Multi IFR test coming up.

[Salmonela132]

Any hints / tips ?

[Colonel Sanders]

RTFM: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/p ... nu-965.htm

I hope you have read that? Everything on the flight
test is covered in detail in that document.

You would be surprised how many people show up
for a flight test, unfamiliar with the TC flight test guide.

Know the flight test guide.

Know all the local instrument approaches and navaids.

Know your airplane - cockpit layout, speeds, procedures,
systems.

Know the engine-out litany. Perfectly. Glance at the EGT.

Get the winds aloft - at 3k and 6k - and don't be surprised by them.

Bring a hood!

If you work hard and prepare well for the test, you will pass it.

[blueoval56]

My biggest tip would be to get a good night sleep the night before.
Other than that, take the Colonels word as gospel and you should be just fine.
Also make sure you know the cap gen front to back. On my first group 1 ride(and every one thereafter) I was asked a whole lot of questions that can be found in that handy little book.
Know your IFR procedures and know your airplane.

Other than that, good luck!

[MrWings]

Remember MDA is not the same as DH. You stay at MDA until you reach MAP. You can be in and out of IMC during that time without going missed.

[blueoval56]

Remember MDA is not the same as DH. You stay at MDA until you reach MAP. You can be in and out of IMC during that time without going missed.

Good call.

Another one I just remembered:
In the missed approach, your missed approach altitude is a hard altitude. Meaning, if in the missed approach you get an engine fire with no power loss and are climbing at best rate, do not get pre-occupied with the fire and blow through your missed approach altitude. Remember to fly the airplane first and foremost.

[BarneyGumble]

I did my Group 1 about 3 months ago and this all helped me get through the ride (advice from my instructor).

- Most importantly, get a good night's sleep.
- Cap Gen front to back a couple of times.
- You know you will have to do one precision approach, a non-precision approach and a hold. They will all be approaches you've done before unless you're unlucky and ATC has to change things up. Since you know the approaches, look through them : know the MDA, times, tracks, etc. Just gives you a better situational awareness.
- Use a simulator if your school has one. If not, chair flying works as well.
- Review emergencies (Comm. failure, icing, alternator failure...)
- Know your weather. You'll have to make a go/no go decision and the examiner wants to see you're confident in that decision. Don't risk it if it is borderline. The examiner will want you to simulate it being a borderline day, so pull up everything including ASEPs, Echo tops, radar even if it's SKC.
- Be ahead of the plane! If you're not busy, find something to do.

If you are mentally prepared, ahead of the plane, know your weather, etc... You will do fine and find the ride enjoyable. Good luck!

[alwayswannafly]

I just passed the ride last Tuesday. You should know the CAP GEN cold like Colonel said, know the climb gradient graph. On the oral I was asked with a total electrical failure (inc battery failure) having a compass and attitude indicator only in the clouds where can I find VFR weather (the examiner wanted to see if I always had an out if things go sour). On the start up, verify your database is up to date.

ILS approach is compulsory on the initial, RNAV is recommended, although most of my friends got their engine out on the non-precision, I got mine on the ILS's procedure turn 13 miles back from the FAF (Toronto had to extend us further down due to traffic). I also had to hold due to traffic on the IAF (Try to ask for distance instead of time for holds) and finally if things go bad, don't be shy to initiate a missed approach, you are allowed a second shot at the approach.

Good luck with the ride!

[midwingcrisis]

Why is Canada still engaged to this?

[Colonel Sanders]

You want to do a partial panel NDB hold and approach instead?

PS Cap Gen and LO chart legend are essential knowledge!
Alternate wx minima - application of BECMG and TEMPO.
Cold wx corrections (never do your test when it's below 10C)
When you are legal to take off, commence an approach, and
land. Hopefully all that stuff was covered for your written ...

Oh, and use of GPS! Alternate? Substitution? Which TSO?

Emergency procedures will be covered during the pre-flight
oral portion of the test. I sure hope your instructor mentioned
that material! Expect discussion of lost comm, in detail.

