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2 Answers

Time building

Asked by: 3854 views Instrument Rating

Hi, 

i just finished up my ppl a few months ago and now that I'm finally done flying with friends to have fun, I'm ready to do some meaningful flying I.e XC pic and hood time so I can start my instrument training. I have about 27 hours of XC pic time and only about 11 hours of sim instrument time. I was just wanting to know, what is the most cost effective and efficient way of getting my hours met to start my instrument training?

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2 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Feb 23, 2015

    There is no requirement for any simulated instrument time prior to starting training for the instrument rating. If I were your instructor, I would not want you to go out and attempt simulated instrument flying prior to my having given you some basic instruction concerning instrument flying. You cannot teach yourself instrument flying and might build some bad habits that would need to be undone once you begin instrument training.

    As far as cross country PIC goes, you need 50 hours of XC to apply for the instrument rating. You already have 27 hours. That means you only need another 23 hours. You will get some XC PIC time during the course of your instrument training. Get with your instructor and estimate how much XC time you will do during your training. The difference is what you need to work on.

    Just one caveat concerning time building programs. If you fly as a safety pilot for another pilot who is under the hood, you cannot log that time as XC and you can only log PIC time while he is under the hood.

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  2. Lagmanbek on Feb 23, 2015

    Not having your specific details in front of me, here are some thoughts.

    First of all, fly! If you can’t find a safety-pilot for flying under the hood, fly cross-country with flight-following. Put yourself under pressure: hold your attitude, hold your course headings, be thinking always of what to learn and how to improve. Fly some practice approaches.

    When you’re not flying, spend some time reading. There are lots of good articles in flight magazines to increase the depth of your knowledge and help you become a safer, smarter pilot. Spend time also studying for the knowledge test. I was a fan of dauntless before they started sponsoring this site: it’s great material.

    When you’re not flying, reading or studying, ask some instrument-rated pilots to tell you stories. Many times you learn more from one story than hours in the books. There are very few pilots out there that don’t have stories to tell if you ask.

    Blue skies!

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