restarting instrument flying

[Matthew S. Whiting]

Has anyone here taken an extended hiatus from flying and then returned
to currency? I sold my airplane and quite flying 4.5 years ago to build
a house and for some other economic reasons. I'm about ready to
re-enter the flying world and know that a fair bit has changed since
1999. Any suggestions as to how best to get back up to proficiency?


Matt

[Teacherjh]

>>
Has anyone here taken an extended hiatus from flying and then returned
to currency?
<<

This was covered about a year? ago here, google for the thread.

>> Any suggestions as to how best to get back up to proficiency?

Schedule some dual, don't expect it to all come back right away, start slowly
and with simple aircraft, do some short XC flights on good days to get back in
the swing and build your confidence up... and go from there. If you were
instrument rated, you might find that instrument currency takes even longer to
get back after a hiatus. Flight Simulator programs on the PC are helpful to
get your scan back and keep it sharp (and they are much cheaper to practice
procedures there than on the hobbs meter), but there's more to instrument
currency. Keeping all the balls in the air takes practice and that will just
take time to get back.

Ease back into it and don't let slow progress frustrate you. I was away for
ten years; it took it's toll but I got it back.

Jose



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[Teacherjh]

Oh.. one other thing. Don't get distracted by all the newfangled gizmos. Get
proficient on VOR/NDB/ILS stuff first, and only then tackle the mixed blessing
known as GPS. :)

Jose


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(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

[Tom S.]

"Matthew S. Whiting" > wrote in message
...
>
> Has anyone here taken an extended hiatus from flying and then returned
> to currency? I sold my airplane and quite flying 4.5 years ago to build
> a house and for some other economic reasons. I'm about ready to
> re-enter the flying world and know that a fair bit has changed since
> 1999. Any suggestions as to how best to get back up to proficiency?

I recently returned after essentially a 14 year hiatus (1989 to 2003).

I started by retaking both private and instrument ground schools, then did
about 50 hours of dual in eight weeks. That prepared me to ride as CP in our
corporate aircraft (flown by the partners). That was last spring. In many
ways things are easier, but the airspace changes were the biggest change.
AIUI, when I have amassed 300 hours (in last 12 months) I will be qualified
on the corporate equipment under their insurance.

It probably won't be quite a shock in your case, being only four years out.
Only the motor and process thinking skills will need to be re-honed.

Welcome back!!

[Snowbird]

"Matthew S. Whiting" > wrote in message >...
> Has anyone here taken an extended hiatus from flying and then returned
> to currency?

Not as long as yours, but months, yes, after surgery, and
then pretty much a year after the birth of my child. Basically
I was signed off for an instrument checkride 3x. Third time
was the charm :) but it was frustrating!

I dunno how much has changed really since 1999, unless you
live in the "DC Gulag" then your best bet is probably the
DC Pilots group for coping strategies. Call f***ing FSS
for a "standard briefing" and notams every time you fly in
case Bush has urgent national security issues like raising
money whilst cutting services in your home town.

In my case anyway, my knowledge of the procedures was still
pretty sharp but my flying just sucked. I had no scan left
each time. It was exactly analogous to taking up some physical
skill like TKD or judo after years off, where my mind remembered
I could break two boards with a kick over my head but my body
just couldn't do it.

What helped me? Drilling procedures including all the little
things one has to do and when (ident navaids, timer etc). The
more I drilled, the more brain cycles I had free for scanning.
Microsoft Flight Sim helped rebuild my scan, though if I were
better at using it would have helped me more. Simmer Gurl I
am not. Flying a lot with a mean instructor.

Did I mention drilling procedures and Microsoft Flight Sim?

Good luck!
Sydney

[Matthew S. Whiting]

Teacherjh wrote:
> Has anyone here taken an extended hiatus from flying and then returned
> to currency?
> <<
>
> This was covered about a year? ago here, google for the thread.

Thanks, I'll search for it.

