Canada Ifr

[LL slave]

Thanks for all the good stuff, this fourm or I should say the people in It are proving to be a great source of info and advice. thanks everybody! any word on a place to train in the east ?

[Phil Croucher]

Culhane's stuff is not completely useless, and is OK for a quick refresher, but you have to know your stuff first to pick up the mistakes. I wouldn't recommend it as the sole means of study. You would get more from the AIP.

 

Out East? The only one I have experience of is Canadian at Buttonville. ProIFR are excellent for the groundwork, but the 206 I was trying to use had no ADF in it and they were using a GPS as a substitute. If you go to Canadian you will likely get Richard Pearce as the examiner, who will not only give you a thorough checkout but a learning experience as well (he made me plan a 5 hour trip in a 206!).

 

Two tips I can offer for any IFR course - ensure that you are *very* familiar with the machine you are using so you don't look like a dork when you are looking for the switches. Also, check the compass deviation card before you do the NDB approach (you can be miles off with only a couple of degrees difference). Lastly, 'cos I promised not to give Richard's secrets away, remember that a hydraulic failure means you go slower

 

Phil

[cap]

LLSlave -------it depends on how far east you are willing to go. There are many good ones, but foremost has to be the Moncton Flying Club. They were the first to be allowed to train in IMC and have been training for over 60 yrs. There are tons of pilots that have received their training for IFR at this place over the decades. I am speaking now only of the organization, their standard of equipment and course. They have no monopoly on the best instructors and neither do any of the others. You may also have some that are very good by your back-door and don't know it , so investigate carefully.

[Sisyphus]

Buy MS FlightSimulator and a joystick, pedals and collective. Practice every approach for the airport at which you are training and any other airports in the vicinity. Practice until you can do these approaches in your sleep.

 

When you practice IFR in the aircraft, make sure that no outside cues whatsoever are available. Even the slightest exterior glimpse will ruin the illusion. Usually this means covering the windows and chin bubble with brown paper.

 

Try to separate learning to control the aircraft on instruments and learning the instrument procedures. It is over whelming to do both at once.

 

Make numerous visits to the control tower and other air traffic control facilities. Find out what really goes on in there.

 

Try to practice IFR at night. It is more difficult to get outside clues.

 

When practicing IFR, try this. Let the instructor fly while you sit with your eyes closed for several minutes. Make sure the cockpit is blacked out and you cannot see outside. Then open your eyes and take control. Immediately make an approach.

 

Get a VHF handheld radio and listen in on departure, enroute and approach control whenever you can.

 

Do not delude yourself that if and when you get the rating that you can successfully fly on instruments. Many experienced IFR pilots have come to grief after encountering inadvertant IFR. On the other hand, you must do everything you can to convince yourself that you can at least keep the thing upright and going in one direction at one altitude if you have to. You must have at least this much confidence in your abilities.

[Phil Croucher]

You could also talk to Kent Levitt at TRK Helicopters in Langley - 604 999 9726

 

They have 2 R22s and a 44, IFR equipped and a flyit simulator, so that should cut the costs down!

 

Phil

[donnybrook]

Do most of your training on a C152 to save $$$$$. Study for the written yourself (vs groundschool) to save $$$$.

[Sticky]

I agree with donnybrook. Do as much of your IFR training in a small fixed-wing as you can because IFR is IFR - the platform isn't that important in the early stages. A fixed-wing is cheaper and more stable and will make grasping the basics so much easier and a whole lot cheaper (just don't tell your friends you flew a fixed-wing). Self-study is a good way to cut costs but there are strengths in studying in a structured group environment. You will have lots of questions in the beginning and its nice to hear other's questions as well...and hearing the correct answers from an experienced instructor.

 

I used Culhane's when I did my INRAT and, as Phil said, you need a fairly solid background in instrument procedures to use it as sole source guidance...not for an IFR newbie unless you want to use it to crosscheck your knowledge.

 

Computer-based sims are great for putting theory into practice before you fork over the big bucks to fly them in the actual aircraft but be sure you're doing the procedures correctly before you imprint any bad habits. IFR is largely procedural and bad habits are hard to erase once they've been practiced a lot.

 

Training for IFR at night is great advice after you've gotten some of the basics under your belt. Reading approach plates by flashlight isn't great when you're starting out. Outside visual cues are usually a bigger distraction than a benefit (they can really contribute to "the leans") so night flight takes away that problem and many times you can even fly without the hood. There may be less traffic at night as well. Also, find a school that is willing to do actual cloud time...its a whole different ballgame than hood time.

 

Find a good IFR checklist that includes enroute procedures and use it. Memorize things like the level-off check and pre-descent check so you can be thinking well ahead before level-off or descent. Cockpit management is so important when operating IMC so strict checklist usage is critical to success.

 

Enjoy. Flying under IFR is challenging and a well executed flight is extremely rewarding. Its money well spent.

[twinstar_ca]

congrats on getting the rating, homer... :up:

[treetopflyer]

Hey Homer,

 

Congratulations!! Nice job.

 

Lots of opportunities to make $35,000 a year at CHL EMS. After about 3 years you might have enough twin time to be qualified for Captain then you'll be up to at least $50,000/year. The door is turning pretty fast so be careful on your way in.

 

Helijet is probably a better choice as you buil twin hours much quicker and get more actual IFR.

 

Good luck,

ttf

[412driver]

i agree with treetop.......

 

helijet will get you into real IFR and alot of it :up: