multi IFR training tips? Plus career fit questions

[lostav8r]

I'm curious what tips everyone would give for someone who is used to flying around in a C150, along with all the bad habits that comes with.

I've done a few multi engine lessons and it feels very hard to stay ahead of the plane, especially with the increase in speed. I'm planning to start IFR but I'm wondering what things I should know apart from a good instrument scan. I know it's far out but I'm imagining having to worry about how hard it would be to keep up in a jet!

Multi engine flying comes with a lot more of a checklist/flow than "clear prop" and pulling the mixture like in a 150. I feel safe but not adequate if that makes sense.

As for career questions, just the multi portion of training is taking 100% of my brain power, I feel like I am safe in a training environment but not at all comfortable. I know time in the plane is key, but throwing in the stresses of working and it might be too much (schedules, delays, management pressure) Is this a good sign it might not be a good fit? And have others felt this way?

I'm very grateful I've had the chance to get this far, even if it goes nowhere. I also appreciate pilots are great about giving advice to those of us who are green!

[Rooster69]

Depending on the availability of the airplane, I used to go sit in the twin and go over the checklist and emergency procedures while the plane was sitting in the hangar. Saved me time and money. The more familiar you are with the a/c the brain power you use on the basic things can be used on some of the more complicated things.

Back in the day, we did NDB and VOR tracking and timed approaches, so I would figure out the ‘max crab angle’ before I even got in to the plane.


Good luck and safe flying!!

[TalkingPie]

I've been training multi IFR part-time for the past year and (hopefully) finally coming to the end of it after way more than the minimum required hours. For what it's worth, I have/had many of the same feelings as you. I think it's quite normal to feel a little overwhelmed at this stage in the game, although maybe more experienced pilots can also weigh in.

A few thoughts from a 300 hour wonder:

Try to fly as frequently as possible. The more you do it regularly, the quicker things will become automatic. This is true of all flying, but I feel like it applies even more to IFR. Doing it part-time is a necessity for some of us - other commitments, instructor/plane availability, weather, etc. - but it's a significant compromise.

You already mentioned the instrument scan, but I mention it again. Multi IFR revealed that mine really wasn't very good, and it's an essential skill for multi-IFR. I found that multi-tasking all the things required while still keeping up a good scan to be a challenge. Practice makes perfect.

When you can't fly, chair fly. I think the above comment about sitting in the plane whenever possible is great advice. I personally bought a used basic home simulator setup. It won't help you much with plane handling, but it will let you practice procedures from the comfort of your home without burning hundreds of dollars an hour. The up-front cost isn't chump change, but it kind of is compared to what the rating will cost you - maybe the equivalent of about 4 flights - and it can be resold once no longer needed. It'll also let you try out situations and approaches that you don't have access to in real life. There are also sometimes GPS simulators that you can access online or download to your home computer to get to know the unit installed in the plane you'll be using. Garmin has this for the 430/530, for example.

[CpnCrunch]

I went through an entire checkride in my head, multiple times during the day, visualising every single action, from takeoff to landing, every emergency, etc. It seemed to work...I passed the checkride first time. Just make sure you've verified that you have every single procedure correct in your head before doubling down on visualising, as you don't want to memorise the wrong thing, miss a step or misremember a power setting. It should then become almost automatic.

I flew about once every 2 weeks, and did 4 training flights in total before my checkride. I hadn't flown anything with constant speed prop or retractable gear before that, although it was a Seminole so it's very easy and nice to fly (until you try flying on one engine with the gear down and prop windmilling!)

[youhavecontrol]

"Chair flying", where you sit and visualize every maneuver and practice them over and over again will help a ton. Pretend to fly a circuit, then review the engine failure procedure, then review the emergency gear extension, etc... It gets easier the more you do it.
I used to also draw out each procedure visually in a notebook and add the steps. For example, I would draw the circuit with each call-out written on one side of the flight path, and the power settings and speeds on the other. Everything from take-off to climb power to downwind gear extension to the approach speed and flap setting.
What really helped me, was that I first got a job as a flight instructor, and after building a considerable amount of flight time, and making connections at the flight school, I was able to have a friend just teach me using one of the school's rental planes. I saved thousands and did the multi flight test after just one familiarity flight. My Group 1 started with using the school's simulator for free, where I cranked out all the maneuvers over and over again, and did the Group 1 after 1 cross country and 1 sim flight test.

Here's some general tips I offer from my years as a Multi IFR instructor (This was 7 year ago)
-Trim is your friend. Use it all the time so your fingers barely have to touch the controls.
-Everything is a procedural flow... so review the steps over and over for all phases of flight.
-Focus on the aircraft's attitude when in IMC. Change the attitude, then observe the other instruments to see how the performance changes... In general, other than descents, most changes to controls start with watching the attitude indicator then the power setting. (Attitude plus power equal performance).
-Always set the next frequency in the standby immediately after you change radio stations or nav-aids.
-Download an Ipad program to practice navaids like VOR's and hold entry patterns.
-Don't overstress hold entry patterns... As long as you understand where you are intercepting the inbound track from, you just fly what makes sense and stay on the protected side.
-staying ahead of the aircraft means keeping yourself busy at all phases of the flight... look up the next thing that needs to be tuned, review the airport diagram or approach plate, monitor the engines and fuel mixture.
-Remember how you felt when you first jumped into a 150, and how you feel flying it now. It's the same with any aircraft. It just takes time and practice. The best is when you begin to fly something really complex and go back one day and jump into the aircraft you first learned on... you'll be amazed at how far you've come. I was laughing like a kid in a go-kart when I hopped back into a Citrabria after flying a turboprop for 4 years.

