Private Instrument Rating

[Stiffler]

No it wont help. Dont waste your money.

How to prep? Enjoy yourself, and dont stress

Adam

[Guest NU lax]

I am in a similar situation; I have been slowly working on my instrument rating and was wondering if I should try to finish before UPT. So far I have been getting conflicting opinions so any input and reasoning behind it, would be much appreciated.

[Stiffler]

I had no instrument knowledge before upt, and it took me about a week to catch up to my peers with ratings. Therefore, I would have been pissed if I spent that money.

The AF pilot program is designed to teach a basic person to fly, so, you learn everything you need to know. Plus flying a 172 in weather is completely different than a fast ass T-1, 38, or T-6. Its much slower in the old 172!

[Guest Guppyguy]

How many times has this been brought up before?

In short, no, I don't think an instrument rating will give you an advantage. Now if you want to pick up a book on instrument flying just so you know what ILS stands for, etc., wouldn't hurt, but as far as piloting skills, unless you come to UPT with a but load of jet IFR time, I don't see any advantage. Besides, instruments is just a small part of the entire program.

[Guest WILLIO]

Thanks! I just sit here and watch all the guys go crank up the Viper... makes me anxious to do something. It cant come fast enough! Lata!

[Guest guardhopefull]

Just my opinion but I think the rating does help. I base this on T-6 academics and sim training, so I can’t speak for T-37 side. We have more sims in the T-6 so there is more chances to perfect your skills. But there were many guys in the class who were totally confused at the instrument test and had trouble understanding many concepts in academics as well as flying instruments in the T-6. Granted the CAI labs for instrument training were written by a complete moron so it is no help. And of course that’s not to say they did not pick up the skills then needed cause obviously they did and are still here. So it’s very doable and in the end they will learn most everything they need to know. I would say its just more of a help in understanding concepts and ease the learning curve. If you have the money consider it, but if not, forget it you will learn it here. Just another opinion from the XL side.

[Guest 130JGuardFlyer]

Getting lots of instrument time is more important than just having the rating. If you can afford to get the rating and a hundred hours or so of instrument time before UPT, then I'd say go for it. I flew Tweets and I think having some time flying off steam gauges would have helped me a lot during the instrument phase. But if you don't see yourself doing much inst flying with your rating, I wouldn't waste the money. You'll have the opportunity to get your i-rating at the end of UPT anyway.

[Texaco]

I searched around a little bit and didn't find a whole lot of info on Instrument ratings before UPT.

I have 1 year before I pin on the butter-bars, have just over 100hrs in a 152 and am interested in getting my instrument.

My question is: if you can afford it, is it worth it to get instrument rated before UPT? Does it make that much more of a difference? Pros/Cons?

[Guest 130JGuardFlyer]

Cucci,

A few guys in my class had their instrument rating, and it seemed to help them quite a bit. However, they had LOTS of time prior to UPT as well, so that probably had a lot to do with it, too.

If you can afford to get your instrument rating and then get a fair amount of real instrument time, it would be helpful, I think. However, if you don't think you'd use it much prior to starting UPT, IMO it's probably not worth the money and time.

Let me know what you decide - I've had quite a few people ask me this.

JFlyer

[Guest pcampbell]

I don't think the Instrument Rating will help. There were a few guys in my class that already had theirs and it didn't seem to help them that much. They struggled in all the same spots as everyone else.

[Shut up 'n color]

It really just depends on what kind of person you are. You'll hear both sides of the story....bottomline if you have the right attitude and go to UPT with any Instrument knowledge at all it won't hurt, but if you plan to spend thousands of dollars that you don't have to get ahead for UPT, it's not worth it. The times it will hurt you, are if you are cocky about it and think that just b/c you may have some Inst. time behind you then you can and will quickly fall behind. Knowing about MDAs, how to read approach plates and enter holding patterns are all things that will put you a few days ahead...but that's it. Both the dudes in my class that have Instrument experience are doing just fine and not really struggling b/c they know how to fly these approaches unlike those who need to learn from the begining. Maybe look into getting some ground training on how to fly some of this stuff, but flying a 152 is not really going to help you fly the T6, however the knowledge will help.

[Guest rtstolwo]

A little bit of ground on procedures and how to read the charts + Microsoft Flight Simulator will do you some good on how to fly approaches. You can fly any approach you want on MFS, it's good stuff...I used it to stay up to speed on stuff before my instrument ride (Civil).

[ 14. June 2006, 10:56: Message edited by: rtstolwo ]

[Texaco]

Thanks for all the great info. I love to fly and this just seems like the next step to keep learning and stay sharp while I wait to commission + Casual before UPT.

What are the differences in civilian and military instrument training?

I play around on T6driver.com quite a bit, what is the best material to read/go over before UPT?

Anything else to get ready? Thanks.

[Guest cafbc17dude]

If you have the time and money, do the instrument sims, not the rides. You get basically the same training in the sims (except no leans), then, when you get to UPT, you can get the instrument rating for free. What everyone above said is true. The guys who came with ratings still had to work in all the same places as those who didn't.

