Instrument flight training and IFR
flying. My favorite subject to talk about!
Before I got my instrument rating, I used
to think that the instrument rating was "what separated the men from the
boys" when it came to pilots. Of course now I know that's not
necessarily true, but still, there is a true sense of pilot
professionalism when you can file an IFR flight plan and go fly in the
system.
Now, I would be remiss here if I were to
somehow communicate (either intentionally or unintentionally) that by
taking an instrument flight training course and getting an instrument
rating, that you can charge right out and make a flight in hard
instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). You may be legal at that
point to do just that, but there is LEGAL and then there is SAFE.
According to a recently published report
by the Air Safety Foundation (ASF), weather related accidents are on the
rise. In spite of all the new technology available in GA aircraft these
days, pilots are still getting themselves into deep trouble with the
weather. I think this underscores the need for HIGH QUALITY INSTRUMENT
FLIGHT TRAINING!
Next post - how to choose the right IFR
training facility....
