Is it really possibe to pass the Instrument test?

[CFLav8r]

I have been working on my instrument rating for the
past three months and although I have gained
considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
is in information overload.

Now every time I study something new, everything
already learned seems to purge itself.

Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
instrument rating?

David
PP-ASEL-Instrument Student (KORL)

[Roy Smith]

In article >,
"CFLav8r" > wrote:

> I have been working on my instrument rating for the
> past three months and although I have gained
> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
> is in information overload.
>
> Now every time I study something new, everything
> already learned seems to purge itself.
>
> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
> instrument rating?
>
> David
> PP-ASEL-Instrument Student (KORL)

Absolutely. The instrument rating is *much* harder than the private
pilot training. I remember feeling physically exhausted at the end of a
flight early on in the training.

Then, somewhere around 3/4 of the way through the 40 hours, it clicked.
I suddenly found myself able to fly the plane, navigate, brief an
approach, and still have brainpower left over to chat with my
instructor. Don't worry, it'll happen for you too.

[C J Campbell]

"CFLav8r" > wrote in message
.. .
> I have been working on my instrument rating for the
> past three months and although I have gained
> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
> is in information overload.

Since you are able to post, you are not yet in information overload. Let us
know when you have pigeons nesting on your head, and you can't remember when
they moved in.

[Stan Prevost]

That may mean you are ready to take the test, or might as well take the
test. That's how it was with me.

"CFLav8r" > wrote in message
.. .
>I have been working on my instrument rating for the
> past three months and although I have gained
> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
> is in information overload.
>
> Now every time I study something new, everything
> already learned seems to purge itself.
>
> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
> instrument rating?
>
> David
> PP-ASEL-Instrument Student (KORL)
>

[Rich]

I'm going to suggest that your problem is one of relevancy.
You're learning a bunch of stuff that your brain is saying "why do I
need to know this.." rather than "boy, I'm glad I know this; it's going
to save my bacon some day."

Perhaps if you could get some passenger time in actual conditions, it
would help you see how an instrument pilot USES what you are learning as
an actual instrument pilot. Of course, not everything is used on every
flight... and frankly, some of the stuff the FAA wants might NEVER be
used... but you get the idea.

Rich


CFLav8r wrote:
> I have been working on my instrument rating for the
> past three months and although I have gained
> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
> is in information overload.
>
> Now every time I study something new, everything
> already learned seems to purge itself.
>
> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
> instrument rating?
>
> David
> PP-ASEL-Instrument Student (KORL)
>
>

[Matt Whiting]

CFLav8r wrote:

> I have been working on my instrument rating for the
> past three months and although I have gained
> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
> is in information overload.
>
> Now every time I study something new, everything
> already learned seems to purge itself.
>
> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
> instrument rating?

No, but I got my instrument several years after completing my EE degree,
and few things have compared with that from an intellectual challenge
perspective.

What I found helpful was to put key bits of information such as lost
comm procedures, visibility requirements, light gun signals, etc. on 3x5
index cards. I'd then carry 10-15 of these in my shirt pocket and
whenever I found myself waiting in line, stuck in traffic, or simply
cooling my heels somewhere, I could pull those out and run through them
a few times. Amazing how much will stick after a few weeks of doing
this. I used the same technique to complete the EE. :-)


Matt

[Steve]

David,
You'll do it. The hardest part will come after you get the rating -- Trying
to fly on instruments often enough in order to maintain your proficiency,
unless you adhere to conservative personal minimums. You'll see what I mean
(smile).

Steve


"CFLav8r" > wrote in message
.. .
>I have been working on my instrument rating for the
> past three months and although I have gained
> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
> is in information overload.
>
> Now every time I study something new, everything
> already learned seems to purge itself.
>
> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
> instrument rating?
>
> David
> PP-ASEL-Instrument Student (KORL)
>

[[email protected]]

Steve > wrote:
: David,
: You'll do it. The hardest part will come after you get the rating -- Trying
: to fly on instruments often enough in order to maintain your proficiency,
: unless you adhere to conservative personal minimums. You'll see what I mean
: (smile).

That's what I thought too.... "I fly plenty. 6-months is a long time to just
do 6 approaches." Boy... skills fade fast. Now before any trip that I want to be
confident doing some enroute IFR, I go up with a safety pilot and get some quality
hood time before each one. I feel like if I haven't done any practice within a week
or two, I shouldn't be accepting the clearance.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[C Kingsbury]

"CFLav8r" > wrote in message
.. .

> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
> instrument rating?

No, I found it much more frustrating than that.

You just have to keep banging your head against the wall, until one day it
finally cracks. The instrument rating is a war of attrition. Keep the
frequency of lessons up (2x weekly or more is preferable) and just keep
buggering on and one day you'll make it.

-cwk.

[Stan Gosnell]

"CFLav8r" > wrote in news:CBDed.17518$1f.3578
@tornado.tampabay.rr.com:

Of course it's possible. I did it, and my name isn't Einstein. Some people
learn better through reading, some through seeing, some through hearing, and
some through doing. You have to find what works best for you, and use that
more, but you still need to be able to learn some from all of them.
Sometimes things just aren't visible, but suddenly they fall into place.
Keep at it, and you'll get it.

--
Regards,

Stan

[Fred Wolf]

I used the Gleim CD and it worked for me,, someone advised that I set a date
to take the test, and make your schedule fit the timetable, it worked for me

you just have to plug away,, I recommend the Gleim very strongly.........
"CFLav8r" > wrote in message
.. .

[Mike Rapoport]

The way we learn things seems to happen in several phases:

1. We are overwhelmed by the task and use all our resources to complete the
task. This is analagous to being able to control the airplane by
instruments but unable to do any additional tasks like looking at approach
plates or charts.

2. We gain just enough competence that we have a little extra bandwidth and
can actually "observe" our own performance. This allows us to see what is
working and what isn't.

3. We are competent at the task and can do it almost automatically.and are
able to focus most of our attention on other tasks. In your case, you will
stop scanning and mumbling a bunch of words begining with "t" and just take
in the whole panel in one glance.

I recently experienced going through these steps while getting a tailwheel
endorsement. When I went from "1" to "2" my progress accellerated a lot. I
suspect that you will experience the same thing. It might help to make your
training more frequent.

Mike
MU-2


"CFLav8r" > wrote in message
.. .
>I have been working on my instrument rating for the
> past three months and although I have gained
> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
> is in information overload.
>
> Now every time I study something new, everything
> already learned seems to purge itself.
>
> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
> instrument rating?
>
> David
> PP-ASEL-Instrument Student (KORL)
>

[John R. Copeland]

Many years ago, my instrument instructor listed six tasks we all had to =
do
simultaneously on instrument flight. I forget exactly what the six =
things were,
but usual stuff like flying the airplane, navigating, tuning radios, =
talking to ATC,
reading charts, and those sorts of items.
My instructor pointed out that "Any idiot could do any of those things".

Then he said, "Now assume an average pilot IQ of 120, then divide by =
six,
to see how much brainpower you can give each of the simultaneous tasks."
A pithy way to say it, but it really put his point across!

The only way we can be instrument pilots is to reduce as much as =
possible
to habit patterns, so we don't have to think much about them while doing =
them.
Moral: Repetitive practice is the key to instrument flying.
---JRC---

"Mike Rapoport" > wrote in message =
nk.net...
> The way we learn things seems to happen in several phases:
>=20
> 1. We are overwhelmed by the task and use all our resources to =
complete the=20
> task. This is analagous to being able to control the airplane by=20
> instruments but unable to do any additional tasks like looking at =
approach=20
> plates or charts.
>=20
> 2. We gain just enough competence that we have a little extra =
bandwidth and=20
> can actually "observe" our own performance. This allows us to see =
what is=20
> working and what isn't.
>=20
> 3. We are competent at the task and can do it almost automatically.and =
are=20
> able to focus most of our attention on other tasks. In your case, you =
will=20
> stop scanning and mumbling a bunch of words begining with "t" and just =
take=20
> in the whole panel in one glance.
>=20
> I recently experienced going through these steps while getting a =
tailwheel=20
> endorsement. When I went from "1" to "2" my progress accellerated a =
lot. I=20
> suspect that you will experience the same thing. It might help to =
make your=20
> training more frequent.
>=20
> Mike
> MU-2
>=20
>=20
> "CFLav8r" > wrote in message=20
> .. .
>>I have been working on my instrument rating for the
>> past three months and although I have gained
>> considerable new knowledge, it feels like my brain
>> is in information overload.
>>
>> Now every time I study something new, everything
>> already learned seems to purge itself.
>>
>> Has anyone else felt this way while working on the
>> instrument rating?
>>
>> David
>> PP-ASEL-Instrument Student (KORL)
>