My advice, since you are looking to spend money, would be to get rides in planes that cruise around at 230kts. You will find that the corrections needed to maintain heading/airspeed/altitude are much smaller and faster at this speed. AND since the bulk of your training is in contact flying, not instrument, this would give you an advantage. The guys that had time in faster planes (ie. NOT 172s) did vastly better.

(in my class, IMO, blah blah)

[Guest dpiddycanfly]

Just be careful with the sims. The FAR/AIM says that you can use up to 20 hrs. of simulator time as actual instrument time if you are with an instructor, but these hours do not count as real flight hours so they won't help your PCSM any, if that is a concern. I am almost finished with my Instrument and I can tell you that it is a completely different type of flying. If nothing else it will definitely increase your proficiency as a pilot. As far as putting you ahead at UPT I wouldn't know about that cause I'm not there yet, but it sure doesn't hurt as long as you don't get too cocky. Financially, it sucks, but it can be done. If I can do it on a teacher's pay, plus buy a new house and getting ready to get married, anyone can do it. I would definitely start looking over some approach plates and learn how to read them because it can be overwhelming at first. Good luck.

[Guest Aces-High]

I think of all the flying I did my instrument rating helped the most. It helped me understand how everything in instrument flying works together. It's one thing to read how to do an approach and quite another to do one. If you have the money and time I would recommend at least reading up on it. Do a couple of flights and get the rating if you can afford it. I did mine in a 172 and I still think the rating helped. If you are looking to fly fighters all I can tell you is that every little advantage works. Sometimes the grades are so close that they are really splitting hairs on who gets the afterburners and who doesn't. Unless you are a jackass and no one likes you (therefore you will have a bad commander's ranking) any little step up won't hurt. An average checkride and good scores in everything else can put you on top.

[Guest Apollo]

Even if you don't get an Instrument rating, I

highly highly recommend you get 15-20 hours and

pass the written.

[jazzdude]

the advice i got is to take a few instrument rides, just to get introduced to some concepts and terminology, and then just spend time getting good at vfr. I'm probably going to try and add the complex endorsement, maybe do a mountain area checkout in addition to that. I've got about a year before upt do do that, so, yeah.

my 2 cents

[VL-16]

Go for it buddy, obviously I'm not at UPT, but it was a blast doing instrument flying. Makes VFR GA flying seem like a joke...you don't want to go back (well, not always). Best of luck to you and if you have any questions about what it was like, etc., hit me up on PM.

[Whitman]

jazz,

Complex endorsement is good....but tailwheel is so much better. Nothing gets those hands moving like a good taildragger. Anyone on here have any tailwheel time before UPT?

[Guest sleepy]

Originally posted by ENJJPTorBust:

...it was a blast doing instrument flying. Makes VFR GA flying seem like a joke...you don't want to go back (well, not always).

Huh? WTF is that supposed to mean? Yes, it's a completely different way of flying. I always thought the joy of flying was going out unencumbered by airspace, radios, and all the other regs associated with IFR flying. But I'm just a dumb 'ol country boy.

Originally posted by whitman:

...but tailwheel is so much better. Nothing gets those hands moving like a good taildragger.

Er, I'd say feet move more than hands, but again, I'm just a dumb 'ol country boy.

[AA]

Just about done with JSUPT. I got here with 3000+ hours and all the IFR time you would expect with that. BUT, I also went through with every type, from IFT only to IFR rated to commuter airline pilots to me. IMHO, the rating matters not, the flying and reading you do prior to getting here does. Read up on IFR stuff and get some IFR flights, you will be good to go.

I flew tail wheel stuff prior to UPT.

[brabus]

Makes VFR GA flying seem like a joke

Why exactly would you rather fly IFR unless there were actual IMC concerns? In GA, it's useful on those days/nights, but if I don't have to, screw it, I'm flying VFR.

EDIT: If flying into crowded areas (i.e. Vegas, LA, etc) then IFR makes it easier, but otherwise...

[ 19. July 2006, 20:43: Message edited by: brabus ]

[Guest sleepy]

Originally posted by whitman:

...but tailwheel is so much better. Nothing gets those hands moving like a good taildragger.

Whoosh! This one went over my head. Sorry, whit. Now I know that you are saying that tailwheels give you a hard-on. Me too, buddy!

If you can't fly a tailwheel, you ain't a pilot, and if you ain't a pilot, you ain't shit.

With that said, my tailwheel endorsement got me back in the family will (I think) after owning a buck and a half, but beyond that, nothing else. Even the ladies say, "You want me to ride in THAT!?" And I can't imagine how it would help at UPT. Bar bets maybe?

Speaking of bar bets, I am trying to work my way into some B-17 stick time. Hellz yeah! Buy sleepy a liquor drink, sucka!

[Guest mhcasey]

"Speaking of bar bets, I am trying to work my way into some B-17 stick time. Hellz yeah! Buy sleepy a liquor drink, sucka!"

Call me ignorant, but are you serious? That would be incredible to fly one of those. My grandpa served a whole tour in B-17's before getting shot down on his 19th (I think) mission in B-24's. How many B-17's are still flying?

To keep to the topic, I just finished my PPL and will hopefully be starting instrument next week.