a multi vfr & if that goes well I’ll do the multi ifr & if not I will just renew my single ifr.
I’ll know in the next week or so if I have the brain for it.

Daryl

[dam41]

On top of what has been said above, something that helped me was to build and update a study guide after each flight/debrief.
Also the examiner(s) will tell instructors the bad habits they see with candidates. That's very valuable information.

If your exam starts from your flight school's airport, it means you won't have that many scenarios to study (departure procedure, hold, precision approach, go around etc). I drew each possible scenario (with the route) on paper and wrote down what needs to happen when (communication, checklist, ATIS, approach brief etc.). I did rerun the scenarios in my head time and time again.

"Make sure to be constantly thinking of what you need to do next" I second that, anticipating next items is key.

[ShawnR]

Thanks for all of the input and guidance. Many things were items I had not considered. Having XPlane sounds like I have part of the puzzle. I will track down someone local to get me started with it so I am not building bad habits.

Thank you
Regards,
Shawn