[jeta1]

Most have covered the theory and pubs to know... so on the ride itself, assuming the CP will offer to act as a "competent copilot but not one with initiative...", make sure you take him or her up on it big time , by :

- running checklist items often and with minutia
- select frequencies and check audio ident - take your time
- make sure you set-up one set of navaids and plates for an immediate return to departure airport and brief that approach as well as your departure brief
- insist on all proper altitude calls as per pilot-monitored approach, during all phases but particularly from FAF in
- use AMORTES check list or similar to brief
- always verbalize a 5T check (time turn track throttle talk) when crossing fixes, changing altitude and entering the hold etc...
- get him or her to actually fly (with proper control exchange) and to maintain altitude and heading while you review your plate and brief the approach
- keep him or her as busy as you can, so they dont have time to find something to nail you on!
- keep an eye for an emergency of some kind, most likey a simulated comm failure, or a simulated glide slope or localizer during the approach, and have a plan B.

I missed a bunch of course , but bottom line, overuse the CP.

[Salmonela132]

Thanks for all the posts ! But I don't think my examiner is gonna be helpin me out much in the cockpit. I'm hopin ATC makes it easy going for me but knowing my luck probably not.

[Meatservo]

Hey I hate to be the one giving the touchy-feely advice here, especially since all the preceding advice has been spot on. But there's another important thing to remember: RELAX. I don't mean let your guard down and start slacking off, rather I mean, get the good night's sleep, study conscientiously, and have confidence. And remember, if you think you've done something wrong, don't lock up and start regretting it while you're still in the air: forget about it for the moment and focus on the next task. If you don't violate an air regulation, or get outside protected airspace, or bust a minimum, if the examiner hasn't put an end to the ride, then it's not over and you haven't failed it yet! People get all wound up over hold entries: stop making that sign of the "evil eye" with your fingers at the DG, and pick the entry that involves the least amount of turning if you momentarily forget the math. Just stay in the protected airspace.

Something you won't realize until much later in your career is that this is all quite straightforward and when you look back on this ride you won't be able to remember what the big deal was. It's a lot less complicated that it seems. We're all our own worst enemies on rides, we let ourselves get bound up in self-reproach after a minor error to the extent that we start making more errors because we lose focus. Try not to do that. If you study enough, and memorize your acronyms and checklist memory items, I'm sure you will have a good ride.

[Mach1]

Do what you have been trained to do, don't get creative or try out new things that you just thought of on the flight test.

[Sidebar]

Don't let yourself get into a high workload situation, and take whatever time you need to get it right. If necessary, ask for vectors to give yourself more time to figure out what to do and how to do it.

[skymarc]

Money grab for TC, Transport delegates and schools. If you fly IFR and are current its no big deal.

Why is Canada still engaged to this?

[Panama Jack]

I sure would love to see the US system regarding IFR currency being adopted here in Canada. Would probably result in many more recreational flyers getting an Instrument Rating, enhancing safety overall.

[Colonel Sanders]

One last thought: If you look at the TC Enforcements,
for IFR probably the most common is busting altitude.
Climbing through your assigned altitude. Descending
through your assigned altitude.

On the ride, you're going to be going up and down
like a yo-yo, and the examiner will be tossing stuff
at you non-stop, trying to distract you from flying
the airplane.

Don't stop flying the airplane. Gotta prioritize. Pay
a lot of attention to your altitude - what is it supposed
to be right now?

ATC separates aircraft from each other, and from
terrain with a cleared altitude. It's really important
for you to maintain it. It's easy to get distracted
from that, though.

You can make a lot of mistakes IFR and get away
with them. Altitude control is not one of them.

/Soapbox off

[midwingcrisis]

I could not agree more with Skymarc and Panama Jack. I may have overlooked the fact that the original poster was perhaps referring to an initial ride. Not intending to hijack thread, was TC suppose to rid of the ongoing need for IFR rides etc?