Matt

[Matthew S. Whiting]

Snowbird wrote:
> "Matthew S. Whiting" > wrote in message >...
>
>>Has anyone here taken an extended hiatus from flying and then returned
>>to currency?
>
>
> Not as long as yours, but months, yes, after surgery, and
> then pretty much a year after the birth of my child. Basically
> I was signed off for an instrument checkride 3x. Third time
> was the charm :) but it was frustrating!
>
> I dunno how much has changed really since 1999, unless you
> live in the "DC Gulag" then your best bet is probably the
> DC Pilots group for coping strategies. Call f***ing FSS
> for a "standard briefing" and notams every time you fly in
> case Bush has urgent national security issues like raising
> money whilst cutting services in your home town.
>
> In my case anyway, my knowledge of the procedures was still
> pretty sharp but my flying just sucked. I had no scan left
> each time. It was exactly analogous to taking up some physical
> skill like TKD or judo after years off, where my mind remembered
> I could break two boards with a kick over my head but my body
> just couldn't do it.
>
> What helped me? Drilling procedures including all the little
> things one has to do and when (ident navaids, timer etc). The
> more I drilled, the more brain cycles I had free for scanning.
> Microsoft Flight Sim helped rebuild my scan, though if I were
> better at using it would have helped me more. Simmer Gurl I
> am not. Flying a lot with a mean instructor.
>
> Did I mention drilling procedures and Microsoft Flight Sim?

Flight sim isprobably a great idea for scan and procedures development.
I've never used it before. Any recommendations as to what hardware to
use for joystick, etc.? Christmas is just around the corner after all
.... :-)

I assume trying to use a keyboard and mouse, even if MS supports this,
would be insane.


Matt

[Dan Truesdell]

If you fly a plane with a yoke, I would recommend the same. I have CH
Products yoke (along with Jepp's FlightPro) and find it great for
procedural and scan practice.

Matthew S. Whiting wrote:
> Snowbird wrote:
>
>> "Matthew S. Whiting" > wrote in message
>> >...
>>
>>> Has anyone here taken an extended hiatus from flying and then
>>> returned to currency?
>>
>>
>>
>> Not as long as yours, but months, yes, after surgery, and
>> then pretty much a year after the birth of my child. Basically
>> I was signed off for an instrument checkride 3x. Third time
>> was the charm :) but it was frustrating!
>>
>> I dunno how much has changed really since 1999, unless you
>> live in the "DC Gulag" then your best bet is probably the
>> DC Pilots group for coping strategies. Call f***ing FSS
>> for a "standard briefing" and notams every time you fly in
>> case Bush has urgent national security issues like raising
>> money whilst cutting services in your home town.
>>
>> In my case anyway, my knowledge of the procedures was still
>> pretty sharp but my flying just sucked. I had no scan left
>> each time. It was exactly analogous to taking up some physical
>> skill like TKD or judo after years off, where my mind remembered
>> I could break two boards with a kick over my head but my body
>> just couldn't do it.
>>
>> What helped me? Drilling procedures including all the little
>> things one has to do and when (ident navaids, timer etc). The
>> more I drilled, the more brain cycles I had free for scanning.
>> Microsoft Flight Sim helped rebuild my scan, though if I were
>> better at using it would have helped me more. Simmer Gurl I
>> am not. Flying a lot with a mean instructor.
>>
>> Did I mention drilling procedures and Microsoft Flight Sim?
>
>
> Flight sim isprobably a great idea for scan and procedures development.
> I've never used it before. Any recommendations as to what hardware to
> use for joystick, etc.? Christmas is just around the corner after all
> ... :-)
>
> I assume trying to use a keyboard and mouse, even if MS supports this,
> would be insane.
>
>
> Matt
>


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Remove "2PLANES" to reply.

[Snowbird]

"Matthew S. Whiting" > wrote in message >...

> Flight sim is probably a great idea for scan and procedures development.
> I've never used it before. Any recommendations as to what hardware to
> use for joystick, etc.? Christmas is just around the corner after all
> ... :-)

Matthew, I'm not really the right person to ask since I'm not
"Simmer Gurl", but FWIW we have a CH Products Flightsim yoke and
rudder pedals. They seem to be OK. I keep the yoke well lubed
up with silicon. I have a file of suggestions for settings someone
shared w/ me which made a significant difference. I can email
them if you like.

Another significant difference was a plane with a more realistic
flight model than the MSFS defaults. There are several available
for free and perhaps if you speak your pref (high or low wing) someone
will speak up. Perhaps FS2004 is better in this regard, I don't know.
Haven't gone there yet.