[nohojob]

"Chair flying", where you sit and visualize every maneuver and practice them over and over again will help a ton. Pretend to fly a circuit, then review the engine failure procedure, then review the emergency gear extension, etc... It gets easier the more you do it.
I used to also draw out each procedure visually in a notebook and add the steps. For example, I would draw the circuit with each call-out written on one side of the flight path, and the power settings and speeds on the other. Everything from take-off to climb power to downwind gear extension to the approach speed and flap setting.
What really helped me, was that I first got a job as a flight instructor, and after building a considerable amount of flight time, and making connections at the flight school, I was able to have a friend just teach me using one of the school's rental planes. I saved thousands and did the multi flight test after just one familiarity flight. My Group 1 started with using the school's simulator for free, where I cranked out all the maneuvers over and over again, and did the Group 1 after 1 cross country and 1 sim flight test.

Here's some general tips I offer from my years as a Multi IFR instructor (This was 7 year ago)
-Trim is your friend. Use it all the time so your fingers barely have to touch the controls.
-Everything is a procedural flow... so review the steps over and over for all phases of flight.
-Focus on the aircraft's attitude when in IMC. Change the attitude, then observe the other instruments to see how the performance changes... In general, other than descents, most changes to controls start with watching the attitude indicator then the power setting. (Attitude plus power equal performance).
-Always set the next frequency in the standby immediately after you change radio stations or nav-aids.
-Download an Ipad program to practice navaids like VOR's and hold entry patterns.
-Don't overstress hold entry patterns... As long as you understand where you are intercepting the inbound track from, you just fly what makes sense and stay on the protected side.
-staying ahead of the aircraft means keeping yourself busy at all phases of the flight... look up the next thing that needs to be tuned, review the airport diagram or approach plate, monitor the engines and fuel mixture.
-Remember how you felt when you first jumped into a 150, and how you feel flying it now. It's the same with any aircraft. It just takes time and practice. The best is when you begin to fly something really complex and go back one day and jump into the aircraft you first learned on... you'll be amazed at how far you've come. I burst was laughing like a kid in a go-kart when I hopped back into a Citrabria after flying a turboprop for 4 years.

Great advices.
I would add if you can do it with someone doing the rating at the same time, you monitor each other to make sure you are doing it right when you practice sitting in the plane on the ground.

[lostav8r]

"Chair flying", where you sit and visualize every maneuver and practice them over and over again will help a ton. Pretend to fly a circuit, then review the engine failure procedure, then review the emergency gear extension, etc... It gets easier the more you do it.
I used to also draw out each procedure visually in a notebook and add the steps. For example, I would draw the circuit with each call-out written on one side of the flight path, and the power settings and speeds on the other. Everything from take-off to climb power to downwind gear extension to the approach speed and flap setting.
What really helped me, was that I first got a job as a flight instructor, and after building a considerable amount of flight time, and making connections at the flight school, I was able to have a friend just teach me using one of the school's rental planes. I saved thousands and did the multi flight test after just one familiarity flight. My Group 1 started with using the school's simulator for free, where I cranked out all the maneuvers over and over again, and did the Group 1 after 1 cross country and 1 sim flight test.

Here's some general tips I offer from my years as a Multi IFR instructor (This was 7 year ago)
-Trim is your friend. Use it all the time so your fingers barely have to touch the controls.
-Everything is a procedural flow... so review the steps over and over for all phases of flight.
-Focus on the aircraft's attitude when in IMC. Change the attitude, then observe the other instruments to see how the performance changes... In general, other than descents, most changes to controls start with watching the attitude indicator then the power setting. (Attitude plus power equal performance).
-Always set the next frequency in the standby immediately after you change radio stations or nav-aids.
-Download an Ipad program to practice navaids like VOR's and hold entry patterns.
-Don't overstress hold entry patterns... As long as you understand where you are intercepting the inbound track from, you just fly what makes sense and stay on the protected side.
-staying ahead of the aircraft means keeping yourself busy at all phases of the flight... look up the next thing that needs to be tuned, review the airport diagram or approach plate, monitor the engines and fuel mixture.
-Remember how you felt when you first jumped into a 150, and how you feel flying it now. It's the same with any aircraft. It just takes time and practice. The best is when you begin to fly something really complex and go back one day and jump into the aircraft you first learned on... you'll be amazed at how far you've come. I was laughing like a kid in a go-kart when I hopped back into a Citrabria after flying a turboprop for 4 years.

Thanks for the help!