instrument rating in a hurry

Just trying to get some feedback from anyone who has gotten their instrument rating from a flight school or company that has you finish in 7-10 days. I've read all the ads in the magazines and searched a few web sites and wonder if any RVers have gone that route. I can't seem to schedule the time with my job and if I tried, it would end up being a 1 to 2 year deal.
Are they worth the money? Anyone do it and regret it or wish they had gone the slower route? Did you use your own plane? Any certain co. you would recomend? Any reason not to?
Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks
Dave Mader
RV6/60 hrs.

Spifr

With my busy schedule it was the only way for me. I did the 7 day course with SPIFR when they were based in Toledo, OH. They have since move to Michigan but I would still highly recommend them. I had completed about 10-15 hours with basic instrument flying and had pass the written. Most schools have this requirement so that you can complete in the 7-10 days.

True to its name SPIFR will make you feel comfortable flying instruments as a a single pilot. Most of the training was spent with the AI covered so when you had to do partial panel work, you did not miss the AI.

I did the PIC (Professional Instrument Courses) 10 day IFR course. I would highly recommend it. Finished in 6 days with 8 hours previous training, and backround as an air traffic controller. I really like the fact that they come to you, so you are shooting the approaches you will most likely use in the future, and you are using your own airplane.

Nathan Larson
N217JT RV9E 60 hours till sun-n-fun departure

I also did the PIC course

I did the PIC course about 6 years ago and HIGHLY recommend it. For the reasons mentioned. Some believe that the "crammed" course fades faster. I had no problem, but then I applied it as often as I can. Both in VFR and in IMC

Mine actually took 11 days as I had to stop in the middle due to a bad batch of weather that lasted for 2 weeks. The instructor came down from SC, and when we resumed, I flew up to him. We then did a long cross country to NC (all in IMC and under the hood), did 2 days of practice at the examiners location and I took my checkride and passed. Needless to say, flying home even with the PIC instructor, the AP was on and the GPS had it's flight plan and the ALT hold was on... I was fried.! - Still worth every penny tho

aadamson said:

Some believe that the "crammed" course fades faster. I had no problem, but then I applied it as often as I can. Both in VFR and in IMC

Click to expand...

There's your difference. The quick courses are great at getting you learned and done. But you have to go on your own after those courses and use it a lot so that it becomes less mental gymnastics and more modus operandi.

Good on ya for doing just that! The ones that say it fades aren't making it up - they just waited too long or weren't aggressive enough at getting in the system and building on the 6 or 7 day firehose.

You will be on your own someday

All I have to say is I remember my first flight post instrument rating, IMC.

I rotated right into a 300 foot overcast and I was on my own. I would recommend you pick your IFR days as PIC after the rating, regardless of how you train. I had actual IMC under my belt during training, but never solo obviously. It was literally do or die, but there is a first time for everything. Unlike a student pilot, there is no "monitored" post IFR rating solo. You are on your own.

In retrospect I should have picked higher mins to fly my first IMC flight, but 12,000 hours later it worked out. Even the airlines raise new Captain's mins for the first 100 hours and do not allow new First Officers to fly with them (green on green).

Also the advice about flying IFR every flight, even on VFR days is a good one. Use your skills. Like no other rating, again regardless of who or how you learned, IFR skills get rusty fast. George CFI/ATP

Go the fast route

I also did mine in my own aircraft. I had zero hood time towards the instrument rating and over 7 days did all 40 hours of hood time. Spending 5-6 hours a day flying approaches all under the hood prepared me for long hours staring at the clocks. It was hot, it was turbulent (Georgia in August) and it was great training.

LIke George, I had my first IMC trip a few days later. I had to be somewhere on business. The flight was 3 hours in the clag with level 1 showers and culminated with an ILS (800' and 2 miles). I handled it really well (I believe) because of my accellerated training. I was used to very long tiring days under the hood, so 3 hours was easy. I was relaxed and confident.

2400 hours later, and I have to work to find Wx to fly thru for 3 hours at a whack. I too always file IFR and make the time to do a practice approach at the destination. Go for it. Train the way you fly.