Another way we've gone is playing with X-Plane. Haven't played
enough but to say that it seems as advertised: less eye-candy and
better flight model, but more computer expertise needed to set it
up and get it working.

Anyway, I make a point of flying the full approach or from a
published transition but with the same checklists or procedures
I use in the plane. It helps.

FWIW,
Sydney

[Bill Padley]

Guys

you may wish to check this out
http://www.projectmagenta.com/products/ifrpanel.html

Its SUPERB as an addon to FS2004 ..the gauges are as smooth as the real
thing..its an IFR panel only , and the gauges are also pretty much life
size..HIGHLY recommended for IFR currency ....currently in Piper and Cessna
format
Its particularly good running on a second pc or monitor with FS on the first

Cheers

Bill Padley
London

[Teacherjh]

>>
Flight sim isprobably a great idea for scan and procedures development.
I've never used it before. Any recommendations as to what hardware to
use for joystick, etc.?
<<

I have an el-cheapo joystick on mine. Actually it was free - CompUSA was
giving them away for some reason a few years ago. It's fine for my purposes
(keeping my scan sharp, practing procedures) and in some ways it's better that
it doesn't work so well (it forces me to keep on top of things that just
"happen").

Jose

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(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

[Jim]

started 1985
quit 1991 with PPL and IR
started again January 2002
August 2002 completed my Commercial
May 2003 finished my CFI
passed the IGI and CFII writtens
now I'm teaching an Instrument ground school

So after 11 years off I started up again, got current and advanced through
the Commercial and CFI tickets and am now working toward my CFII. I felt
that there was no better way to get back into it than to set a goal of
earning a new ticket. The goal of my commercial ticket by the end the
summer kept me going back to the airport. This was all done on a part time
basis.

X-Plane, FS, and a CH Products yoke got my instrument scan and situational
awareness back up to speed in a hurry, but the best thing you can do is just
dive right back into it with both feet.

Have fun! Welcome back!
--
Jim Burns III

Remove "nospam" to reply

[Matthew S. Whiting]

Jim wrote:
> started 1985
> quit 1991 with PPL and IR
> started again January 2002
> August 2002 completed my Commercial
> May 2003 finished my CFI
> passed the IGI and CFII writtens
> now I'm teaching an Instrument ground school
>
> So after 11 years off I started up again, got current and advanced through
> the Commercial and CFI tickets and am now working toward my CFII. I felt
> that there was no better way to get back into it than to set a goal of
> earning a new ticket. The goal of my commercial ticket by the end the
> summer kept me going back to the airport. This was all done on a part time
> basis.
>
> X-Plane, FS, and a CH Products yoke got my instrument scan and situational
> awareness back up to speed in a hurry, but the best thing you can do is just
> dive right back into it with both feet.
>
> Have fun! Welcome back!

I was thinking of adding a license or rating also. Always wanted to fly
choppers. Called the local FBO and was told that their 300C and
instructor was a cool $250/hour. OK, time for plan B...


Matt

[Cecil E. Chapman]

> I was thinking of adding a license or rating also.

Like the other posters said, that is a great way to go! You'll grow in
capability and knowledge AND get more flying in at the same time!

> Always wanted to fly
> choppers.

I'm going to pretend I didn't see that. ;-) You don't want to mess with
those heli-thing-a-ma-gigies. After all, there's a reason that there is the
sound of the word 'hell' in that word I won't even speak, out loud.
Remember that helicopters can't really glide like a BEAUTIFUL AEROPLANE,,,
helicopters simply fall with style! (to borrow from 'Toy Story') <grin>

Obviously, if you must go,,, over THERE,,,, <grin> have fun! :-)

Oh,, just yesterday (I'm actually being serious here) when I finished my
instrument lesson, the girl at the front desk told my instructor and I that
one of their helicopters just had to do a 'precautionary' emergency landing
in a patch of field just across the street from the airport fence.
Apparently, the instructor had observed some suspicious engine gauge
indications and landed as a precaution. I guess it must have checked out,
because the helicopter went on it's way back to the field.

--
--
Good Flights!

Cecil E. Chapman, Jr.
PP-ASEL

"We who fly do so for the love of flying.
We are alive in the air with this miracle
that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"

- Cecil Day Lewis-

Check out my personal flying adventures: www.bayareapilot.com