Art

Can I use this as a *bad* example?

atreff said:

LIke George, I had my first IMC trip a few days later. I had to be somewhere on business. The flight was 3 hours in the clag with level 1 showers and culminated with an ILS (800' and 2 miles). I handled it really well (I believe) because of my accellerated training. I was used to very long tiring days under the hood, so 3 hours was easy. I was relaxed and confident.

Art

Click to expand...

Art, Can I pick on you for a minute? I found your choice of words very challenging.

For those *new* IFR pilots or *wanna be* IFR pilots, my .05 is *NEVER* find yourself in a position, where you have to utter those words - "I had to be somewhere".

I have 1 primary rule of flying, no matter if it's VFR or IFR. I never want to put myself in the position of "having" to fly the airplane to get somewhere. The accident databases are full of that being the start of the chain of events leading to an accident and the second you do that you loose your options. For me, this means, I can always drive, fly commercial, etc. I plan ahead so I never have to utter those words.

Art, not picking on you specifically, just found you choice of words, in context, to be disconcerting.

My wife says there are 5 words she never wants to hear again... "Oh, sh#t, we're turning back", and "please advise number soles onboard". The first I said after I figured out that I had an alternator failure on a 3.5hr long cross country, the second, the tower said, when I called them on approach and told them that I may loose comms due to the problem.

This all from a simple alternator failure on a trip from ATL to VA. While the tower declared the emergency and this was really a non-event. I just like to give myself lots of outs...and never say those words.

aadamson said:

My wife says there are 5 words she never wants to hear again... "Oh, sh#t, we're turning back", and "please advise number soles onboard". The first I said after I figured out that I had an alternator failure on a 3.5hr long cross country, the second, the tower said, when I called them on approach and told them that I may loose comms due to the problem.

This all from a simple alternator failure on a trip from ATL to VA. While the tower declared the emergency and this was really a non-event. I just like to give myself lots of outs...and never say those words.

Click to expand...

How can a tower declare an emergency for you? As PIC only you can declare an emergency for your flight.

I've turned back or decided to put down at nearest on a number of occasions, but fortunately none of them panicked any of my passengers. I've put down it to wait out weather, to diagnose perceived problem, etc. I've also had an alternator failure AT NIGHT, IFR but not IMC. Having the right instrumentation allowed me to "manage" power consumption and determine that I would put down when my battery level got to a certain point no matter if I had reached my destination or not.

All the time

w1curtis said:

How can a tower declare an emergency for you? As PIC only you can declare an emergency for your flight.

Click to expand...

Happens all the time. I never said that word. I informed them that I had an alternator failure and was returning and let them know that I was on battery power only and may loose comms... I never said "and I'm declaring and emergency" - the tower declared the emergency, rolled the welcome wagon, followed me to the hanger and checked on the two of us.... I also did as you mentioned, and followed the checklist (most important thing, after aviate, navigate, communicate), and shed non-essential equipment. I had to turn back on the transponder for a flash to two so they could ID me on active radar, then it went back off. I was 100 miles or so away from the airport when the volts light started flashing and I noticed the problem and turned around. In bright daylight VFR.

I've heard countless stories of the same thing happening, the tower declaring the emergency on behalf of the pilot. Not saying it was a bad thing, just a curious one. They cleared the pattern, gave me a straight in to a runway that they don't use very often and it was a pleasant experience. Course, I was just as pleasant on the radio, no concern and continued to act professional. They told me that I didn't need to acknowledge transmissions and if able to report a 3 mile straight in final. Best landing I ever made..... I had lots of "graders"

Controllers are instructed to treat any situation where you've either declared an emergency OR they feel an urgent situation exists as an emergency (i.e. give you priority). They don't have to wait for you to say a peep. "Mayday" is a good way to get their attention, though.

This may be different at air bases and other military/government installations. If you wanted to land at China Lake, for example, I doubt the controllers there have any sort of discretion to allow that simply because they think you need help. Short of saying the words "I'm declaring an emergency", you're probably out of luck. I'd imagine, though, that if you declare an emergency, they'll bring you right on in....expect to answer some questions before leaving